![]() Moving back down towards the café, we took the main trail, if only because the steep path had enough loose dirt and the girls were just everyday Nikes and a slip was more probable than not. ![]() Moose was too distracted by a squirrels and a lizard to pay any mind to Monkey Rock. The girls and I took a few photos, including a “Three Wise Monkeys” shot of which we were quite proud. ![]() And the views of Tahoe are gorgeous from the point, which explains why they didn’t even notice Monkey Rock until my girls were hamming it up in front of it. We reached Monkey Reach just behind a couple that was simply looking for a nice lake view. Either way, it’s an elevation gain of more than 400 feet for the hike. At the split, take the steep trail to get the heart rate going, or stay on main trail for a longer route. Past the second forest service gate (full directions below), it becomes a hike. The first half of this hike – my GPS had it at just over two miles roundtrip from the café YMMV based on route – is just a flat stroll, moving gradually up the trail. Her description meshed with I’d read in the blog so off we were. I popped into the café and bought a Gatorade and asked one of the girls behind the counter about getting to the rock. We parked on the road next to Tunnel Creek Café, which I only know from my ride on the Flume Trail last year with my brother-in-law. I’ll give you the easiest and shortest way, but just know there are other options, especially if coming from Marlette Lake or riding/hiking the Tahoe Flume Trail. Now that I’ve been there, I can tell you there are a bunch of ways to get to Monkey Rock, as it’s just off a main east Tahoe trail. and were out the door en route to Incline Village. The weather was absolutely perfect on Sunday so we got mobilized by 9 a.m. Today’s hiking partners were my daughters, ages 13 and 8. That got me pointed in the right direction. A quick search for details and/or directions wasn’t overly helpful, save for the very cool Forever Adventuring blog I came across. I remember hearing about Monkey Rock a year or two ago and a friend posted a shot on Instagram recently, which served as a bit of a reminder that I wanted to check it out. Monkey Rock, overlooking Crystal Bay at Lake Tahoe. This dirt jeep road will still give you glimpses of Lake Tahoe before ending at Tunnel Creek Station.The plan: Find the Monkey Rock, a decent-sized piece of granite whose features resemble that of a monkey head, near Incline Village off the Flume Trail. Make sure you take the time to take in the views!įrom Marlette Flume Trail, get ready for a slightly steeper downhill cruise as the next three miles features a 1,500-foot descent down the Tunnel Creek Road. ![]() Although the trail feels mostly flat or slightly downhill, do use caution as this section has very steep drop offs and the trail can be very narrow in some sections. This historic trail traverses the ridge, weaving around rocks and trees and then opening up to expansive views of Lake Tahoe and the mountains beyond. It begins with a 4.4-mile gentle descent from Lake Marlette to its northern junction with Tunnel Creek Road. The Marlette Flume Trail boasts some truly spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. This is just a short segment of dirt road that connects to Marlette Flume Trail where the real fun begins! This flat jeep road is scenic in its own right as it skirts the shores of Lake Marlette giving you a chance to take in the views. The Marlette Lake Trail ends at the southern end of the lake, but you can continue along the lake using the Marlette Lake Road that runs along the shore. Once you crest Marlette Saddle, enjoy a half mile descent down to the beautiful blue Marlette Lake. Although this part of the hike is challenging, be sure to take in the scenery as you'll pass through groves of aspens and conifers through which you may catch a glimpse of old logging cabins. In the first three miles, the trail climbs approximately 1,500 feet to Marlette Saddle which is the high point of the trail at 8,200 ft. This trail begins just to the north of Spooner Lake. At approximately one mile start looking for the beginning of the Marlette Lake Trail which will be on the left-hand side of the road. ![]() Starting from the Spooner Lake parking lot, hop on North Canyon Road to start the hike. ![]()
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