Spooner Summit North to Snow Valley Peak is a 12.4-mile round trip hike rated difficult, and it’s worth every bit of effort if you want to see both Lake Tahoe and Marlette Lake spread out in front of you at the same time. The trailhead sits on the north side of Highway 50, half a mile east where it meets Highway 28.

The hike starts with a steep pitch but settles into a more manageable rhythm as you move through Jeffrey Pine forest. After about 2.25 miles, a vista sign points you toward a short 100-yard spur trail with views that make a good reason to catch your breath. Keep going through mostly shaded forest for another 1.4 miles—you’ll get occasional filtered views through the trees—until you pass the North Canyon campground turnoff. Remember that if you’re planning to camp, you need to stay in established campgrounds on this section.

The forest composition shifts noticeably over the next mile as white fir gives way to red fir, and your views start opening toward Eagle Valley and Carson City to the east. The final mile is the payoff: you climb an exposed west-facing ridge where sagebrush, tobacco brush, and granite boulders dominate the landscape. A few stunted whitebark pines cling to the rocky terrain. By the time you reach the ridge, the views open completely, and that’s when you see both lakes at once—the deep blue of Tahoe paired with smaller Marlette Lake. It’s the kind of vista that makes sense as a lunch spot before you head back down the 6.2 miles to your car.

Note that this trail is open to hikers and equestrians, but mountain bikes aren’t permitted under Nevada State Park regulations.