Horsetail Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated (El Dorado County, CA)

Horsetail Falls is a waterfall in El Dorado County, California, about 10 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe. This guide covers what to check, bring and expect before you go, using visitor ratings, official USGS records and live conditions for this exact location.

At a glance

Location

El Dorado County, CA

Nearest town

South Lake Tahoe (10 mi)

Visitor rating

★★★★★ 4.8 from 115 reviews

Crowds

Moderate

Access

Short hike likely

Coordinates

38.83044, -120.12334

USGS topo

Echo Lake quad

Getting there

Horsetail Falls sits about 10 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County. Navigate to the coordinates 38.83044, -120.12334, which mark the waterfall itself; the trailhead or parking area may be some distance away. Visitors reach it on foot by trail. Check the current trail map for distance and elevation before you go.

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Horsetail Falls listing. Navigation apps sometimes route onto seasonal forest roads, so check road status if you are heading into the mountains.

California's falls are spread across national parks, national forests, state parks and county or regional open space, with a few on tribal land. In Yosemite and other heavily visited parks, the National Park Service has used vehicle reservation systems during busy periods in recent years, so checking current entry requirements before travel is wise. Many trailheads in Southern California fill early on weekends. The most serious hazards are swift, cold snowmelt and slick granite: people regularly die after slipping into rivers above waterfalls in the Sierra, especially in late spring. In the southern mountains and deserts, sudden storms can produce flash floods in narrow canyons, and summer heat makes midday hiking risky. Wildfire closures can also affect forest access in late summer and autumn.

What to bring

This checklist is tailored to Horsetail Falls based on what visitors report and the conditions typical of California. For the complete list, see our waterfall hike packing guide.

• Offline map and coordinates. Save 38.83044, -120.12334 and download offline maps; cell service is often weak near waterfalls.
• Shoes with real grip. Rock near falling water stays wet and slick even in dry weather.
• Water and a snack. More than you think you need, even for a short walk.
• A light rain layer. Spray from the falls and quick-moving showers can soak you.
• Camera and a small tripod. Visitors have shared 592 photos of it; a tripod lets you shoot silky water in low light.
• Headlamp. In case your visit runs later than planned; check sunset time in the conditions panel above.

How to prepare

Timing

Timing depends on elevation. Low-elevation coastal and Southern California falls peak during and just after winter storms, typically January through April, and often fade by June. Sierra Nevada falls follow the snowpack: in Yosemite, flows usually build in April, peak in May and June, and decline through July, with some falls dry by late summer in an average year. Big snow years extend the season; drought years shorten it sharply. Spring-fed falls in Shasta and Siskiyou counties are the exception and are worthwhile in any season. High Sierra roads such as the Tioga Road and those to the eastern trailheads usually remain closed into late spring, and summer weekends bring heavy crowds to Yosemite Valley and other well-known sites. 115 Google reviews suggest steady but manageable traffic outside peak weekends.

Safety

Stay behind railings and off wet rock, never climb on the falls, and keep children within arm's reach near the water. Check the weather panel above for flood or storm alerts before you set out; water levels can rise fast after upstream rain. Our waterfall safety guide covers the most common hazards.

Respect the place

Pack out everything you bring, stay on established paths to limit erosion, and leave rocks and plants where they are. See Leave No Trace at waterfalls.

What visitors say

Horsetail Falls holds a 4.8-star average across 115 Google reviews, and 84% of reviewers give it five stars. That makes it the number 2 waterfall by review count in El Dorado County. Visitors have shared 592 photos.

Waterfall cascading about 500 feet in stages, amid Desolation Wilderness & near a hiking trail.

See the rating breakdown or read reviews on Google.

History of the area

Horsetail Falls was entered in the Geographic Names Information System on January 19, 1981, and it appears on the USGS Echo Lake 7.5-minute topographic map.

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Avalanche Lake (lake, 0.2 mi), Pitt Lake (lake, 0.4 mi), Ropi Lake (lake, 0.7 mi), and Osma Lake (lake, 0.8 mi).

Yosemite and the Western Sierra. The western slope of the Sierra Nevada holds the densest concentration of named falls in the state. In Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil Fall drops over the south wall, while Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall step down the Merced River's granite staircase above the valley. Tuolumne County covers the park's northern country, including Hetch Hetchy. Farther south, Madera, Fresno and Tulare counties take in the high country around Sequoia and Kings Canyon, with Three Rivers as a gateway town. North of Yosemite, El Dorado County's Bassi Falls flows over broad granite slabs in the Crystal Basin area. Granite here is smooth, polished and very slippery when wet.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Horsetail Falls about 10 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe is rated 4.8 out of 5 by 115 visitors. Check the live forecast and stream gauge above, save the coordinates for offline use, and pack for wet, uneven ground. Ratings, hours and access can change, so confirm conditions with the land manager before you drive out.

See the full Horsetail Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.