Fall for Tahoe

Autumn a pleasant, often-overlooked time to visit

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.

RINGED by snow or gleaming cobalt blue under sunny skies, Lake Tahoe is a favorite in summer and winter. But there’s a third side to Tahoe: fall.

As crowds thin out, the region seems to take a breath as it prepares for the seasonal switchover from camping and sailing to ski runs and cozy chalet evenings. Trails are roomier, rates cheaper and the lake waters are beautiful but bracing. All this and leaf-peeping, too.

Here are some suggestions.

FThe basics

Lake Tahoe is about 22 miles long and 12 miles wide at its widest point and straddles the California-Nevada state line. You can drive all the way around the lake most of the year although part of California Highway 89 along Emerald Bay Road may be closed in winter. Very broadly, the lake is divided up into North Lake Tahoe, reachable by Interstate 80, and South Lake Tahoe (the name of a city as well as an area), reachable by Highway 50. Tahoe City is partway down the lake on the west (California) side.

The east (Nevada) side of the

lake is generally less developed, except for casinos in the north and south corners. On the southwest border, the city of South Lake Tahoe, California, abuts Stateline, Nevada, which is home to a number of casinos. To the north, casinos can be found in Incline Village and Crystal Bay, Nevada.

Lodging ranges from midcentury style motels to rentalsby-owner to upscale hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton, part of the Northstar California Resort near Truckee, and the new Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline.

Temperatures usually stay

mild through September and even into October, although expect cooler temperatures as winter nears. Resorts and outdoor outfitters shut down summer activities as the weather turns.

Leaf peep

Lake Tahoe is surrounded by pines so it’s mostly green. But there are aspen groves that turn russet and gold in the fall. Most trails sport some fall color come mid-September, including the Eagle Lake trail. Another recommended spot is

See

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