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In Lake Tahoe, not too far from Emerald Bay and located on the southern end of Fallen Leaf Lake is a somewhat-hidden waterfall named Glen Alpine Falls.
Glen Alpine Falls is about 80-feet and cascades over multiple rocks and outcroppings. Additionally, there’s no hiking involved to see it. Simply exit your car and walk a few feet.
So how do you get there? What should you expect? I answer all these question (and more) in the guide below. Let’s get into it.
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Quick Stats
Location: South Lake Tahoe at the sound end of Fallen Leaf Lake
Fee: None
Permit: None
Open: Seasonally (Fallen Leaf Lake road is closed in winter)
Best Time of Year: Spring through early summer
Restroom: None at the falls
Parking: Multiple pull-out style lots around the falls
EV Stations: None
Difficulty: Easy
Popularity: High
Time: One hour or less
Pets: Allowed
Drones: No signage stating you can’t
Hazards: Watch your footing around the falls
Our Visit(s): 2023
Getting There & Parking
The parking lot for Glen Alpine Falls can be found at the terminus of Fallen Leaf Lake road, itself being located off Highway 89, south of Emerald Bay State Park.
From the turn-off to the falls, it’s about four miles along a narrow, bumpy road with several tire-busting potholes. The recent record snowfall did a number on this road.
Most of the road cannot accommodate two vehicles passing each other without one pulling over to the side. If you’re driving an RV - forget it.
Fallen Leaf Lake road runs parallel to the namesake lake between many gorgeous cabins. It would be amazing to rent one of these for a weekend.
After passing the lake, you’ll come to fork in the road with the Fallen Leaf Lake Fire Station in front of you. Turn left and you’ll arrive at the falls after a quarter of a mile or so.
There’s no proper parking lot. Just multiple pull-out style lots of varying sizes. Some can accommodate half a dozen vehicles while others can only fit one or two.
You should have Glen Alpine Falls in sight after exiting your vehicle (or hear it, at minimum). Simply walk towards to the main viewing point located just off the parking area.
Glen Alpine Falls
Glen Alpine Falls is large and wide so no matter where you’re viewing it from, you’ll get a great view. The main viewing area is on a large, rocky outcropping perfect for viewing the falls straight on.
You can also do a little scrambling down some boulders to get an even closer view of the falls or the river it feeds. It was easy doing so as I was able to do it while holding a camera and tripod.
Additionally, you can easily reach and see the falls along its crest. Just walk a little further up the road and turn right towards the waterfall.
The best time to see Glen Alpine Falls is in the spring as it ebbs and flows with the snowpack melt. The waterfall reduces to a trickle as summer progresses.
Plan to visit by the end of May to see it at peak flow. All in all, it’s awesome to be able to get so close to a waterfall like this with no effort required. It’s definitely worth a stop.
If you’re interested, check out my guides below to see three other beautiful waterfalls nearby…
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