Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
700.00 ft (213.36 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
2.70 mi (4.35 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Old Meyers Grade is less a natural hiking trail in the South Lake Tahoe area, but more of a trek uphill beginning with a slope the moment the trail starts that climbs to progressively wider views over the South Tahoe area as it goes on to gain around 700' in under a mile and a half.

The route follows an abandoned section of the old highway as it hugs the mountain and climbs until meeting up with the current highway route. Gated off and closed to vehicles, this hike is easily one of the best combinations of accessibility and scenic trail in the area. Beginning in a neighborhood, once passing the locked gate, the road quickly gains in elevation, making for a good workout of a hike. With one side of the road perched over steep slopes down to Meyers and Christmas Valley, views of the surrounding mountains open up as you gain in elevation.

Unfortunately, the least exciting part of the hike is when it reaches its endpoint which is another locked gate where the Old Meyers Grade merges with the current highway. The rest of this, however, makes for a great climb with some excellent views.

Parking is available along the side of Old Meyers Grade Rd at the bottom of the hill, though roadside parking is not permitted from November 1st through May 1st. There are no amenities of any kind at the trailhead or along the route.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Street Parking

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Wide views. No crowds.

Cons

Anticlimactic endpoint. Highway noise.

Trailhead Elevation

6,420.00 ft (1,956.82 m)

Highest point

7,120.00 ft (2,170.18 m)

Features

Big vistas
Wildflowers

Typically multi-day

No

Suitable for

Biking

Permit required

No

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Lake Tahoe + Northern Sierra, California
Lake Tahoe + Northern Sierra, California

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