The numbers
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 miles one way |
| Surface | Paved, 10 feet wide, nearly flat |
| Walking time | About 1 hour each way |
| Biking time | About 20 minutes each way |
| Hidden Beach | About 1 mile in |
| Main parking | Trailhead lot, 1102 Tahoe Blvd, 90 cars |
| Parking cost | By the hour, 7 AM to 7 PM. See the table below |
| Shuttle | Free East Shore Express, summer |
The trail
- 0 mi Trailhead lot, 1102 Tahoe Blvd
- 1 mi Hidden Beach stairs
- 3 mi Sand Harbor entrance
The path runs along the lake side of SR 28 with bridges, viewpoints and stairs down to the rocks at Hidden Beach. It is the easiest lake view walk on the north shore. It ends at the Sand Harbor entrance, where you can walk in without paying the car fee.
Is it clear today?
Smoke can shut a good trail day. Since 2019 the nearest air monitor logged 52 smoke days.
| Year | Smoke days |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Five of the 8 years had 1 smoke day or none. The two bad years, 2020 and 2021, hold 42 of the 52 days. Check the air page before you go.
Parking
The trailhead lot is at 1102 Tahoe Blvd. It has 90 spaces. Park Tahoe, the Tahoe Transportation District's parking program, calls it the Ponderosa lot. The district's 2026 shuttle notice calls it the Tunnel Creek lot. The cafe next door has its own lot, and Park Tahoe says that lot is not theirs.
You pay by the hour with a credit card at a kiosk, or by text to ParkTahoe at 727563. You need your plate number. The SR 28 shoulder is a tow zone. The free shuttle lets you leave the car at the lot and ride to Sand Harbor.
| Time of day | Summer weekday, per hour | Summer Fri to Sun, per hour | Fall weekday, per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:30 to 7 AM | Free | Free | Free |
| 7 to 9 AM | $1 | $1 | $1 |
| 9 to 11 AM | $4 | $6 | $3 |
| 11 AM to 3 PM | $6 | $7 | $4 |
| 3 to 5 PM | $4 | $6 | $3 |
| 5 to 7 PM | $1 | $1 | Free |
| 7 to 11 PM | Free | Free | Free |
Summer runs May 24 to Sept 9. Fall runs Sept 10 to Nov 30. Spring is March 1 to May 23 and uses the fall rates. Holiday weekends cost more, up to $7 an hour. No overnight parking from 11 PM to 5:30 AM.
That is our math from the rate sign. Come before 7 AM and the first hour or two cost nothing. Chimney Beach (130 spaces) and Secret Cove (31) have separate lots with a flat $12 from 7 AM to 7 PM. See Hidden, Chimney and Secret Cove.
Shuttle
The free East Shore Express ran daily from June 21 to September 12 in 2026. It ran from 10 AM to about 6:30 PM. The last bus to Sand Harbor left Incline at 3 PM. See our bus page.
Rules
- Dogs on a leash.
- E-bikes follow the posted rules.
- No motor vehicles, no camping, no fires.
- Pack out trash. There are no cans along the trail.
Beaches along the way
Hidden Beach is about a mile in. Sand Harbor is the south end. All 7 beaches are on the beaches page.
