Home » United States » LAKE TAHOE, CA

Lake Tahoe, The Lake, is the jewel of the Sierra Nevada's. At 6,226 feet above sea level Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. It is 12 miles wide, and 22 miles long. The Lake has a surface area of 191.6 square miles. The average depth of The Lake is 989 feet, while its deepest point is 1,645 feet. This is the third deepest lake in North America. Lake Tahoe contains about 40 trillion gallons of water. To put that number in perspective, that amount of water would cover the state of California in 14 inches of water.

LAKE TAHOE, CA

Dave
2004-02-21 14:15:23

Displayed times (last time: )

west of Lake Tahoe. The terrain is rugged, with jagged granite peaks, and clear mountain lakes. There are more then 50 miles of hiking trails in the park. Wilderness permits are required for all backcountry trips into Desolation Wilderness. It is recommended that you reserve your permits up to 90 days in advance because the permits are very limited and the trails are very popular in the summer. There are several locations from which you can enter the wilderness. You can enter from Emerald Bay State Park, Echo Lake, Fallen Leaf Lake, and from Meeks Bay. For reservations write to:

U.S. Forest Service
870 Emerald Bay Road
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

Be sure to include all dates, the number of people in your group, and the trailheads that you plan to use. Telephone reservations are available from June 15 through Labor Day. For more information call PHONE NUMBER (916) 573-2600.

Burton Creek State Park is over 1,800 acres and is Tahoe's second largest state park. There are over 12 miles of fire roads for either hiking or biking. This park is open for day use only and is located on Highway 28 just three miles north of Tahoe City. For more information call PHONE NUMBER (916) 525-7982.

Donner Memorial State Park consists of 350 acres and has sandy beaches, picnic areas, and three miles of hiking and cross country skiing trails. The campground has 154 campsites and is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Emigrant Trail Museum honors the Donner Party and those who crossed Donner Pass. The Donner Party was a group of 89 people trying to hike across the Sierras late in the season. They became trapped in the Sierras by an early winter and had to resort to cannibalism to survive. Only 47 out of the original 89 were rescued. One year after the Donner Party became trapped in the snow, people visited the sight where they had to wait the winter. They discovered stumps of trees ...