Things to Do in Lake Tahoe, Shore by Shore and in Winter

Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 wide, with about 75 miles of shoreline and a surface at 6,225 ft (UC Davis TERC).

Two states and three shore highways share it: SR-89 down the west side, SR-28 across the north and the Nevada shore, and US-50 on the south and southeast. Every place below names the road it is on, because from November to April that decides more than the weather does.

Much of the lake runs on a summer calendar, and most of it stays open on foot after that. What is open in the cold months is set out for Lake Tahoe in winter, in November and in December.

Which shore

Which of those roads is open right now, and the one to take when one closes, is answered on Reno to Tahoe: which road is open. Every road around the lake, with its chain controls, is on Lake Tahoe road conditions.

South shore

The busiest shore, and the only one with casinos, the gondola and a winter boat.

• Emerald Bay State Park and Vikingsholm (SR-89). The trail down to Vikingsholm is 2 miles round trip with 400 ft of climb back up, from a lot at about 6,800 ft. The house tours ran May 23 to September 30 in 2026, at $18 for adults. The walk stays open all year, but there is no water or service from October to May and the trail ices. Parking is $10 a day. Lower Eagle Falls is a quarter mile behind the visitor center.
• SR-89 past Emerald Bay closes in storms, often for days, and that is the gate that splits the lake in two. The detour from Tahoe City to South Lake Tahoe is round the north and east shores. The SR-89 Emerald Bay conditions page has the live status.
• Tallac Historic Site (SR-89, 3 miles northwest of town). Three old lakeside estates; the buildings open Memorial Day weekend through September, the grounds all year, free.
• Taylor Creek Visitor Center and the Rainbow Trail (SR-89). The center opens June through October; the grounds stay open. In winter Taylor Creek is a California Sno-Park, which needs a permit.
• Pope and Baldwin beaches (SR-89). Walk-in all year. The lots are seasonal, May to October, at $10 a vehicle.
• Heavenly Gondola (Heavenly Village, US-50). Sightseers ride it as well as skiers, summer and winter.
• M.S. Dixie II (Zephyr Cove, US-50, Nevada). The paddlewheeler sails to Emerald Bay from Zephyr Cove, and keeps going on holiday dates after the summer boats stop.
• Van Sickle Bi-State Park (Stateline). Free trails above the casinos, open to cars May 1 to October 31 and on foot all year.
• Cave Rock (US-50, Nevada). A state park on the rock tunnel stretch: $10 for Nevada cars, $15 for others, or $2 for a 15-minute photo stop.

Restaurants, shows and markets on this shore are in the monthly Reno–Tahoe events listings.

North and west shores

Smaller towns, more state park, and the Truckee River leaving the lake at Tahoe City.

• Tahoe City. The Gatekeeper's Museum sits beside the Lake Tahoe dam; it is open April to October, Wednesday to Sunday 11 to 4 ($10), and by appointment from November to March. Tahoe City webcams look at SR-89 and SR-28 where they meet.
• Sugar Pine Point State Park (SR-89, 10 miles south of Tahoe City). The Ehrman Mansion and its lawn on the lake; house tours ran May 24 to September 30 in 2026. $10 a car.
• D.L. Bliss State Park (SR-89, 17 miles south of Tahoe City). Closed to cars for the season since October 1; you can walk in about 2 miles from the gate, with no restroom or water.
• Kings Beach State Recreation Area (SR-28, 1 mile west of the state line). Open all year for day use, $10 a day or $3 an hour, card only. No dogs on the beach. The Kings Beach camera is at the SR-267 junction.
• Palisades Tahoe Aerial Tram (Olympic Valley, off SR-89). It lifts 2,000 vertical ft from the 6,200 ft base to High Camp at 8,200 ft, and is not only for skiers.

The summer side of this shore, Commons Beach and the rest, is in Tahoe beaches from Reno.

East shore (Nevada)

Granite coves, few buildings, and almost all of it state park or forest. From Reno it is the nearest shore, over the Mt Rose Highway.

• Sand Harbor (2005 SR-28, Incline Village). Open 8 a.m. to an hour after sunset, all year, with the lots plowed. $10 for Nevada cars, $15 for others. Summer needs a vehicle reservation from May 15 to September 30; how that works is on Sand Harbor parking reservations. The Sand Harbor camera shows the road outside.
• Tahoe East Shore Trail. A 3-mile paved path from Incline Village to Sand Harbor.
• Spooner Lake (near the US-50 and SR-28 junction). Open every day of the year, $10 or $15 a car, and the start of the 4.4-mile Marlette Flume Trail.
• Tahoe Meadows (SR-431). A 1.3-mile loop off the Mt Rose Highway, 16 miles up from I-580, along a meadow at the top of the pass.

Above the lake on SR-431, Mt Rose and Diamond Peak are the two ski areas on the Mt Rose Highway side.

By season, and before you go

The seasons here are short and the edges matter. The summer pages are about parking, because Sand Harbor's lots can be full by 8:30 a.m. on a July day. The winter ones are about the road, because one closed gate on SR-89 or one R-2 posting on Spooner Summit changes which shore you can reach that day.

Twelve road cameras on the shore highways, round the lake from Kings Beach. Click a marker to open the camera.