Lake Tahoe Winter Activities

Beautiful Lake Tahoe is a premier lake destination for discerning tourists. It lies across the borders of California and Nevada and offers ample entertainment all year round for tourists looking for a show-stopping lake vacation experience. People come from miles away to see the spectacular natural scenery of the largest alpine lake in North America. Against the backdrop of the Sierra Mountains and with crystal clear water, Lake Tahoe provides an unforgettable vacation destination.

During the winter months, winter sports dominate the calendar of events at Lake Tahoe. When the first flakes of snow begin to drift down from leaden skies, thousands of visitors descend on the region for the annual ski season. Over 400 inches of snow fall every winter and Lake Tahoe has the highest concentration of ski resorts in the country. Due to the high number of sunny days during winter, Lake Tahoe has a reputation for being a veritable winter wonderland. There are 12 world-class alpine ski areas offering plenty of off-piste skiing. Back-country skiing is popular and guides can be hired to take you deep into back-country territory.

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Lake Tahoe has many challenging and enjoyable cross-country ski trails to explore. Snowmobiles are a great way of exploring off the beaten map with the aid of a TOPO map and GPS. As a fun alternative to summer hiking, snowshoes can be hired to help you discover the many panoramic trails around the lake.

Husky driven dog sled tours are a fun and unusual way to see the winter scenery. Alternatively, how about a romantic sleigh ride: a sure fire way to impress the significant other in your life, not to mention the kids!

For younger kids, there are many ice skating rinks and sledding hills in Lake Tahoe for them to enjoy. Skates, tubes, or saucers are either provided free at some resorts, or are available to hire. There are also several designated snow-play areas for children to sculpt snowman and make snow angels.

Lake cruises still operate in the winter months and taking a boat tour provides an excellent way to see the majestic snow capped Sierra Nevada Mountains from the middle of the lake—just remember to have your camera handy. Many fishing charters also operate year round.

And for those who simply want to relax indoors, there are always the casinos of the North Shore Resorts to idle away a few hours in.