Ready to explore and enjoy some scenic views around Lake Tahoe, I looked up some mountain bike trails in the area. Come to find out, Lake Tahoe is a pretty popular place for mountain biking so there were several trails to choose from. I decided the world famous Historic Marlette Flume Trail would give me the biggest bang for my buck…or should I say, the best views for my over exerted body!

I wanted a bike route that would take me in a loop, I hate back tracking when I’m out exploring! The more land I can cover the better. Typically, those who ride the Flume Trail take a $20 shuttle from the Tunnel Creek Cafe up to the Spooner Lake parking area and ride downhill most of the way back to their vehicle. While this sounded fun, the shuttle only runs in the morning and it was already noon by the time I was planning my route. Besides that, I’m way too cheap to pay $20 just to avoid a bit of an uphill climb. (It turned out to be more uphill than I imagined!)

After looking over a few maps and blog posts, I decided to make one of two loop options along the trails above Incline Village, Nevada. Time determined which route I ended up taking, which was the shorter loop, clocking in at 19.3 miles round trip. The longer route would have taken me all the way to Spooner Lake and been closer to 30 miles. In the end, I was quite happy with the route I choose, especially considering the amazing views I enjoyed.

I parked on the side of the highway across from the Tunnel Creek Cafe and headed up Tunnel Creek Rd starting about 2:00pm. As I met hikers along the way up the hill, many laughed and informed me I was taking the trail backwards! I told them I knew that but I was too cheap to take the shuttle. They offered a word of encouragement and assured me the Flume Trail was worth it.

3 miles and 1 hour later I made it to the trail intersection that was the start to the famous Flume Trail. I stopped for a break, some water, and a few pictures, and eagerly continued on. The footage I had seen of this trail had me excited to see the views with my own eyes! “4.4 miles to Marlette Lake” the sign said. I knew this portion of the trail was fairly level so I figured I could make good time.

I was not disappointed! The Flume Trail rides a narrow ledge on the side of the mountain right above Lake Tahoe. You can’t get better views than that! Yes, the trail is narrow in places and the mountain side steep down to the lake and highway below. But it is safe and totally rideable. I admit I was glad to be riding the path late in the day, especially since I was technically riding the route backwards. I would not be interested in passing another mountain biker on that trail.

The beautiful views and excellent single track trail came to an end all too soon. I was half tempted to turn right back around and ride it again the other direction, it was that much fun! Breath taking views had me stopping frequently for pictures…another reason I was glad to have the trail to myself.

It was fun to see Sand Harbor from a bird’s eye view as we are hoping to visit the park before we leave the area. Looking forward to enjoying the sandy beaches down there!

Having only read briefly about Marlette Lake and the water flume the trail is named after, I had been pondering how a man made lake could be so massive. As I approached the lake I saw the dam and it all made sense. The old timers dammed up this ravine to catch the water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The flume carried the water down the mountain into the mining towns. Don’t ask me why Lake Tahoe wasn’t a sufficient water source! That part doesn’t make any sense to me!!

Stopping for a bite to eat (dried apricots) while enjoying the beauty of Marlette Lake, it was time to decide my return route. Time wise, I was at my halfway point as I knew it would be getting dark around 8:00pm. A few minutes pondering my maps, I assumed I had done the majority of the climbing on my route and decided to go for the loop that would take me back by way of the Tahoe Rim Trail above Marlette Lake. It was only 2 miles from me to the Tahoe Rim Trail so I figured it couldn’t take me too long. I hustled around the lake knowing I needed to make good time.

The signage wasn’t very clear on this section of my route. Apparently you can drive a car to Marlette Lake (or at least the forest service can) so I was on a gravel/dirt road for this section of the route. I COULD NOT believe how steep it was!! There were signs to all sorts of things…everything except what I was looking for, the Tahoe Rim Trail. My maps told me this was the way, but the signs weren’t very reassuring. This made me hustle all the more as I didn’t want it to get too late in case I decided I needed to turn around and go back the way I came.

One hour later I had found my way to the Tahoe Rim Trail (what a relief!) and stopped for dinner (a protein bar) looking out over Marlette Lake and Lake Tahoe. I was high enough to see both now.

This was my first solo trip in the mountains. I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods, backpacking, fishing, hunting, etc., but I’ve never gone alone. I was never one to stay at camp while the others went on a day hike either. When we first arrived in Tahoe, the neighbors warned us about the bears breaking into houses and vehicles regularly. We agreed that it would be best for one of us to stay home on “bear duty” at all times. We can’t afford to have our home damaged by bears while we are still trying to build! This meant any adventuring would have to be done alone. So, I grabbed my bear spray and some other emergency items and faced one of my fears: being alone in the middle of nowhere. It turned out to be a great experience! The best views are yet to come, from Marlette Peak and beyond. Keep reading on my next post!