In July 2024 I took a trip to Lake Tahoe, which is about two thirds contained in California with the remaining third is in Nevada. Lake Tahoe is North America’s largest Alpine Lake, it is 22 miles long, 11 miles wide, it has 191.6 square miles of surface area with 72 miles of shoreline. It is the third deepest lake in North America, second in the United States only to Crater Lake. If you were to put the Empire State Building at the bottom of the lake, not even the spire would peek out from below the water.1
The remarkable thing about such a vast lake, is the diversity of ecosystems it can contain! The first day we visited Emerald Bay State Park (California), which was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969. One of the most unique properties of Emerald Bay is that it contains the only island in all of Lake Tahoe, Fannette Island. It is made of granite, which may explain why, despite Emerald Bay having been carved by glaciers, the island remained.2 Also accessible at Emerald Bay is Eagle Falls, a stunning waterfall into adjacent Eagle Lake.3 The stunning scenery provided a home for remarkable trees such as the Jeffrey Pine, Sugar Pine, and White Fir and a natural habitat for Steller’s Jays and California Sister Butterflies.
Julie at Eagle Falls
Fannette Island within Emerald Bay
The next day, we headed to Cascade Falls, managed by the US Forest Service, which despite being a short hike of 1.5 to 2 miles from parking to the falls, is pretty rugged given all of the granite rocks and boulders along the trail. The falls are about 200 feet above Cascade Lake, a distinct glacial lake adjacent to Lake Tahoe. Although nearby, it is not located within the Desolation Wilderness, so don’t need to procure a permit for this short trip.4
View of Cascade Falls in foreground with Cascade Lake in background
Cascade Lake in foreground with Lake Tahoe in background
Our third and final day in Lake Tahoe brought us to the Nevada side, to Sand Harbor – Lake Tahoe State Park, which is where you’d find yourself if you ever attend the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in the future! This area is in the historic range of The Washoe Tribe, where members hunted and fished along the shores.5 We rented clear kayaks, useful as the water of Lake Tahoe is so clear that you can see down deep below, noticing the fish swimming right below me in the kayak. Sand Harbor is an extremely popular spot for water sports, beach activities, and family gatherings, as evidenced by all the fellow kayakers and paddleboarders we encountered.
View of granite boulders along shoreline from within Sand Harbor
Julie in a clear kayak at Sand Harbor
The beauty and splendor of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding forests is breathtaking, I encourage you to see for yourself.
1 https://visitlaketahoe.com/faq/
2 https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1159
3 https://visitlaketahoe.com/things-to-do/hikes/hike-to-eagle-falls-eagle-lake-a-great-beginner-hike/
4 https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ltbmu/recarea/?recid=11821
5 https://parks.nv.gov/parks/lake-tahoe-nevada-state-park
