Monday, November 7, 2016

Hiking Near Reno/Tahoe #9





Spooner Lake Loop

How many times have we passed this lake located within steps to the highway as we drove up to South Lake Tahoe?  All this hiking has opened up a new love and inquisitiveness of the area we live near.  There is some unbelievable beauty out there if you're willing and able to get "off the path" and onto a forest trail.  The Spooner Lake trail is more of a walk than a hike.  Not much elevation other than the altitude so the only challenge this day was the occasional dodging out of the way as the trail runners whizzed by.  Just happened to be a race going on!

The trail is an informative  one with markers scattered throughout depicting the flora, fauna and a brief history of the area.  There's also plenty of shade from pine and old growth aspen trees that have survived over the years.  What was especially poignant were the "memorial marker" benches along the trail as we made our way around the loop.  It was a way to reflect, say a prayer and realize how fragile life is. 

We did this in early August so the lake level was low.  We did part of an adjacent Marlette trail earlier in June, but the mosquitoes were out for blood that day!  I would imagine the Fall would be gorgeous as the aspens display their colors....

Get out and walk if you can!


a great day

walk in the woods

very tough and old aspens

view from a memorial bench

educational

finishing up the loop...done counterclockwise