Touring Lake Tahoe’s lovely western shore; historic sites make for memorable visit
As the deepest snows since 1950 begin to melt off the Sierra peaks ringing Lake Tahoe, the scenic western shore lies resplendent, awaiting renewed summer and fall visitors. Last week we spent several days along Highway 89, revisiting old haunts, and discovering a few new ones. Lake Tahoe is only two hours away, by taking US Highway 50 out of Sacramento all the way to South Lake Tahoe, and heading north on Highway 89 up the lake. South Lake Tahoe and adjoining State Line offer the glitz of big casinos, the Heavenly Resort area with its tram for summer rides to the Sierra peaks, motels, shops and upscale restaurants. The western shore, however, offers a bit more laid-back vibe.
Our favored Tahoe destination for both dining and lodging starts on the northern edge of South Lake Tahoe, where one leaves the small city and parallels the bike trail heading north several miles to Camp Richardson, a well-rounded and historic resort offering campground, historic hotel and cabin units, bike rentals, marina, horseback riding, a popular ice cream shop as well as the Beacon Restaurant right on the lake’s sandy shore. This year, Tahoe’s waters are up to the bottom of their docks, greatly reducing the width of the lovely beachfront.
Camp Richardson adjoins the Tallac Historic site, start a tour at the Forest Service Visitor Center explaining the details of these three former luxury waterfront homes, the Baldwin Estate, the Pope Estate and Valhalla, which transport you back to life in the Roaring 20s, when these palatial homes were the summer retreats for the wealthiest Californians. Take a docent-led tour of several of the homes to appreciate the pampered life of the glitterati 100 years ago.
Check out the Valhalla Boathouse Theater, in the huge former estate’s boathouse, now converted to a 160 seat theatrical showplace, with a series of upcoming performances and shows. On a Thursday night, we happened on a lovely outdoor, late-afternoon Valhalla concert, presented for a modest fee, or, if you brought your own blanket or beach chairs and didn’t mind sitting further back on the lovely lawn, was free.
We chose to camp again at a favorite campground, Fallen Leaf Lake, a large US Forest Service campground just north of Camp Richardson. Campsites are half price for folks with the federal senior pass, it’s a beautiful campground with newer bathrooms and nice showers, located on the shores of the high mountain lake of the same name and just a mile off Lake Tahoe. Camp Richardson also offers two privately-owned campgrounds, though they tightly pack in trailer campers. State Parks like D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay also offer highly-sought camping and boating options, but book on-line, early, for the most popular campgrounds can book out many months in advance.
Plenty of hiking options are as near as the Mount Tallac Trailhead, just a mile from Fallen Leaf Lake Campground, and bike riding options of about 10 miles through lovely forested, paved bike ways. The Mount Tallac hike takes you about 4 1/2 miles, high above Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe, to near the summit, where snow will likely reside into August in the crevices and shady portions of the lofty peak.
Continuing north on Highway 89 reach lovely Emerald Bay. Stop at Inspiration Point above the bay and look down on this jewel of Lake Tahoe; find a favorite hike, to Cascade Falls, starting south of Inspiration Point. A bit further on 89 is the Eagle Creek Trailhead, where an interesting hike up Eagle Creek takes one to the high altitude Eagle Lake, a photographer’s dream with snow on high.
An energetic option is to hike down to the lovely Vikingsholm Estate, built in 1929 on Emerald Bay. The old mansion is worth a visit and the views of this most highly-visited portion of the lake are for long-time memorable. With summer crowds soon hitting peak, plan to arrive at trailheads early in the morning if you want a place to park.
Bicyclists can find additional cycling trails starting at Homewood Resort and heading north along the lakefront. When reaching Tahoe City, cyclists have the option to cycle down the Truckee River, or continue around the lake on Tahoe‘s north shore. Truly hearty cyclists can tackle the entire 72 mile circuit around Lake Tahoe, though several narrow twisty uphill sections and busy traffic make it not for the faint of heart.
Tahoe City is a favorite destination on the lake’s northwest corner, with quaint shops, a lovely lakeside public park and our favorite breakfast or lunch destination, Rosies Café. Two beaches, Commons Beach and Tahoe City Public Beach, offer plenty of sunny sands for family beach exploration. If you are seeking a premier Tahoe dining experience, venture up to PlumpJack Café for wonderful American fare in the Palisades Tahoe Resort complex. The resort (formerly Squaw Valley, home to the 1960 Winter Olympics), also offers a variety of upscale shops and other restaurants, and a memorable tram ride to the resort’s top end at 8900 vertical feet.
For more information: Camp Richardson, camprichardson.com; Lake Tahoe, visitinglaketahoe.com, westshorelaketahoe.com; Valhalla concerts, valhallatahoe.com. Camping; federal campgrounds, recreation.gov; state park campgrounds, reservecalifornia.com.
Where are you headed? Contact Tim, tviall@msn.com. Happy travels in the west!
This article originally appeared on The Record: Touring Lake Tahoe’s lovely western shore; historic sites make for memorable visit
