We’ve been to Lake Tahoe more times than we can count and we always have a good time. For this trip, we visited Lake Tahoe in the early fall for my cousin’s wedding and we brought Goji, our beloved Polish Lowland sheepdog (or PON), with us for the weekend. We couldn’t go to all of our usual favorites (see our Lake Tahoe favorite spots to visit), but decided to discover some new beaches and trails that allow dogs! Here are our favorite dog-friendly activities in Lake Tahoe:
(1) Kiva Beach
A great place near South Lake Tahoe for doggies to swim and get their zooms out. Parking is free and this place has surprisingly remained a hidden gem.
(2) Cascade Falls
We loved hiking Cascade Falls, which has beautiful views of Lake Tahoe, Cascade Lake and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the distance. Goji loved climbing the rocks and hiking along the trail with us.
(3) Zephyr Cove
Zephyr Cove is on the Nevada side close to South Lake Tahoe. The north section of the beach area is a nice place for dogs to swim and play. This beach is also popular for kids so it’s the perfect place for a beach day for the whole family.
(4) Skunk Harbor
We heard through a local about Skunk Harbor, an amazing little beach that was dog friendly and less crowded. The hike down was about ~1.5 miles long. Because we got there early, we had the whole place to ourselves to explore. The Newhall House sits right on the edge of Skunk Harbor, and was built by a prominent family as a summer retreat. You can peak in the windows and envision the awesome summer parties that were held along the lake.
(5) Secret Cove & Chimney Beach
Secret Cove and Chimney Beach are very close together and share a small free parking lot. Chimney Beach is great for a quick hike (0.8 miles out and back) and Secret Cove (one of our favorite beaches) is perfect for a swim. We always see water dogs jumping off the boulders or even their owner’s paddle boards and swimming in the lake. Goji is not a huge fan of water, so she prefers to hang out on the beach.
We are so lucky that we got to explore some new places during our time here at the lake. Can’t wait to come back to explore some more!
