Locals Know Shoulder Season Is the Best Time to Visit Lake Tahoe

16.10.2024 - 17:42 / matadornetwork.com / Lake Tahoe

Psst. We’re going to let you in on a secret. Lake Tahoe doesn’t disappear after Labor Day… but the summer crowds do. That means less traffic, fewer hikers on the trails, and beaches you barely have to share. Campsites get easier to book, too, so you can marvel at the autumn hues reflecting on Big Blue on a spur-of-the-moment getaway.

Mild fall temperatures are ideal for outdoor activities on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, where iconic landscapes meet hidden pockets of nature and stellar culinary and entertainment options. The Lake Link Microtransit Shuttle makes it a breeze to get around with free, on-demand, point-to-point transportation (you can download the app here).

No one knows where to go on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe in the fall like a local. So, we asked one. Here’s the inside scoop on your new favorite time to visit: shoulder season.

Photo: Brian Walker/Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

The hiking trails on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe wind through forests, along lakes, and up bluffs and mountaintops to showcase spectacular vistas wherever you turn. In fall, the leaves are colorful and the trails are peaceful, especially on weekdays when fewer visitors come to the lake.

Get your bearings on Maggie’s Peak, a challenging 4.1-mile hike in the Desolation Wilderness. It’s a steep climb, but at the top you’ll find the breathtaking views of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island responsible for inspiring a million posters and postcards. For a longer hike, the Rubicon Trail runs from Vikingsholm Castle to D.L. Bliss State Park, passing sandy strips of beach and dramatic rock formations along the way.

While Lake Tahoe is undoubtedly the most famous, this region is home to dozens of alpine lakes with many more trails. Fallen Leaf Lake has miles of hikes for all ability levels, and it’s one of the best places in Lake Tahoe for leaf peeping. Nearby, the Angora Lakes Trail is an easy one-mile, out-and-back hike to two small lakes. At the top, Upper Angora Lake is flanked by a sandy beach and dramatic cliffs.

If you’d rather chase waterfalls, the 200-foot Cascade Falls is a 1.5-mile, out-and-back hike from the Bayview Campground. The round-trip Eagle Falls jaunt, meanwhile, is only slightly longer. The cascades are about a half-mile hike from the Eagle Falls Picnic Area. Continue on and you’ll reach Eagle Lake, framed by forests and granite peaks.

To explore on two wheels, head to the Pope-Baldwin Bike Path. This flat, paved route follows the shoreline, accessing the beach and points of interest like the century-old Camp Richardson Historic Resort & Marina and the Tallac Historic Site. It’s popular with wheelchair users and families with strollers, not to mention those who want to revel in the colors of the changing