Even though the ski slopes have usually already opened in November, it is in December that you can really
expect a fully snow covered landscape with an average snowfall of 34 inches in
Lake Tahoe. And the great news is that Lake Tahoe is one of the warmer ski resorts across North America as temperatures reach
highs of 44°F in December and it almost never gets colder than 26°F. You can expect
6 hours of daylight a day.
For those not into skiing or snowboarding there are so many other
winter activities on offer in Lake Tahoe from snowmobiling to sledding, ice skating and snowshoeing too. And in case you are looking for some indoor activities there is plenty on offer from spas to casinos and malls. There are also some great events on such as the
SnowGlobe Music Festival. Weekends especially can get quite busy in Lake Tahoe so make sure to book well advance if visiting in December!
Best Time to Visit Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is actually a great vacation destination all year round, especially if you are looking to be active. From hiking in the spring and fall to swimming and water sports in summer and skiing and winter sports in winter, you will never be bored! And the weather with its seasonal changes allows for a wide range of outdoor activities throughout the year.
Spring and fall temperatures in the mid to high 50s°F are great for making the most of the outdoors. They’re also the least busy seasons and when you’ll be able to get the better deals on accomodation. It’s also pretty dry in the spring and fall shoulder seasons and in summer. In summer it can reach up to 80°F with the water temperature of the alpine Lake Tahoe climbing up to 70°F. And winters with up to 44 inches of snow are great for any type of winter sports. Do wrap up warm though as it can get down to a cool 25°F.
Things to know about Lake Tahoe
The incredibly clear alpine Lake Tahoe is the natural border between California and Nevada. It has an enormous surface area of 191 square miles and at an altitude of 6224ft, it is the largest alpine lake in North America.
It was in the 1950s that Lake Tahoe started to become really popular as a vacation destination and later saw visitor numbers increase further because of the
Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in 1960. Enjoying the lake at night is great too.
In summer, the lake with a length of 62 miles is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. The most sought after beach towns are
South Lake Tahoe in California as well as
Stateline in Nevada. The latter, with its
6 casinos, is the place to head to if you are up for some gambling. You will find
beautiful sand beaches all along the lake. And in case the weather doesn’t allow for swimming in the lake, you might want to
rent a boat to explore it.
A highlight is also a tour to the Emerald State Bay Park in South Lake Tahoe with its
Fannette Island. It’s the only island on the lake and while there you can visit the
Vikingsholm Castle- a castle built in the 1920s as a summer residence with an impressive 38 rooms.
Another place you shouldn’t miss is the
Incline Village. It was used as the
set of the Ponderosa Ranch in the show ‘Bonanza’ and it’s kind of an amusement park.
The shoulder seasons as well as summer are a great time to go hiking or mountain biking. There is absolutely nowhere better to do so than along the over
200 mile long Tahoe Rim Trail that goes all around the lake and offers incredible views. You can even explore the trail whilst horse riding. And in winter the cross country skiing trail is prepared along it. Once you reach the
Relay Peak you will find yourself as high as 10,000 ft. Along the trail you will also pass the 100 sq mile large
‘Desolation Wilderness’ which is a nature reserve that is home to many animals including bears and golden eagles. The area around the lake is also famous for its
stunning waterfalls.
In the cold months, Lake Tahoe with its
diverse ski resorts is the place to visit for any kind of winter sport enthusiasts.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort, for example, is famous for its huge amounts of snow. And
Squaw Valley, on the Californian side, has been host to the Winter Olympics in 1960. Besides skiing and snowboarding, the
resorts also offer sledding tubes, snowmobiles, snowshoes and ice skating- anything one could imagine doing in winter!
vacation-weather.com
