High on the ridge above Crystal Bay — literally straddling the California–Nevada line at about 7,000 feet — this old Forest Service fire lookout site delivers a sweeping panorama over Crystal Bay, Agate Bay and Kings Beach for barely half a mile of walking on a paved old forest road.
The lookout tower itself is gone, but the site is anything but bare: a short self-guided interpretive loop tells the story of the North Shore's logging, casino and fire-watching past, and free mounted telescopes let you pick out boats and beaches far below. It's the walk we send visitors on when they have one spare hour and want one big view.
| Distance | ~1 mile round trip (0.5 mi each way), plus a short nature loop at the top |
|---|---|
| Elevation gain | ~400 ft, gentle grade on a paved forest road |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Trailhead | From NV-28 in Crystal Bay, turn up Reservoir Drive (just east of the old Tahoe Biltmore), right on Lakeshore Avenue, and park at the iron gate for Forest Road 1601 |
| Fee / permits | None |
| Dogs | Leashed dogs welcome |
| Season | Spring through fall; walkable (sometimes snowy) in winter |