Lake Tahoe is heaven for outdoor lovers, with scenic hiking trails and plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. North of the chic mountain town of Incline Village is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Nevada: Galena Falls in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The trail here is through unique landscapes, with wildflower meadows and a diverse variety of trees, plus views of Mount Rose, Tamarack Lake, and even Lake Tahoe along the way. The best time to visit is during the summer, from June to August — July to early August should be the optimal time for wildflowers.
The trail is maintained by the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and the waterfall was fairly unknown by hikers until recently. Before this specific section of the trail was built — sometime in the 2000s — the Mount Rose Summit Trail took a different route, with the waterfall out of sight from any trail. Hikers would bypass the area on the old trail — as they had no visibility of the falls — and miss witnessing this spectacular phenomenon.
How to get to Galena Falls
The trail to get to Galena Falls is 4.8 miles in total, with 489 feet of elevation gain. It’s a moderate hike, and will take up to 2.5 hours to complete. While the trail doesn’t have difficult ascents, be aware that the starting elevation for the hike is 8,990 feet — so altitude sickness is a possibility. Take care around the waterfall, and do not climb up the side of the falls…