The Beauty of Lake Tahoe
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Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful and tranquil places I've visited. Although I'm not a travel expert or an expert on Lake Tahoe, I have created this hub as both a description of my time spent there and an invitation for you to consider Tahoe as a future travel destination. I have also included sections on the history of Tahoe, the wildlife of Tahoe, my experience there and, of course, a plethora of photos taken by yours truly!
Brief History of Lake Tahoe
The history of Lake Tahoe can be traced back to 1844 when exploreres discovered the Washo Indians living there. The name "Tahoe" actually came from the name the Washo Indians gave it (Da-ow-a-ga), however, the lake wasn't officially called Lake Tahoe until 1945.
In the 1860s, silver was discovered in the mountains surrounding the lake. Because of this, there quickly was a large group of money-seekers gathering in the region. These miners came in such large crowds that they created their own trails in and out of the region. In the early 1920s and 1930s these trails were paved, bringing a large population spike to the region.
Today, Lake Tahoe has a number of tourist attractions- skiing, hiking and water activites top the list of things to do there. There are also a number of places to stay at there, including hotels (with casinos), lodges and log cabins.
For further information on the history of Lake Tahoe, check out the links below.
- History of Lake Tahoe
Brief history of Lake Tahoe - Lake Tahoe History
Location, Location, Location
Lake Tahoe is located on the western side of the United States. It actually borders both California and Nevada.
It is 22 miles long by 12 miles wide and consists of approximately 39 trillion gallons of water!
Other fun facts about Lake Tahoe:
- It is the highest lake of it's size in the United States
- The water never freezes because the water is always moving from the bottom to the surface
- The only outlet for the waters of Lake Tahoe is the Truckee River
- Recent movies filmed there include The Godfather and The Bodyguard
Wildlife of Lake Tahoe
The different types of wildlife residing at Lake Tahoe are vast and varied. According to Tahoe Integrated Information Management System, there are 217 bird, 59 mammal 8 reptile and 5 amphibian species that call Tahoe their home. Here's a short list of different wildlife you might find there:
- bald eagle
- goshawk
- spotted owl
- peregrine falcon
- black bear
- Sierra Nevada red fox
- mountain yellow-legged frog
- rainbow trout
- mule deer
- pileated woodpecker
- mallard
- California wolverine
Wildlife I Found There
While vacationing in Tahoe, I came across some wildlife myself. Here are some photos of the different animals I came into contact with:
My Experience at Lake Tahoe
My family has vacationed at Lake Tahoe regularly for many years now. This past year, however, was my first time there as I had not been able to make it in past years. I had the pleasure of taking my wife who had also never been. We rented several cabins as a family and spent a week there. Apart from those times where siblings were quarreling, it was a time of relaxation and romance. In fact, due to "events" at Lake Tahoe, I "found the opportunity" to write the different baby journal hubs!
So, without further delay, allow me to share with you some pictures of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area that I took personally!
Beautiful Evening Photos
Golf and Ski resorts nearby
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Crystal clear waters
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Thank you steph! You were my inspiration to write it. Well, I say "write" but I really mean "upload!" How was your trip to Tahoe? Didn't you say you were going to visit several months back? How did you like it there?
No, we actually didn't end up going (we went to the Oregon coast instead), but I spent many summers at Lake Tahoe growing up. It only about an 8 hour drive from where we live, now, so I'm eager to go back soon!
Super nice...just looking at the pictures and I'm starting to feel relax. Thanks for sharing Pete.
--michelle
Oh how I wish I was there right now, very well done and fantastic pictures!!
How long is the travel from L.A., California?
My goodness...That is what life is about my friends. Great article and uplifting pics WedddingConsultant.
hi, absolutely nice of ur new hub, i enjoyed it very much and glad to see ur natural love....... Zahid
Great hub, great pictures and a really great hubber (yeh Pete, you never fooled me :P).
Now you made me wish to go and visit all those beautiful places and wonderful wildlife. Thanks ;)
Thanks everyone for your comments!
I agree, Michelle (ripplemaker), the pictures are serene. I find myself getting lost in them sometimes.
dhoosier- you and me both! I'd love to be there.
Decrescendo- according to mapquest it's about 8 hours from L.A. to northern Tahoe, but I'd add 1-2 hours to that, especially if the weather is bad! The roads were treacherous- driving a narrow road as it curves around mountains. One wrong turn and you're free falling thousands of feet! If the roads had any snow on them, it would be even longer.
yenseca and Zahid- glad you like the hub and pictures.
fun- if it made you wish you were there, then I have suceeded! Glad I didn't let you down.
Another true lover of Lake Tahoe! Really well done. Thanks for sharing your pictures and memories.
Menlo, I'm glad you liked them.
Wow! I was having a stressful day and could feel myself relax vicariously through your vacation photos. A great hub and while it's very from from where we are (Illinois) - we will stop there when we get out west & my boys are a bit older.
Oh I'm sure your boys will LOVE it out there. There are a TON of things for them to do there. And yes, it's serene there...soaking up the sun, enjoying the weather, maybe doing some snorkeling or swimming. Be sure to write about it when you go!
Excellent hub :)
Lake Tahoe sure does look like a beautiful place. I hope that one day I will be able to visit the USA - lake Tahoe will be on my list of great places to see. Thanks for the great Hub.
jooles, I hope you get to visit it as well. It's probably one of the top 10 or top 20 places I'd wanted to visited in the U.S.
I love Lake Tahoe, but haven't been in quite a few years. My grandparents used to have a house there, so we spend many holidays in that beautiful place. Thanks for the pictures!
A house by Lake Tahoe? That must be worth big bucks! What a great excuse to visit it again.
You're welcome for the pictures, Stacie. I had 100s more, but I thought I should narrow it down as I didn't want this to become a picture gallery!
Excellent hub! Truly depicts the real beauty of Lake Tahoe! Awsome pictures and very interesting history! Great work!
Bonnie
Thank you bonnie, I'm glad you liked it.
Thanks for the great pictures and info on this most beautiful area of the US. Tahoe has always been a special place for me to ski in the winters and enjoy the amazing beauty in the spring.
I'm glad you've had the opportunity to visit it, roland! Although I do ski, I haven't been skiing there. I hear they get some really good powder though.
I have been there twice and it is absolutely perfect!
I agree craigan! You've got just about anything to do there- water (that never freezes and is crystal clear), mountains for hiking and skiing, etc. There's something for everyone at Lake Tahoe!
just beautiful And I know about quarreling siblings all to well we usually have one or two when we go on vacation great hub
Great comment, comment! Yes, that trip would have been more pleasurable without sibling arguments and sunburns, but all in all it was great! I mean, HEY, it led to something I eluded to in the paragraph beside the family photo!
Absolutely beautiful must be great to see this in person. Well done. Cheers.
Thank you cgull. Coming from you that means a lot.
Hi Pete - I like this hub. You do a lovely job of creating the place for us to almost experience it with you. Nice.
~Schelli
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! I tried to add lots of original photos to help re-create the experience. I took a ton of photos there.
Yeh, some really nice photos there. Am sure it would help one relax and clear the mind a lot.
Thanks for a refreshing hub.
You're welcome Nikoman, and thanks for viewing it! Should you decide to visit the US from all the way over there in Sidney, you should give Lake Tahoe a visit!
Wow! fantastic travelogue about Lake Tahoe,you captured the essence of its beauty.My favorite State is California both North and Southeach has it's own unique style and beauty.
Thanks for stopping by Mygenie. I agree, California is awesome...probably my favorite state as well. I'm a little biased, though, as I was born there!
I'm always want to plan to have a trip to LAke Tahoe, maybe this upcoming summer will be the best time for me to go there...
Any season is a good season to visit Tahoe. During winter you've got skiing and snowboarding, during summer there's lake activities, and during spring and fall the foilage is breath-taking.
Beautiful pictures of the Lake Tahoe area on this hub. Also, great information for those visiting the area for the first time. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome, sweetiepie. All pictures were taken by me, except for those three in the "wildlife of Lake Tahoe" section.
Came to see the photos again lovely. The blue bird that is in the picture, do you know its name, it is beautiful.
Good question. Although I'm not much of a bird expert, I suspect it might be a steller's jay found here:
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&
Any bird experts out there care to correct this?
Wow, this is a really well wiritten hub. I've never been to lake Tahoe. This really has peaked my interest...
thanks for this one!
You're welcome Veronica! If you do end up visiting Lake Tahoe, let us know what you thought of it.
Tahoe is a beautiful place, and your pictures captured that beauty so well. I was there only once, many years ago, in the late summer. On that trip I spent long, quiet hours just gazing into the lake's magnificent water.
Only one thing marred the trip...Tahoe's elevation. I'd never been up that high in my life before, and turns out I am one of those people who get altitude sickness. Except for spending the first two days of my trip in bed with flu-like symptoms, I enjoyed myself thoroughly!
That's a great point Sally. Not only can one get altitude sickness in Lake Tahoe (over 6,000 feet above sea level!), it is easy to become sun burned as well. Two things to be aware of when visiting Tahoe, for sure!
yet another place to add to my to visit oneday places.
I want to fish there because of this hub! Good job, loved the pictures too. Lucky you!
I bet there's lots of fish there C.S. Alexis. I really know nothing about fish, but I was told there was some trout there!
Thanks for the pictures. I have always thought I would like to visit and now I am sure of it.
You're welcome Sea! Hope you get the chance to visit soon, there's no place like it.
My sister in law got married in Tahoe and we went for several days. It was Gorgeous!
Wow, I bet you've got some really pretty pictures from that event!
This is great, I'm ready to book my flight!!
Rock on, tbelgard!
I have been trying to decide where to spend some vacation time this summer/fall. You solved that problem for me. Tahoe it is! Which side is nicer? CA?, or NV? Thank you this is a great hub!
Trisha
Trisha, the lake is the same no matter which angle you look at it! haha okay, jokes aside, the one big difference is that gambling is allowed on the NV side. SO, if you're into that, you'd want to be on the NV side or at least close to the border. Other than that, lodging/food/etc. costs are the same.
We stayed on the CA side but were about 10 minutes from the NV border.
Hey there, thanks for the pictures. I lived in Tahoe 30 years ago for a year - in Heavenly Valley. Living in Reno before - I never knew that up in those mountains was this idylic wonderland. I still remember the minute I came out of the tunnel and saw the lake in all it's majesty. It took my breath away. There used to be a restaurant call the "Christmas Tree" - I believe - on one of the highest summits. I ate there and stared for hours. The next day, I went back to Reno - quit my job - and within a week I moved to an A frame - overlooking the lake.
I miss Tahoe.
I joined your hub and look forward to reading more.
PT
Thanks for sharing your experiences there PT. There is something majestic about Lake Tahoe. It's a wonderful place to simply sit and soak up the surroundings.
Maybe I should look into retiring there...
This is an AMAZING Hub and it's making me really think hard about when I'm going to finally take a trip over there...thanks for writing. :)
Hup, have you had a chance to visit Tahoe yet? You know, you're much closer to it than I!
stephhicks68 Level 7 Commenter 4 years ago
Really great hub!! You mentioned that you would write one on Lake Tahoe, and I'm so glad you did. Great photos. Did I mention this was a great hub? :)