Only four hours east of San Francisco,
Tahoe City is the perfect base for your
cycling explorations of Lake Tahoe. You
can find lodging, restaurants, shops and
a full entertainment calendar in town.
Located on the north shore of Lake Tahoe,
Tahoe City offers cycling day trips that
can take you around the lake (72 miles of
shoreline) or radiate out to nearby towns
such as Truckee. Wildflowers and abundant
wildlife provide plenty of outdoor recreational
opportunities. More...
Only four hours east of San Francisco,
Tahoe City is the perfect base for your
cycling explorations of Lake Tahoe. You
can find lodging, restaurants, shops and
a full entertainment calendar in town.
Located on the north shore of Lake Tahoe,
Tahoe City offers cycling day trips that
can take you around the lake (72 miles of
shoreline) or radiate out to nearby towns
such as Truckee. Wildflowers and abundant
wildlife provide plenty of outdoor recreational
opportunities. Less...
The best
time to visit Lake Tahoe for cycling activities
is between late May and early October.
Less...
Climate and
Weather
Tahoe is
situated high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
with an average elevation well over 6,000
feet. As a result, you can expect a sudden
change in weather at any time and should
pack rain and cold weather gear accordingly.
Lake Tahoe gets an average of 250 to 300
sunny days a year and humidity is very low,
especially in summer. The water temperatures
are around 68F/20C degrees in the summer
and the daytime summer highs rarely exceed
80F/27C degrees. June, July and August average
just one day of precipitation. Due to its
high elevation and amount of sunny days,
it is strongly recommended that you use
sun block for longer rides.
Because of the abundance of heavy pine forests
and the moderating influence of the 193
square miles of Lake surface, the evenings
do not turn cold; as a result evening outdoor
activities are abundant and pleasant.
Spring and fall temperatures are very similar
with average temperatures about 57F/14C
degrees. Less...
How
to Get There
The closest
international airport to Lake Tahoe is Reno
International Airport in Reno, Nevada. If
you are traveling by air from out of state,
you will most likely arrive at the Reno
International Airport. From there, you have
the option to take a regional flight to
Truckee or bus, shuttle bus, or rental car.
There are a variety of shuttle services
providing transportation to and from the
airport.
The north region of Lake Tahoe is also accessible
by train from the Truckee, California or
Reno, Nevada Amtrak. The Truckee Station
(+1 530 587 3822) located at Glasforms Glass
Blowing on 10065 Donner Pass Road is open
10a-6p daily. The Reno Station (+1 775 322
2970) located at 155 Stevenson Street is
open 24 hours.
For getting around Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe
Area Regional Transit (TART) (+1 530 550
1212 ) offers easy transport year-round.
Most buses are equipped with bike racks
in summer.
If you are traveling by car: From San Francisco
or Sacramento drive east on Interstate 80,
which provides easy access to Truckee and
the north and west shore of Lake Tahoe.
If you are traveling to the south shore,
then Highway 50 is your best choice.
Traveling from the east or from Reno, take
Interstate 80 to Truckee. From Truckee take
SR 89, which will take you directly to Tahoe
City.
Approximate driving times:
From San Francisco – 3 hours 40 minutes
(190 miles)
Lake Tahoe
has plenty of accommodations, ranging from
fancy hotels and B&Bs to small, functional
establishments. However, it is recommended
you make reservations ahead, especially
if you are traveling from out of state and/or
during high season (June – August). Less...
The
Roads
The surfaces
of roads in the Lake Tahoe region are generally
very good. On some mountain roads you may
find occasional road hazard in the form
of cracked pavement, pothole, gravel or
sand. Less...
What
You Need To Know
Lake Tahoe
is completely surrounded by mountains; the
lake sits in a valley at an elevation of
6,200 feet and it is the highest lake of
its size in the United States. It is the
third deepest lake in North America and
the tenth deepest lake in the world.
Lake Tahoe is about 22 miles in length
and 12 miles in width and covers a surface
area of 190+ square miles. The beautiful
shoreline is 72 miles, with the California
shoreline 42 miles and the Nevada shoreline
30 miles in length.
Lake Tahoe is so clear that in some places
visibility is 75 feet deep! The lake is
an intense blue color because the thin
mountain air allows the lake's water to
reflect the blue sky above.
The maximum depth is 1,645 feet, near
Crystal Bay, and the average depth is
990 feet. The lake holds over 39 trillion
gallons of water, enough to cover a flat
area the size of California to a depth
of 14 inches. If drained, it would take
700 years to refill the lake! Less...
