Portrayed with love as the "Jewel of the Sierras," Lake Tahoe's alpine waters sparkle in the summer sun and glisten in the winter snows. Her bottom is visible to a depth of 100 feet in places, and her crystal waters never freeze! The lake is nestled in a high sierra valley (6230 ft.) and is 22 miles long, 12 miles wide. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America - and truly the "Jewel of the Sierras." As such, the surrounding Tahoe region must be appreciated as the forest-green brooch that clasps this azure jewel.
The Tahoe Area
Lake Tahoe straddles the California-Nevada border and is embraced by forested mountains. In California, the Eldorado National Forest spreads to the southwest, while theTahoe National Forest is actually northwest of the lake. The beautiful Toiyabe National Forest covers the Nevada shoreline. California highways 89 and 28, Nevada Highway 28 and Federal Highway 50 combine to provide an approximatly 75-mile drive around the lake. The loop is a beautiful and interesting drive - well worth an afternoon's time! This gorgeous area is a year-round playland, with skiing in winter and, of course, camping and water sports in summer.
Lake Tahoe Campgrounds and Parks
There are many nice parks and campgrounds along Tahoe's California shoreline, but they are surprisingly absent on the Nevada side of the lake. Nevada's Lake Tahoe State Park provides a host of outdoor activities, lovely beaches, and rental cabins - but no camping facilities. You can find casinos and all the gambling you may desire at Stateline, Nevada.
My wife, Pam, and I enjoy camping at Emerald Bay State Park, California. Located on Highway 89 on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe, the bay itself is visible from some of the campsites, but thick, tall pines block viewing from most sites. An easy trail leads down to the rocky lakeshore. The city of South Lake Tahoe is just 10 miles south of the park. Emerald Bay is not for everyone, however, as it has a 22-foot limit on RVs.
Adjacent to Emerald Bay and just north of it, D.L. Bliss State Park offers a wonderful swimming beach and is open year-round. Bliss has some great hiking and nature trails, a 114-site campground with an 18-foot limit and a dump station. Further north, Sugar Pine Point State Park is the largest of the California Lake Tahoe parks and provides fantastic deep trout and salmon fishing. A heavily wooded, natural area, it has 125 sites and is open all year. A dump station is among its many amenities. This is the right park for larger RVs, with a 32-foot RV limit. Sugar Pine is about 10 miles south of Tahoe City. For information on the other California State Parks near Lake Tahoe, Park-Net provides a complete listing at its Park Search web site.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Go To Page: 1 2
