Hike-in Swimming Hole

We had you at hike-in swimming hole? For a taste of the glacial and volcanic splendors of Desolation Wilderness without an all-day commitment, Grass Lake is the perfect hike. Pack a lunch and your bathing suit, and you’re all set for this easy 5-mile round-trip. Start at the Glen Alpine Trailhead near Fallen Leaf Lake and follow the dirt and gravel road for one mile to the remains of the late nineteenth-century Glen Alpine Springs Resort. Here you’ll find a naturally carbonated mineral spring and several buildings designed by famed architect Bernard Maybeck, who designed San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts. Beyond the resort, the path narrows to a singletrack trail, then climbs gently for 0.75 mile to a Desolation Wilderness boundary sign and a junction with the Grass Lake Trail.

Head left off the main trail, cross a couple of streams on whatever rocks or logs are available, and in another mile you’ll reach the eastern shore of Grass Lake. For most of the summer, a waterfall pours down the lake’s western wall, the overflow from Susie and Heather Lakes. Continue past Grass Lake’s shallow outlet for another quarter-mile to a series of blocky boulders that are perfect for swimming, sunning, and tossing sticks for water-loving dogs.

From the Y-junction of U.S. 50 and Hwy. 89 in South Lake Tahoe, drive 3 miles northwest on Hwy. 89 to the turnoff for Fallen Leaf Lake Road. Turn left and drive 5.4 miles to the trailhead at the end of the road. (Drive slowly: This road is extremely narrow.) Day hikers must fill out a self-serve wilderness permit at the trailhead. Note: Always check water levels before taking any kind of plunge. Dog-friendly!