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Squaw Valley

Enjoy Summer at Palisades Tahoe Resort with These Top Hikes

As the snow melts, this Lake Tahoe ski resort stays lively with family attractions and high-altitude hiking trails.

Hiking Easy, Moderate, Difficult

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Squaw Valley
Squaw Valley Photo: Greg Heil

Description

Known worldwide as a past Winter Olympics venue, Palisades Tahoe actually has a lot to offer in addition to skiing. The resort remains popular throughout the summer as a hiking destination and tourist attraction. Whether you're staying at the lodge or just visiting for the day, you can enjoy a bounty of trails and a variety of other attractions like dining, shopping, scenic chairlift rides, and outdoor fun like summer ski lessons, swimming, golfing, yoga lessons, or even paintball.

Whether partaking in those other activities or not, you won’t want to miss out on the hiking. Trail access is free of charge, and hikers have can roam through nearly all of the resort’s extensive acreage. You can explore shady canyons with waterfalls, sunny slopes covered in wildflowers, and craggy summits overlooking it all. Here are the best trails in the resort, offering something for every type of hiker.

Routes included

Shirley Canyon Trail

Shirley Canyon Trail

Summer hike in Palisades Tahoe along a cascading creek and steep rock slabs surrounded by granite peaks.

Difficult Hiking

Distance
4.7 km
Ascent
580 m
Descent
4 m

Five Lakes Trail

Five Lakes Trail

A scenic climb up and out of Alpine Meadows Valley, over a high granite ridge that conceals a beautiful lake-filled basin.

Moderate Hiking

Distance
7 km
Ascent
313 m
Descent
313 m

High Camp Meadow Loop

High Camp Meadow Loop

Easy hike from the top of the tram, through flower-filled meadows with a view of Lake Tahoe.

Easy Hiking

Distance
1.9 km
Ascent
61 m
Descent
61 m

Squaw Peak and Emigrant Peak Loop

Squaw Peak and Emigrant Peak Loop

Hike through meadows and along ridgelines to reach the peaks at the top of Palisades Tahoe.

Moderate Hiking

Distance
8.2 km
Ascent
441 m
Descent
441 m

Thunder Mountain Trail

Thunder Mountain Trail

Summer hike from Palisades Tahoe Lodge to High Camp, along a rushing stream and through flower-filled meadows on the mountainside.

Moderate Hiking

Distance
4.7 km
Ascent
571 m
Descent
11 m
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Related guidebooks

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