Nevada's Hidden Trail Showcases A Unique Mountain Landscape And One Of The State's Most Beautiful Waterfalls

Lake Tahoe is heaven for outdoor lovers, with scenic hiking trails and plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. North of the chic mountain town of Incline Village is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Nevada: Galena Falls in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The trail here is through unique landscapes, with wildflower meadows and a diverse variety of trees, plus views of Mount Rose, Tamarack Lake, and even Lake Tahoe along the way. The best time to visit is during the summer, from June to August — July to early August should be the optimal time for wildflowers.

The trail is maintained by the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and the waterfall was fairly unknown by hikers until recently. Before this specific section of the trail was built — sometime in the 2000s — the Mount Rose Summit Trail took a different route, with the waterfall out of sight from any trail. Hikers would bypass the area on the old trail — as they had no visibility of the falls — and miss witnessing this spectacular phenomenon.

The trail to get to Galena Falls is 4.8 miles in total, with 489 feet of elevation gain. It's a moderate hike, and will take up to 2.5 hours to complete. While the trail doesn't have difficult ascents, be aware that the starting elevation for the hike is 8,990 feet — so altitude sickness is a possibility. Take care around the waterfall, and do not climb up the side of the falls.

The trail starts at the Mount Rose Trailhead, off of the Mount Rose Scenic Byway— one of the best Lake Tahoe road trips. There is paved parking here and vault toilets, although some AllTrails users report that parking can fill up quickly. The trailhead is a short 10-minute drive north of Incline Village, and a 40-minute drive south of the world's biggest little city, Reno. The closest major airport is Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which is served by 11 airlines and has over 20 non-stop destinations. You'll want your own vehicle to reach the trailhead. If you're after a place to stay, Mount Rose Campground has a super-convenient location across the road from the trailhead. There are mainly single and double-family campsites here, with picnic tables, campfire rings, grills, and food storage lockers, as well as vault toilets and drinking water.