Our family is lucky to be able to call Lake Tahoe our home away from home. No, we don’t own property there, we just have generous family members who live there and allow us to stay with them whenever we are in the area. Needless to say, we have been fortunate to explore the area on a number of occasions.
For those of you who have never been, Lake Tahoe is nestled in the Sierra Mountains on the California-Nevada state line. It is commonly associated with skiing (the area is home to Squaw Valley–the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics), but in my opinion the prettiest time to visit Lake Tahoe is in the fall.
The reflection of the fall foliage off the lake is breathtaking. The lake itself is 72 miles around and 1,645 feet deep, which makes it the second-deepest lake in North America behind Crater Lake. It’s also the largest alpine lake in North America. The lake is known for its emerald color (hence it’s nickname: “The Jewel of the Sierras”), and when you combine its natural blue/green color with the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of the changing leaves you get a scene that takes your breath away.
Naturalists say the lake’s intense color comes from a combination of elevation and high-quality air. I also love the way the white sand around the lake offsets the water’s cobalt blue hue. For years Lake Tahoe has served as an incredible backdrop for our family’s vacation photos. If you are an avid photographer I recommend visiting Sand Harbor. It is part of Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park and has some exquisite areas to document on film, including one where giant boulders create a natural frame for the often snow-capped mountains behind it.
Don’t get the wrong idea—the lake offers much more than incredible photo ops. Lake Tahoe is also a haven for kayakers and boaters. My brothers typically spend the better part of the day jet skiing on the lake while I sit on the beach and soak it all in. When they return from their rides we usually spend the rest of the day hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, which goes all the way around the lake.
The trail is extremely popular and attracts thousands of novice and advanced hikers from around the world. What many people don’t realize is that the trail took about 20 years to build. A recreational officer for the U.S. Forest Service envisioned creating a trail that went all the way around the mountaintops above Lake Tahoe. Eventually his vision became a reality when the 165-mile trail was completed. Today, bikers take advantage of the trail along with their hiking companions.
Lake Tahoe’s natural beauty is stunning. And, while many people consider it an ideal winter destination, our family knows it shines during the fall as well.
Related Articles:
Visiting Crater Lake National Park
“Take A Hike”—On The Appalachian Trail