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Overview
Shared by California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is set in a lofty basin between the Sierra Nevada and the Carson Range, a liquid jewel in a granite crown. The lake's improbably clear, impossibly blue waters are a scenic revelation and the most striking ingredient in a recipe for high-altitude beauty that also includes crisp, clean air, forested vistas, and immense mountains. Created by a one-two punch of geological faulting and volcanic activity, the lake is the world's tenth-deepest and a constant source of amazement for all who view it.
Although the Washo tribe admired and depended on the lake for centuries, Americans – in the person of John C. Fremont – are believed to have first laid eyes on it in 1844. Fremont named it Bonpland; other folks favored Bigler; and ultimately, the lake was named Tahoe, a word that approximates the original Native American name.
From early on, the lake's beauty drew people to the area, and fishing and logging were practiced without reservation to help fuel regional mining efforts. As a result, the territory around the lake suffered environmental ravages that lasted into the mid 20th century, when tourism and recreation really began to skyrocket, prodded in part by Squaw Valley's hosting of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Today, development has come under strict regulations, and the community is seeking to rebuild the ambience of Tahoe's early days and to balance the health of the land with the needs and desires of tourists and residents.
As the work continues, people flock to the region for cold-weather sport and warm-weather recreation. Skiing and all its offshoots and incarnations are the stuff of wintertime, and although the lake never becomes completely balmy during the summer, comfortable temperatures and clear days attract people in droves. Plus, ski resorts have expanded their facilities to include opportunities for year-round fun.
Lake Tahoe's shoreline is peppered with towns and villages, each with its own particular character and style. On the North Shore, the most prominent is Incline Village, a wealthy, upscale community of expensive homes, intriguing shops, and leisure-time resources. It's the setting for impressive Lakeshore Drive's two miles of multi-million-dollar real estate.
Truckee, northwest of the lake, is more local, and the former lumber mill town's historic downtown sets forth a surprising array of bars, restaurants, and shops. It's also growing rapidly these days, courtesy of nearby ski slopes, golf courses, and nature parks. So, too, is South Lake Tahoe which, in recent years, has experienced a spate of development. In fact, its resorts and casinos are not only spurring on tourism but expanding regional possibilities too.
No matter your motivation for visiting Lake Tahoe, its bounty – of snow, of outdoor activities, of scenery, of relaxation – is more than evident. Mark Twain marveled at it when he visited in the 19th century, and people ever since have had the same wide-eyed reaction to a mountain vista that, although no longer in its original, pristine state, still manages to awe – easily, silently, and at a single, sweeping glance.
Although the Washo tribe admired and depended on the lake for centuries, Americans – in the person of John C. Fremont – are believed to have first laid eyes on it in 1844. Fremont named it Bonpland; other folks favored Bigler; and ultimately, the lake was named Tahoe, a word that approximates the original Native American name.
From early on, the lake's beauty drew people to the area, and fishing and logging were practiced without reservation to help fuel regional mining efforts. As a result, the territory around the lake suffered environmental ravages that lasted into the mid 20th century, when tourism and recreation really began to skyrocket, prodded in part by Squaw Valley's hosting of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Today, development has come under strict regulations, and the community is seeking to rebuild the ambience of Tahoe's early days and to balance the health of the land with the needs and desires of tourists and residents.
As the work continues, people flock to the region for cold-weather sport and warm-weather recreation. Skiing and all its offshoots and incarnations are the stuff of wintertime, and although the lake never becomes completely balmy during the summer, comfortable temperatures and clear days attract people in droves. Plus, ski resorts have expanded their facilities to include opportunities for year-round fun.
Lake Tahoe's shoreline is peppered with towns and villages, each with its own particular character and style. On the North Shore, the most prominent is Incline Village, a wealthy, upscale community of expensive homes, intriguing shops, and leisure-time resources. It's the setting for impressive Lakeshore Drive's two miles of multi-million-dollar real estate.
Truckee, northwest of the lake, is more local, and the former lumber mill town's historic downtown sets forth a surprising array of bars, restaurants, and shops. It's also growing rapidly these days, courtesy of nearby ski slopes, golf courses, and nature parks. So, too, is South Lake Tahoe which, in recent years, has experienced a spate of development. In fact, its resorts and casinos are not only spurring on tourism but expanding regional possibilities too.
No matter your motivation for visiting Lake Tahoe, its bounty – of snow, of outdoor activities, of scenery, of relaxation – is more than evident. Mark Twain marveled at it when he visited in the 19th century, and people ever since have had the same wide-eyed reaction to a mountain vista that, although no longer in its original, pristine state, still manages to awe – easily, silently, and at a single, sweeping glance.
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