Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe was formed 2 million years ago by volcanic and tectonic activity and further shaped by glaciers that retreated about 10,000 years ago, leaving behind a nearly perfect oval basin. The lake is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, sits at 6,225 feet elevation, and holds enough water to cover all of California 14 inches deep. Its exceptional clarity results from the surrounding granite geology that prevents nutrient-rich runoff from stimulating algae growth; the Secchi depth (water clarity measurement) regularly exceeds 70 feet. The lake straddles the California-Nevada state line, with the Nevada shoreline anchored by the casinos of Stateline on the south and Crystal Bay on the north. South Lake Tahoe, the largest urban center on the lake, has the widest range of accommodations and the most developed recreation infrastructure; Tahoe City on the north shore is smaller and more resort-oriented. The surrounding Sierra Nevada has 14 ski resorts within an hour's drive, including Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics), Heavenly Mountain (which spans both states), and Northstar. Summer activities are equally developed: kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and hiking through Desolation Wilderness east of Emerald Bay.