Distance: 2.4 miles / 3.9 km

The Spooner Lake Loop Trail, on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, is a beautiful and easy day hike around the perimeter of a 78-acre (0.3-square-km) man-made lake created in 1927, when a dam was built at the outlet of Spooner Meadow to store water for irrigation.

Today, Spooner Lake is managed within the Nevada State Park system, which is exactly why there is a small fee to visit the lake and hike the loop.

Nevertheless, the Spooner Lake Loop Trail can make for a great, easy, kid-friendly option when visiting Lake Tahoe, especially considering that it is far less popular than countless nearby destinations on the Nevada side of the state line, such as all the beautiful beaches just a few miles north.

Spooner Lake Loop Trail Lake Tahoe Nevada — Spooner Lake Loop Trail

Spooner Lake Loop Trailhead Parking

Parking for the Spooner Lake Loop Trail is located in one of several large parking areas surrounding the Spooner Lake Visitor Center and the Spooner Lake Trailhead, near Spooner Junction on the east side of Lake Tahoe.

Upon arrival, visitors will pay the entrance fee at the gate before parking.

Google Maps Directions: Spooner Lake Loop Trailhead

Hiking Checklist - Lake Tahoe

The Lake Tahoe Basin is Black Bear country, and, as with any area that is home to Black Bears, hiking with or without bear spray is up to your own discretion and comfort level.

With that in mind, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Hiking the Spooner Lake Loop Trail

The Spooner Lake Loop Trail begins on one of several paved paths that lead down to the lake from the closest parking lot, with the route from the Spooner Lake Trailhead being the most direct way to the start of the loop.

On the far side of the pavilion, hikers have the option to go either straight or right, with both paths leading down to the shoreline.

Personally, I recommend going right because it is a shorter walk to the start of the loop.

After just a few steps, go right once again to leave the pavement and follow the short path down to Spooner Lake.

South Spooner Lake Trailhead-Spooner Lake Loop Junction

After just over 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the shortest route finally reaches the start of the Spooner Lake Loop Trail.

That said, I don’t think it makes much of a difference which direction you decide to hike around the lake in terms of enjoying the loop.

In this article, I chose to go right in the counterclockwise direction around Spooner Lake.

West Spooner Lake Loop-Highway 28 Junction

After just a few steps from the start of the loop, the Spooner Lake Trail leaves the dirt road that leads up to Highway 28, just outside the park.

This is the first of two times on the south side of the loop that the trail passes a connection to the highway.

All that to say, go left toward the meadow to continue hiking the Spooner Lake Loop Trail.

From this point until the Spooner Lake Loop crosses the dam on the west side of the lake, the trail becomes much quieter and more relaxing the farther it gets from the busy trailhead area.

Granted, however, calling Spooner Lake a busy area is certainly using the term loosely, considering how much busier other parts of Lake Tahoe truly are!

As the Spooner Lake Loop Trail winds along the south shoreline, it begins making its way through a mixed Aspen-Pine forest.

I mention this because the loop can be a great place to catch fall colors in Lake Tahoe—typically around the first and second weeks of October in the Basin!

East Spooner Lake Loop-Highway 28 Junction

Roughly 0.4 miles (0.6 km) after the first junction with Highway 28, the Spooner Lake Loop Trail reaches the second junction.

Once at this split, go left a second time to continue around the lake.

Spooner Lake Trail Lake Tahoe Nevada — Go Left

This is where the Spooner Lake Loop Trail curves to the north and begins working its way toward the better places to access the shoreline along both the north and east sides of the lake.

This area along the southeast side of Spooner Lake is the first of many places where the shoreline can be accessed, with many more spots to come once the loop reaches the northeast side of the lake.

Spooner Lake Loop-Spooner Summit (Tahoe Rim) Junction

After about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) from the beginning of the loop—not from the trailhead—the Spooner Lake Loop Trail reaches a short, 0.3-mile (0.5 km) connection to the Spooner Summit Trailhead. This is one of many ways to access the Flume Trail, as well as the Tahoe Rim Trail.

All that aside, go left at this split to stay on the Spooner Lake Loop, and the trail will begin passing some of the best shoreline access points on the northeast side of the loop!

Spooner Lake Loop Hike Lake Tahoe Nevada — Spooner Lake Loop Trail

There are too many small paths that lead down to the water to list them all, but this one on the left is the first!

Since there is so much exposure on the Spooner Lake Loop Trail, and because the trail sits at around 7,000 ft. (2,134 m), I highly recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt to stay safe, which can also be useful on countless different adventures throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin!

This is where the Spooner Lake Loop Trail reaches the far northern side of Spooner Lake.

North Spooner Lake Loop-North Canyon Road Junction

Just as the loop turns the corner and begins working its way south toward the trailhead, the Spooner Lake Trail passes the first of two junctions with North Canyon Road.

This is another way hikers, bikers, and trail runners can access the Flume Trail from this direction.

That said, go left at this split to continue around the Spooner Lake Loop Trail toward the dam and the trailhead shortly beyond.

This is the view looking southeast across Spooner Lake.

Spooner Lake Dam

This is where the Spooner Lake Trail crosses the dam, originally built in the late 1920s, that created the lake we have today!

South Spooner Lake Loop-North Canyon Road Junction

On the south side of the dam, the Spooner Lake Loop Trail comes to the second and final connection with North Canyon Road.

Once here, go left to continue hiking counterclockwise around the loop, where the trail will return to the beginning of the loop shortly ahead.

North Spooner Lake Trailhead-Spooner Lake Loop Junction

Just before the Spooner Lake Loop returns to the original connection from the beginning of this article, the trail passes the path that also leads down to the lake, had I chosen to go straight at the pavilion in the very beginning.

That said, either path can be taken back up to the Spooner Lake Trailhead, but to complete the loop, go straight to reach the second and original junction from the beginning of this article.