Home
Beaches
Hidden, Chimney, Secret Cove

Guide · Walk-in beaches

Chimney Beach, Secret Cove and Hidden Beach guide

Hidden Beach, Chimney Beach and Secret Cove have no entry fee. They are public beaches on the east shore, reached on foot. Hidden Beach is a short walk off the East Shore Trail. Chimney Beach and Secret Cove have paid lots on SR 28, $12 flat. Chimney Beach is the easiest stop with kids.

Checked 5:44 PM. Lake surface 59°. Last verified Oct 2.

Sunset over the lake at Chimney Beach, with sand and rocks in the foreground.

Same at every beach on this page

Water temperature59°F
Gusts at the beach7 mph
Air quality42 AQI

Lake · Nevada

Hidden Beach

Lake Tahoe, about 3 mi from Incline Village, straight line

The closest walk-in beach to town. Take the East Shore Trail and look for paths down to the rocks about a mile in. It has granite boulders, clear water and little sand.

Status: Not reported
Water temperature: 59°F 3:59 PM, Oct 16
Air at the beach: 62°F 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,230 ft
Wind at the beach: 2 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,230 ft
Gusts at the beach: 7 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,230 ft
Air quality: 42 AQI 5 PM, Oct 16

Snow, next 3 days0 in

Snow, next 7 days0 in

Hidden Beach seven day forecast
Day	High and low °F	Sky, wind and snow	Rain chance
Fri16	62°F	Wind 6 mph, gusts 12 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Sat17	65°F47°F	Wind 3 mph, gusts 10 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Sun18	63°F45°F	Wind 6 mph, gusts 15 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Mon19	57°F45°F	Wind 14 mph, gusts 25 mph Snow 0 in	1%
Tue20	49°F41°F	Wind 8 mph, gusts 15 mph Snow 0 in	52%
Wed21	46°F39°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	46%
Thu22	47°F39°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 10 mph Snow 0 in	34%

See the chart as a table

Hidden Beach 7-day forecast numbers
Day	High °F	Low °F
Fri, Oct 16	62
Sat, Oct 17	65	47
Sun, Oct 18	63	45
Mon, Oct 19	57	45
Tue, Oct 20	49	41
Wed, Oct 21	46	39
Thu, Oct 22	47	39

Our forecast for the point at Hidden Beach, 6,230 ft, updated 4:31 PM, Oct 16.

Cameras near Hidden Beach, nearest first.

Nevada DOT

Sand Harbor SR-28, 1.8 mi S, camera at 6,261 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

South of SR431 SR-28, 2.8 mi NW, camera at 6,436 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

East of SR28 SR-431, 3.2 mi NW, camera at 6,455 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

2nd Creek Dr SR-431, 3.2 mi NW, camera at 6,508 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Crystal Bay SR-28, 4.1 mi W, camera at 6,438 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Brake Check Area SR-431, 4.5 mi N, camera at 8,206 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16

See every webcam near Incline Village

The closest walk-in beach to town. Take the East Shore Trail and look for paths down to the rocks about a mile in. It has granite boulders, clear water and little sand.

Water reading fromLake Tahoe surface buoy, nearest to Incline Village

Parking

Start from the Incline Village end of the East Shore Trail.

Rules

Free to walk in. It is part of Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. No fires, no glass, dogs on a leash.

Hidden Beach

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors and Protomaps.

Lake · Nevada

Chimney Beach

Lake Tahoe, about 6 mi from Incline Village, straight line

Named for the stone chimney left from an old cabin. The beach faces west, so afternoons are bright and sunsets are the draw.

Status: Not reported
Water temperature: 59°F 3:59 PM, Oct 16
Air at the beach: 63°F 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,398 ft
Wind at the beach: 0 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,398 ft
Gusts at the beach: 7 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,398 ft
Air quality: 42 AQI 5 PM, Oct 16

Snow, next 3 days0 in

Snow, next 7 days0 in

Chimney Beach seven day forecast
Day	High and low °F	Sky, wind and snow	Rain chance
Fri16	63°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 10 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Sat17	66°F46°F	Wind 2 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Sun18	64°F44°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 14 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Mon19	59°F43°F	Wind 10 mph, gusts 24 mph Snow 0 in	1%
Tue20	50°F40°F	Wind 8 mph, gusts 13 mph Snow 0 in	52%
Wed21	47°F38°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	46%
Thu22	48°F39°F	Wind 6 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	35%

See the chart as a table

Chimney Beach 7-day forecast numbers
Day	High °F	Low °F
Fri, Oct 16	63
Sat, Oct 17	66	46
Sun, Oct 18	64	44
Mon, Oct 19	59	43
Tue, Oct 20	50	40
Wed, Oct 21	47	38
Thu, Oct 22	48	39

Our forecast for the point at Chimney Beach, 6,398 ft, updated 4:31 PM, Oct 16.

Cameras near Chimney Beach, nearest first.

Nevada DOT

Sand Harbor SR-28, 2.1 mi N, camera at 6,261 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Spooner Summit US-50, 4.7 mi SSE, camera at 7,156 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Crystal Bay SR-28, 5.8 mi NW, camera at 6,438 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Truck Escape Ramp US-50, 5.9 mi ESE, camera at 5,870 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

South of SR431 SR-28, 6.1 mi NNW, camera at 6,436 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

East of SR28 SR-431, 6.3 mi NNW, camera at 6,455 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16

See every webcam near Incline Village

Named for the stone chimney left from an old cabin. The beach faces west, so afternoons are bright and sunsets are the draw.

Water reading fromLake Tahoe surface buoy, nearest to Incline Village

Parking

Park in the signed Forest Service lot on the lake side of SR 28. It fills by mid morning in summer. Shoulder parking is ticketed and towed.

Rules

No fires, no glass, dogs on a leash, no overnight parking. There are no restrooms at the beach.

Chimney Beach

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors and Protomaps.

Lake · Nevada

Secret Cove

Lake Tahoe, about 7 mi from Incline Village, straight line

The next cove south of Chimney Beach, on the same trail. It is about half a mile down and steep on the way back up.

Status: Not reported
Water temperature: 59°F 3:59 PM, Oct 16
Air at the beach: 64°F 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,909 ft
Wind at the beach: 0 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,909 ft
Gusts at the beach: 7 mph 5:28 PM, Oct 16 forecast point 6,909 ft
Air quality: 42 AQI 5 PM, Oct 16

Snow, next 3 days0 in

Snow, next 7 days0 in

Secret Cove seven day forecast
Day	High and low °F	Sky, wind and snow	Rain chance
Fri16	64°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 12 mph Snow 0 in	1%
Sat17	67°F46°F	Wind 2 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Sun18	64°F45°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 14 mph Snow 0 in	0%
Mon19	59°F43°F	Wind 10 mph, gusts 24 mph Snow 0 in	1%
Tue20	51°F40°F	Wind 8 mph, gusts 13 mph Snow 0 in	52%
Wed21	47°F38°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 10 mph Snow 0 in	46%
Thu22	48°F39°F	Wind 5 mph, gusts 9 mph Snow 0 in	36%

See the chart as a table

Secret Cove 7-day forecast numbers
Day	High °F	Low °F
Fri, Oct 16	64
Sat, Oct 17	67	46
Sun, Oct 18	64	45
Mon, Oct 19	59	43
Tue, Oct 20	51	40
Wed, Oct 21	47	38
Thu, Oct 22	48	39

Our forecast for the point at Secret Cove, 6,909 ft, updated 4:31 PM, Oct 16.

Cameras near Secret Cove, nearest first.

Nevada DOT

Sand Harbor SR-28, 2.8 mi N, camera at 6,261 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Spooner Summit US-50, 4.0 mi SSE, camera at 7,156 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Truck Escape Ramp US-50, 5.5 mi ESE, camera at 5,870 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

Crystal Bay SR-28, 6.4 mi NW, camera at 6,438 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

South of SR431 SR-28, 6.8 mi NNW, camera at 6,436 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16
Nevada DOT

East of SR28 SR-431, 7.0 mi NNW, camera at 6,455 ft. 5:30 PM, Oct 16

See every webcam near Incline Village

The next cove south of Chimney Beach, on the same trail. It is about half a mile down and steep on the way back up.

Water reading fromLake Tahoe surface buoy, nearest to Incline Village

Parking

Use the same Forest Service lot as Chimney Beach, on SR 28. Shoulder parking is ticketed and towed.

Rules

No fires, no glass, dogs on a leash, no overnight parking. Pack out everything.

Secret Cove

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors and Protomaps.

Beaches at a glance

Beach	How you get there	Fee	Best for
Hidden Beach	East Shore Trail, about 1 mile from town	None	Boulders and clear water
Chimney Beach	Own lot on SR 28 ($12 flat), about half a mile down	None	Sunsets
Secret Cove	Own small lot (31 spaces, $12 flat), about 0.45 miles from Chimney	None	Quiet, the farthest walk

Is the water warm enough?

The lake is cold even in summer. These are the UC Davis buoy numbers for the middle of the lake. A sheltered cove near the rocks can feel warmer.

Measure	Number
July average, 26 year record	65.3°F
Hottest day of 2025	72.8°F on Aug 12
Yearly average, 2025	53.2°F

How much sand will you get?

Lake level changes these beaches more than any others. A lower lake means a wider strip of sand and more rock.

Oct 1	Lake level
2026	6,226.88 ft
2025	6,227.00 ft
2024	6,227.42 ft
2016	6,222.64 ft
2015	6,221.94 ft

The lake is 4.94 feet higher than it was in 2015.

Hidden Beach

This is the closest walk-in beach to town. Take the East Shore Trail from the Incline Village end and look for the paths down to the rocks about a mile in. It has granite boulders, clear water and little sand.

Chimney Beach

A stone chimney from an old cabin gave the beach its name. Park in the Chimney Beach lot on SR 28 ($12 flat, 7 AM to 7 PM) and walk down the trail. The beach faces west, so afternoons are bright and sunsets are the draw.

Secret Cove

Secret Cove is the next cove south of Chimney Beach, about 0.45 miles on. It has its own small lot of 31 spaces, $12 flat. Pack out everything.

Rules for these beaches

No fires. No glass.
Dogs on a leash.
No overnight parking. Shoulder parking on SR 28 is a tow zone.
There are no restrooms at Chimney Beach or Secret Cove. The trailhead lot at 1102 Tahoe Blvd and Sand Harbor have them.

More beaches

The beaches page lists all 7. Sand Harbor is a car-friendly option. The lake page has the live water reading.

Rounded boulders in the water at Chimney Beach under an orange and pink sunset sky.

Rocky shallows at Hidden Beach with round boulders and pine trees along the shore.

Questions people ask

Where do you park for Chimney Beach?

In the Chimney Beach lot off SR 28, south of Sand Harbor. It has 130 spaces and charges a flat $12 from 7 AM to 7 PM, paid at the kiosk or by text to Park Tahoe. Construction may cut the spaces in 2026. Parking on the highway shoulder is ticketed and towed.

How far is the walk to Secret Cove?

From the Chimney lot it is about 0.6 miles to the shore on a loose dirt trail with a creek crossing. Secret Cove has its own lot of 31 spaces, about 0.45 miles from Chimney Beach. Both are steep on the way back up.

Is Hidden Beach public?

Yes. It is part of Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park and reached from the East Shore Trail. No fee to walk in. The trailhead lot at 1102 Tahoe Blvd, where most people start, charges by the hour.

Live · Beaches

Mt Rose HwyOpen

Air quality42 AQI

Lake surface59°

Wind1 mph

From NWS, Nevada 511, AirNow and the lake buoy.

All conditions

Key numbers

Entry at all 3: $0 Chimney and Secret Cove lots are $12 flat
Walk down to Chimney Beach: 0.6 mile Steep on the way back up
Climb on the Chimney trail: 272 ft Most of it on the way back
Lake is above its 2015 low: 4.9 ft 6,226.88 ft on Oct 1, 2026 and 6,221.94 ft in 2015

How we know

Distances and rules come from the land managers. Water temperature comes from the UC Davis buoys in the middle of the lake, so a sheltered cove can run warmer. The lake level gap is our own math from the Tahoe City gauge.

All 8 sources, with their last readings

Weather, air quality and NWS alerts, read about every minute, limit 30 min, last reading Oct 16, 5:30 PM
Lake Tahoe water temperature, read about every minute, limit 6 h, last reading Oct 16, 3:59 PM
Ski resort snow and lift report, read every hour, last reading Oct 16, 5:39 PM
Tahoe Transportation District, Park Tahoe, last reading Oct 2, 5 AM
Nevada State Parks, last reading Oct 2, 5 AM
US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin, last reading Oct 2, 5 AM
UC Davis Tahoe State of the Lake 2026, last reading Oct 2, 5 AM
USGS Lake Tahoe at Tahoe City, last reading Oct 2, 5 AM

Chimney Beach, Secret Cove and Hidden Beach guide

Parking

Rules

Parking

Rules

Parking

Rules

Beaches at a glance

Is the water warm enough?

How much sand will you get?

Hidden Beach

Chimney Beach

Secret Cove

Rules for these beaches

More beaches

Questions people ask

Live · Beaches

Key numbers

More beaches

All the beaches

Sand Harbor

East Shore Trail

Incline Beach, Burnt Cedar and Ski Beach