Facts about Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Located on the California/Nevada border in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Lake Tahoe is the second largest alpine lake in North America. It also boasts the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America.

Ski Resort Facts

  • 7 Ski Lake Tahoe resorts (Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-TahoeTM Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe® Resort, Squaw Valley USA, Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood)
  • 17,520 total skiable acres
  • 535 total groomed trails
  • 125 total lifts
  • 21 total terrain parks
  • Average percentage of beginner terrain: 28%
  • Average percentage of intermediate terrain: 42%
  • Average percentage of advanced/expert terrain: 30%
  • Average base elevation - 6,831 feet/2,082 meters
  • Average summit elevation - 9,246 feet/2,818 meters
  • Average days of sunshine per year - 300 days
  • Average annual snowfall - 420 inches/35 feet/10.67 meters
  • Typical season span - November through May

Lake Tahoe Neighborhoods

North Lake Tahoe Neighborhoods
California - Alpine Meadows, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, Northstar, Squaw Valley, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, West Shore
Nevada - Incline Village, Crystal Bay

South Lake Tahoe Neighborhoods
California - South Lake Tahoe, Meyers
Nevada - Stateline, Kingsbury, Zephyr Cove

Getting to Lake Tahoe

Nearest Airport - Reno-Tahoe International Airport (approximately 80-95 km from Lake Tahoe)
Distance from Sacramento - 165 km (from South Lake Tahoe)
Distance from San Francisco - 322 km (from Tahoe City)

Lake Facts

  • Lake Tahoe is the second deepest alpine lake in North America.
  • The lake is 19 km wide and 35 km long and 166 km around
  • It is 501 meters at its deepest point, though its average depth is 289 meters.
  • The lake holds 148 trillion liters of water, which, if emptied into area the size of California, would fill the state to a depth of 35.5 cm.
  • Due to its depth, the lake never fully freezes. The surface temperature of the lake ranges from 5 degrees C to 20 degrees C.
  • Lake Tahoe straddles the California/Nevada state borders, with 2/3 of the lake in California and 1/3 in Nevada.
  • Lake Tahoe has 63 tributaries feeding into the lake and only one outlet - the Truckee River at Tahoe City - draining out of the lake.
  • The sun shines at Lake Tahoe during 75% of the year, or 274 days.