Lake Tahoe vacation info
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Lake Tahoe Vacation F.A.Q. for Visitors

Where is Lake Tahoe? Just for starters, you don't have to be embarrassed if you don't already know! How high are the mountains, and how big is the Lake? Click below for introductory information about Lake Tahoe. (To view answers, turn on javascript or adjust your browser's settings.)

Lake Tahoe is a national treasure, because it's one of the world's largest, deepest, and clearest mountain lakes. Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long, 11 miles wide and the laks is in a 501-square-mile watershed. The communities surrounding Lake Tahoe have grown up because of the protection of its natural beauty and year-round recreational opportunities. The U.S. Forest Service and State of Nevada and California agencies manage nearly 85 percent of the Tahoe watershed land. The rest is private property.
 
Yes, Lake Tahoe is a natural lake. The lake is also used as water storage by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District. The lake level is controlled by the Lake Tahoe Dam built in 1913 at the lake's only outlet on the north shore. This is the outlet to the Truckee River at Tahoe City. Find out more Wikipedia's page for Lake Tahoe.
 
Lake Tahoe is over 2 million years old! The EPA states that water entering the lake today will take about 650 years to get past the outlet Dam at the North end where the Truckee River exits the lake. Want to find out more detailed statistics about the Lake? Visit the EPA's Lake Tahoe Facts page.
 
The Geological Society of America reported new research results about the formation of Lake Tahoe. About 2.3 million years ago, a volcanic field of seven vents erupted in the northwestern Lake Tahoe basin, and this was just one of many eruptions that formed lava dams and raised the lake over and over! Find out more...
 
No, Lake Tahoe never freezes. You can find out why Tahoe never freezes over, and more on the USFS Tahoe Basin Management Unit F.A.Q. page for Lake Tahoe.
 
The EPA, states of Nevada and California, and regional water boards all run management programs that aim to increase water quality at Lake Tahoe. Here's information about EPA Water Quality Programs at Lake Tahoe.
 
There are community groups at Lake Tahoe for just about every interest and cause. Here's our list of community organizations serving South Lake Tahoe and North Lake Tahoe.
 

South Lake Tahoe

 

South Lake Tahoe