Sometimes when in snow country you just want to walk the dog, not make a gear-heavy, ski or snowshoe production of it. At Lake Tahoe, you’re in luck with a network of plowed, multipurpose trails covering many miles around the region. The Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition has an online map that will help you find a plowed winter path perfect for walking your canine companion.
On the North Shore, to name just a couple of options, you and your pup can stretch your legs on the Tahoe City Lakeside Trail hugging the shoreline right in town. A connecting path leads to the Palisades Tahoe trail system. From the turnoff from Highway 89, it runs 2.3 miles alongside the Resort at Squaw Creek golf course to the Palisades Tahoe ski area. (For details on these and other trails in and around Tahoe City check the Tahoe City Public Utility District map.)
Another North Shore option is the 5-mile Truckee River Legacy Trail, which can be accessed from Truckee River Regional Park on Highway 267, from the end of River Road at the bridge in downtown Truckee, or at Glenshire Drive on the trail’s far end. A bonus: your dog can be off-leash in winter so long as she comes when called.
A few other options: The Brockway Road Trail links Truckee Regional Park with The Rock retail center, while the Martis Dam Road is plowed for 1.5 miles and has sweeping views of the Martis Valley. The Trout Creek Trail, which runs about 1.5 miles, connects Northwoods Boulevard (near Coyote Moon Golf Course) and downtown Truckee at Bridge Street. For details and parking information, click here.
On the Nevada side of the state line, Washoe County removes snow from shared-use paths in Incline Village (including one that leads to gorgeous Sand Harbor State Park, where dogs are allowed in winter but not summer). And in South Lake Tahoe, you’ll find paths cleared of snow on both sides of Ski Run Boulevard, on the Rubicon Trail to Tallac and in other locations (check the map referenced above for details).
