Portola, California

Located on the northwest side of Lake Tahoe, Carnelian Bay is a fun place to spend the afternoon. However, there is no sand at Carnelian Bay as the ground is all large rocks. It's a great place to go swimming or SUPing in the summer, and it has a pier that you can jump off.  It is usually less cr...

You can't miss this spot in the open snowfields of Tahoe Meadows. This area is not privately owned or maintained, which is perfect. It is a short drive up the Mt. Rose Highway from Reno and Sparks and there is plenty of free parking (except on super-busy days) right next to the sledding slopes an...

Commons Beach is a small beach and park on the northwest side of the lake. It is located very close to the CA-89 exit, so is ideal for road trip stops. There is a park for kids, and a grassy area near the beach. The beach itself is on the smaller side, but is relatively uncrowded. This area of th...

Starting from the free easy access parking lot right off highway 49 you head left up the trail. You will notice two trails side by side, one wider path for wheelchair access and another slightly narrower path for hikers on foot.The trail is set on the cliff side overlooking the South Fork of the ...

Pyramid Lake is the last remnant of the vast Pleistocene Lake Lahontan which reached its peak at the end of the last ice-age, being the terminus of many of the glaciers and ice sheets which covered much of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada.Today it is an oasis in the heart of the Basis and Ra...