Biking The Tahoe East Shore Trail- A Spectacular, Family-friendly Ride

ByAmanda Luhn Updated on

If you are looking for a fantastic greenway bike ride for the family in the Reno/ Tahoe area, then look no further than the Tahoe East Shore Trail. Fully paved with one small hill and sweeping views, it’s a great family outing that shows off Lake Tahoe beyond the car window.

A paved pathway lined with railings stretches along a rocky shoreline, bordered by pine trees on the left and clear blue lake water on the right, beneath a bright, clear sky.
The bridges connecting some of the sections are spectacular.

The Details

  • 3 mile long greenway for walkers, runners, and bikers
  • 10 feet wide and fully paved
  • mostly 1-3% grade except for one short hill near Incline Village with a 5-6% grade
  • Can get crowded on weekends

The trail is on the east/ Nevada side of the lake. The main trailheads with parking areas are located at either end- Incline Village and Sand Harbor State Park. Both of these parking areas cost money.

You can rent bicycles in Incline Village at Flume Trail Bikes. You can park here for free if you are renting although their lot is small so it might fill up. Paid parking is adjacent to the shop too.

Easy Access From Reno To The Trail And Bike Rental Place

I drove from the Peppermill Resort in downtown Reno to Incline Village on the east shore of Lake Tahoe. It took me 40 min from the rental car desk at the Reno airport to the parking lot at Flume Trail Bikes. 

Pro Tip: The Tunnel Creek Cafe is right next to Flume Trail Bikes so you can eat before or after your ride. There are other choices in Incline Village a bit farther away too.

I found parking at the bike rental place no problem even on a busy Sunday in early October. The parking lots along the road were run by the state and they were expensive- like $5 an hour for the afternoon hours in the fall. But as long as I was renting from the bike company, I could park as long as they were open. 

My rental bike was a nice little Kona Greenway bike that didn’t squeak and the brakes worked perfectly. The bike shop people were friendly and speedy even though they were super busy. I didn’t need a reservation but I wonder if that is a different story in summer. Ebikes looked to be in high demand.

Flume Trail Bikes also rents mountain bikes and does shuttles for some of the most popular trails. It is definitely on my list to come back and do some of them- they looked spectacular.

  • Several tents and a small building with "Bike Rentals" signs are set up in a wooded area. People stand near bikes and around the tents under tall pine trees, with clear blue sky above.
    Flume Trail Bikes rents greenway and mountain bikes as well as electric bikes.
  • A small cafe, "Tunnel Creek Station Cafe," sits beside a road lined with parked cars. Tall pine trees and murals, including a blue bicycle and "Flume Trail" sign, decorate the wooden buildings under a clear blue sky.
    Tunnel Creek Station Cafe is right next to Flume Trail Bikes
  • A paved sidewalk runs beside a road lined with parked cars and tall pine trees. A wooden sign with a metal bicycle sculpture reads “Tunnel Creek Cafe” and points to the Flume Trail. The sky is clear and blue.
    You can see the sign for Flume Trail Bikes from the start of the trail and the paid parking area.

Description of Tahoe East Shore Trail

Starting out, you hit the one major hill pretty quickly although it wasn’t anything too hard, even for this out-of-shape cyclist. My watch said 5-6% grade uphill for about 0.2 miles. Then you descend about the same amount. There are some fabulous vantage points on the way up and down with helpful benches if you want to sit and take it all in.

After you descend, you switch to the other side of the road through an underpass and you get to my favorite stretch of the trail. Perched overlooking the lake below, sections of the trail are long bridges that must be part of the reason this trail cost millions of dollars to build. And man, was it worth it. I could not take enough pictures.

Periodically, I passed small signs indicating little beaches and inlets down below the trail and I only wish I had enough time to explore them all. In the summer, I would have rented my bike for the day and hiked down to all of them. Or rented a paddleboard at Sand Harbor State Park. There were people paddleboarding out on the lake as I pedaled along but October is far too cold for this Tennessee girl. 

Also along the way, I kept stopping to read all the informational signs along the trail. Ranging from historical tidbits to information about the flora and fauna, I love a good sign and these added to the whole experience.

  • A paved path and road run through a forested area with pine trees under a clear blue sky. Several people are walking along the path, and sunlight creates a lens flare in the upper left corner.
    Mile 0.0 on the East Shore Trail, at the trailhead by Incline Village
  • A paved trail runs uphill beside a wooden fence and tall pine trees under a bright sun, with a group of people walking ahead and blue sky above.
    The biggest hill is right by the start but it isn’t too bad.
  • A scenic lakeside view with a sign titled "Tahoe's Earth History" in the foreground, surrounded by pine trees, rocky terrain, and Lake Tahoe visible under a clear blue sky with sunlight shining down.
    There were lots of interesting signs along the way
  • A paved path winds along a hillside with tall pine trees and bushes, overlooking a sparkling blue lake under a clear sky with sunlight streaming down. Mountains rise in the distance.
    And just spectacular views everywhere you looked
  • A tunnel decorated with colorful murals opens to a view of trees, a stone wall, and a large blue lake with mountains in the background under a bright sky.
    A pretty underground tunnel takes you from one side of the highway to the other.
  • A paved trail with railings curves along a rocky lakeshore, bordered by pine trees on the left and clear blue water on the right under a bright, sunny sky. Mountains are visible in the distance.
    The bridges connecting some of the sections are spectacular.
  • A paved lakeside path runs alongside clear blue water with pine trees, hills, and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky. Informational signs are visible near the path.
    Sand Harbor State Park is on the peninsula in the distance.
  • A paved path with a railing runs alongside a blue lake, bordered by trees and shrubs, under a clear sky with distant mountains.
    More fabulous views from these bridge sections.
  • Clear turquoise water with large rocks visible beneath the surface, bordered by rocky shoreline and green shrubs, under bright sunlight.
    The waters of Lake Tahoe are so clear! I would love to come back here with a paddleboard.
  • A paved path runs alongside a wooden fence overlooking a bright blue lake, with mountains and a clear sky in the background. Sparse trees and dry bushes line the trail.
    I loved this whole trail.
  • A paved trail winds along a lakeshore with clear blue water, surrounded by pine trees and mountains under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Two people walk in the distance.
    Looking down on the docks and boats of the houses in Incline Village from the highest point of East Shore Trail.

Sand Harbor State Park

Eventually, I ended up at Sand Harbor State Park, a large state park with a cafe, multiple beaches, a place to rent paddleboards and kayaks during the season, and a little nature trail to explore. It would be a great place to bring a picnic and let the kids explore. In fact, there were plenty of families doing just that on this brilliantly sunny day in early October.

It costs $2 per person for a day use pass for the park if you enter on a bike (or $10 per vehicle if you park and start the trail on this end). There was no one at the gate when I was there so I just pedaled through and back out again and did not use any of the facilities.

  • A sandy lakeside beach with scattered red buoys, a white lifeguard chair, clear blue water, pine trees, and distant mountains under a bright blue sky. Part of a wooden roof is visible in the upper left corner.
    There were several stretches of nice sandy beaches in Sand Harbor State Park.
  • A clear blue lake with large smooth rocks and boulders along the shore, some partially submerged in the water. Two tall pine trees stand on the right, under a bright blue sky. Distant mountains are visible across the lake.
    Lots of people were jumping off rocks and kids were splashing about in the shallow areas by the shore.
  • Informational sign for Sand Harbor at Lake Tahoe State Park, showing a map with highlighted areas: Natural Amphitheater and Stage, Diver’s Cove, and Sand Point Dunes Boardwalk Trail, plus welcome text and trail details.
    The map of the park shows how much can be found here, from a performing stage to a nature trail.
  • A rustic, wooden building sits among tall pine trees with mountains in the background. A few people and parked cars are visible on a sunny day, and a person walks toward the entrance.
    The cafe and toilets in Sand HArbor State Park.
  • A paved path through tall pine trees with a black metal fence on both sides, bike racks on the left, and several signs, including one that prohibits bicycles and skateboards. Buildings are visible in the background.
    The entrance to the park from the East Shore Trail.

Brief History Of The East Shore Trail

The trail has been talked about since the 1980s but was not finished until 2019 because building it required some expensive engineering feats including an 810 foot long bridge.

It ended up costing over 20 million dollars for the trail and over $40 million dollars total as the construction was combined with parking and road improvements as well as storm water and runoff improvements.

The trail has proven very popular and has increased the safety of the highway for cars and runoff that was tarnishing Lake Tahoe’s clear water. There are plans to expand the tail to Spooner Summit, making an 11 mile long Greenway. I can only wait for the day- I will be there ready to go!

Bonus Adventure

If you would like to ride a bit more, you can explore Incline Village along Lakeshore Blvd which intersects with Hwy 28/ Tahoe Blvd right at the trailhead for Tahoe East Shore Trail.

There is bike path/ bike lane along Lakeshore Blvd through this mixture of old-school Tahoe and veeeerrrry expensive homes in Incline Village. Lined with trees and gorgeous gilmpses at the lifestyles of the uber-rich, it was a fun detour.

You basically ride another 3 miles to the end of the road and come back. Or just ride as far as you want and then turn around. It was mildly up and down but nothing difficult. 

Final Thoughts

Riding the Tahoe East Shore Trail was one of those days where you just had a smile on your face the whole time. Perfect weather, perfect easy day out, and beyond perfect views of Lake Tahoe.

I can’t wait to go back and do this again, maybe in the summer when the kids and I can rent paddleboards and get to explore even more. There were so many little hidden beaches and coves and that crystal blue water was calling to me!

Happy Trails! – Amanda

Amanda co-founded Simply Awesome Trips with her best friend because they were always sharing their written itineraries with each other. A devout researcher who enjoys finding quirky facts about a place as well as a fantastic bike trail, Amanda loves to share what she's found with others and will talk your ear off about her favorite places.

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