Horsetail Falls

Highway 50
Twin Bridges, California 95735
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Local Phone: (530) 644-6048

Horsetail falls is a Tahoe-area landmark visible from Highway 50 at Twin Bridges.

The three-mile hike to the top of the 800-foot cascade has a 1,200-foot elevation gain and can be very dangerous in spring and early summer, when the falls are gushing. Pay close attention to your footing and the whereabouts of your dog so that neither of you slip.

An enjoyable and less strenuous experience can be had along the 1.7-mile Pyramid Creek Loop Trail, which branches off from the base of the falls to follow a secondary stream with safe, granite-rimmed pools to splash in and great views of Horsetail.

waterfall cascade granite hike danger pyramid creek trail

Bark for some of our favorite dog-friendly campgrounds

Favorite campgrounds.

California is incredibly rich and varied in terms of geography, and its thousands of dog-friendly campgrounds are equally as diverse. From the mountains to the ocean to the desert, there’s no shortage of places to pitch your tent, park your RV or cuddle up in a cabin with your pet if you so desire. We can’t begin to spotlight all of them, but here are a trio of our favorites dog-camping destinations. more »

Liquid Rewards In Our National Parks

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area <br/> Photo Credit: @bodhi_mastiff

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Photo Credit: @bodhi_mastiff

OK, you’ve just missed “fee-free” day at our nation’s 400-plus national park units (next one is Sept 22). But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed peak season for waterfalls roaring all over California as the snowmelt season gets underway. We can’t gush enough about the dog-friendly waterfall hikes and photo opportunities waiting for you and yours on federal lands. Here’s a trio of suggestions. more »

Second Stop: Hwy 50, Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe

Dexter hiking Horsetail Falls. Photo Credit: @lmcarbonell

Of the two primary ways to get to Lake Tahoe from Sacramento (Interstate 80 or Highway 50), 50 is by far the more scenic—especially this year, with the American River raging at the side of the road east of Placerville. Need a rest stop? You’ll have to pay a day-use fee to park and pause in the CalTrans lot at Twin Bridges (86 miles and about an hour and a half from Sacramento), but it’s worth it to take a short walk to Pyramid Creek and the base of 800-foot-high Horsetail Falls, perhaps the most spectacular cascade in Northern California and at its peak this month. more »

Highway 50 is Nifty

Hiking Carson Pass - Photo Dean in SF

From Sacramento and the Bay Area, Highway 50 is the main artery leading to and from South Lake Tahoe. On Friday and Sunday afternoons it can be busy, indeed, and not much fun to drive. What many travelers don’t realize, however, is how many great recreation spots are situated along the way. more »

Side Trips From Tahoe

If you're heading to or from Tahoe from Sacramento and the Bay Area on Highway 50, consider a half-day outing on Echo Lake, where you can rent a canoe, hike or take a boat taxi through snow-streaked scenery that will stick in your mind for weeks to come. For more scenic overload, pull off Highway 50 at Twin Bridges and check out gushing Horsetail Falls. more »

Horsing Around

Who on the way up to Tahoe hasn't caught a glimpse of Horsetail Falls, the spectacular, 800-foot cataract visible from Highway 50 at Twin Bridges? The half-day trek to the lower falls is one of the premier hiking experiences in the Tahoe area. more »

Horsetail Falls

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