On Aug. 16, 1997 we staked our temporary claim to a campsite at Eagle Point at Emerald Bay State Park.  This is probably one of the best campsites we’ve had at this campground – across from the showers, within easy walking distance of a small beach and Eagle Point, where we were able to watch ospreys feeding their young in a nest. 

One of the highlights of this trip was a 1½-mile hike to Eagle Lake, and in the photos below you can that the boys were happy to make it. (Sean is hamming it up!) Guess it shows either my age or that of the boys; they pretty much kept up with me during all of our hikes throughout the area. Eagle Lake rises about 1,000 feet above the 6,229-foot elevation of Lake Tahoe, so it was a good hike. There was still snow in some of the crevices up and to the right of the rear of the lake. BTW, Eagle Lake is where part of Star Trek: Nemesis was filmed.

Our 1¼-mile hike behind Fallen Leaf Lake was also very enjoyable, though it followed what appeared to be a goat path on the side of granite mountains. And upon reaching our destination, the boys cooled off by dipping there toes into that awfully cold water.

Another highlight I would recommend that any visitor to the Tahoe area – worth the time to visit (and find) – would be Echo Lakes.  Pay a measly $6 for a U.S. Forest Service tour of the two lakes. The lakes and surrounding mountains are incredibly beautiful. The two-hour tour, in an old U.S. Navy launch, takes in the natural and human history of the area. (There is a community of 100 or so seasonal homes on the shores of both lakes.)

As usual, Sean and Chris made some friends (from Irvine and the city of Orange, BTW). It is nice to see some things haven’t changed in the many years I have been camping! Check the album to and another friend take a few seconds to sit still by and on the neighbor’s hammock.

If you look through the photo album, you’ll see Chris standing front of Emerald Bay. Our campsite would be just to the left of his head, on the point. The photo was taken at the top of Eagle Falls, and near the trailhead for a trail leading to Eagle Lake and other destination in the Desolation Wilderness.