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The Flume Trail (Tunnel Flume Trail Marlette Flume Trail Incline Flume Trail Marlette Lake Spooner Lake)
Mountain Biking Trail
Moderate
17.29 mi
1,691 ft
The historic Flume Trail, traversing high above the stunningly-beautiful Lake Tahoe.
The Flume Trail began life as the grade for a water flume that delivered lumber from high in the mountains above Lake Tahoe to the towns far below. Nowadays, the remnants of the Flume are still visible, but the old flume bed is instead utilized by mountain bikers and hikers.
This relatively non-technical trail offers incredible views of Lake Tahoe—one of the most beautiful lakes anywhere—from high on the mountainside. The sinuous singletrack snakes in and out of narrow valleys, with the occasional rock up-and-over. Since this route was originally designed for a water flume to slowly descend the mountainside, the grade is very mellow, making this trail quite beginner friendly.
Despite it's non-technical nature, this trail is extremely exposed. "One slip will be your sure death," writes Tyghe Trimble in Men's Journal.
Getting up to the Flume Trail is the challenge, however. "To put things bluntly, this ride starts tough," writes Trimble. "The first four miles are a wide, dusty trail that gains about 1,300 feet, most of it in the last mile of the climb. Bring lots of water and drink liberally during this section."
The route mapped here follows the less-ridden Incline Flume Trail. The more popular route leaves the Marlette Flume and drops down Tunnel Creek Road as mapped in Tahoe Rim Trail -> Flume Trail route, but that seems too brief of a ride if ridden from Spooner Lake… especially considering the effort that it takes to get up here. So instead of dropping back down to the lake, add in the Incline Flume Trail for another route option. Also consider shuttle up the Mount Rose Highway, parking there, and riding in reverse back to Spooner Lake.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
The Flume Trail began life as the grade for a water flume that delivered lumber from high in the mountains above Lake Tahoe to the towns far below. Nowadays, the remnants of the Flume are still visible, but the old flume bed is instead utilized by mountain bikers and hikers.
This relatively non-technical trail offers incredible views of Lake Tahoe—one of the most beautiful lakes anywhere—from high on the mountainside. The sinuous singletrack snakes in and out of narrow valleys, with the occasional rock up-and-over. Since this route was originally designed for a water flume to slowly descend the mountainside, the grade is very mellow, making this trail quite beginner friendly.
Despite it's non-technical nature, this trail is extremely exposed. "One slip will be your sure death," writes Tyghe Trimble in Men's Journal.
Getting up to the Flume Trail is the challenge, however. "To put things bluntly, this ride starts tough," writes Trimble. "The first four miles are a wide, dusty trail that gains about 1,300 feet, most of it in the last mile of the climb. Bring lots of water and drink liberally during this section."
The route mapped here follows the less-ridden Incline Flume Trail. The more popular route leaves the Marlette Flume and drops down Tunnel Creek Road as mapped in Tahoe Rim Trail -> Flume Trail route, but that seems too brief of a ride if ridden from Spooner Lake… especially considering the effort that it takes to get up here. So instead of dropping back down to the lake, add in the Incline Flume Trail for another route option. Also consider shuttle up the Mount Rose Highway, parking there, and riding in reverse back to Spooner Lake.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
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