Pitt Lake Falls

Location

Pitt Lake Falls: 38.8375 N, 120.1232 W

USGS Topo: Echo Lake

Directions

From the US-50/CA-89 intersection south of Lake Tahoe follow US-50 to the southwest for ~10.8 miles and turn right into the trailhead parking lot. In 2011, there was a $5 day-use fee to park here. To avoid this fee you can park off of either side of the highway (where permitted) near the parking lot. The so-called trail begins off the northeastern side of the parking lot. I say this because despite receiving $5 per car in a popular day-use area, the trailmarkers are virtually non-existant after only a few tenths of a mile. As many reviewers of this hike repeat, as long as you keep the creek on your right and Horsetail Falls in front of you, you'll be "fine". This is true, however, there are many places where you can end up in a dead-end of manzanita brush. My best advice to give is to stay close to the creek as possible. The base of Horsetail Falls is reached after ~1.5 miles. After scrambling up the western side of the creek to the top of Horsetail Falls (~1.9 miles) continue on towards Pitt Lake. At the ~2.5 mile mark you'll reach the eastern edge of a small ridge to the northwest of Pitt Lake where there are decent views of the waterfall to the east. A closer view of the falls would require crossing Pyramid Creek at some point.