The Kingsbury Bench Ride is actually just a nickname for the 14 mile section of Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) between Kingsbury Grade and Spooner Summit. This ride can be done as an out & back from either end or as a one-way ride with shuttle. Most riders opt to start out at Kingsbury and head north as it’s got a little less elevation gain than coming south along the trail from Spooner. From the Kingsbury North TRT trailhead this is a very pleasant ride up to the Bench, which sits pretty much at the halfway mark between the two trailheads. The Bench is an actual wooden bench that was built and installed by a local service club many years ago. It sits along the ridge below South Camp Peak, which is the highest point along this section of the Tahoe Rim Trail. Lunch or at the very least a stop for a snack to enjoy the view from the bench is mandatory on this ride. Whichever direction that you choose to ride you’ve got approximately 7 miles of gradual climb to get to The Bench and a really fun, mostly downhill, 7 miles of moderately technical descent. As far as technicality goes, this ride is fairly mild as far as most Tahoe trails go but keep in mind that there are many granite boulders and rocks in the trail. Those of you not used to Tahoe riding will likely find it to be fairly technical. This ride is very similar to the infamous FlumeTrail in that you’ll enjoy beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains. It is, however, not as busy as the Flume Trail and we find it an easier ride as it does not have the initial 5 mile gruel of a climb that the Flume Trail greets you with when you ride out of Spooner Lake State Park.

For those wanting a little bit of a longer ride we suggest doing this from north to south and instead of stopping at the Kingsbury North Tahoe Rim trailhead continuing on to Van Sickle. At the Kingsbury North intersection hang a right (towards Castle Rock) and stay on the Tahoe Rim Trail for another 2 miles. This section is mostly downhill and super fun! Here you’ll cross Kingsbury Grade and continue on the Rim Trail for another 2 miles to the Van Sickle intersection. This section is a pretty grueling & rocky climb, but it does have a couple of spots with magnificent views. Take a right down Van Sickle to get to the Stateline casino corridor and the Heavenly Village.

Call us for a shuttle! (775) 790-6375