The air is crisp, the leaves rustle gently, and the eyes wander naturally to the golden aspen paths that wind up the mountains. And, of course, the lake is as glassy as we’ve ever seen. We were in autumnal paradise at Lake Tahoe in fall, where the lake was full and stately pines lined the rim, reaching far up into high hills. We couldn’t stop staring at the stands of aspens and cottonwoods in their autumn splendor, complete with evergreens complementing them. What’s more, there were lots of outdoor activities to stroke our adventurous side. Plus, there are “beaches” perfect for lounging by the water. Lake Tahoe might be most popular in the summer and winter, but the autumn season by the lake has a special place in our hearts. After all, Lake Tahoe is one of the USA’s top attractions, right? Here’s a guide to visiting it in autumn.
Table of contents
Weather
The changing of the seasons happens in September, with early September being warm and featuring tons of daylight hours. Things begin cooling down towards the end, with temperatures dropping to the low 60s degrees Fahrenheit. October is the best, and our favorite, time to visit Lake Tahoe for its breathtaking autumnal hues and tons of activities. While day temperatures can be around 58 degrees Fahrenheit, nights could drop to as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and there could be rains as well.
Finally, November is one of the best, quietest times to visit the region. Since the ski slopes aren’t yet open and the days are chilly and wet, there are fewer crowds. Since there are fewer outdoor activities, this is the month for chilling on a peaceful lakeside vacation, with spa time and lots of delicious food. Temperatures during November can be anywhere between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 31 degrees Fahrenheit, and there could be significant snowfall too.
Since the weather varies so much, do remember to pack layers. Check out some of the best lightweight travel base layers and even the best hiking mid-layers, especially towards the end of fall.
Taylor Creek Visitor Center
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One of the best places to begin your exploration of the Lake Tahoe region is the Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe. It’s the perfect location to not just do a deep dive into the history of the region but also see the first bursts of the orange and yellow fall hues. We began driving along Emerald Bay Road, a.k.a. Highway 89 and began seeing the aspens showing off bright pops of orange and yellow on both sides. The visitor center sits just 15 minutes from the town of South Lake Tahoe. Furthermore, we were even able to explore the two popular trails here — the Lake of the Sky and Rainbow Trails. No matter which trail you take, both offer spectacular views of Mt. Tallac. Finally, the former trail leads down to Kiva Beach.
“The Taylor Creek Visitor Center was a great point for starting our exploration of the Lake Tahoe region.”
WOW Travel
Did you know that Taylor Creek is also where the annual Kokanee Salmon Run takes place? Since their migration happens during the first week of October, you can see black bears feasting on them at the creek!
Fall Festivals
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Autumn is the time for a whole lot of festivities in the Lake Tahoe region. One of the most popular is The Made in Tahoe Festival at The Village at Palisades, Tahoe. It supports and celebrates local Tahoe entertainers, organizations, chefs, businesses, and artisans. It was a fantastic way to explore, experience, and discover the local community.
However, nothing had prepared us for the amazing Oktoberfest celebrations in the region! One was the decades-old Annual Lake Tahoe Oktoberfest held at Camp Richardson, famous for its Bavarian food and brews. This day event was extremely fun for the kids, as they could pick out their pumpkins and play at the bounce house. Yet another set of Oktoberfest celebrations takes place at The Village at Palisades Tahoe, which is all about dance, food, brats, and authentic beer while enjoying entertainment and live music.
If you’re in Tahoe towards very late fall, then you can go sliding, or sledding, right into winter with Gay Snow Day at Truckee, Squaw Creek, and Snowball. This weekend event is all about DJ parties and après ski mingling.
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State Parks
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The Lake Tahoe region teems with natural beauty, and there’s no better way to experience that than visiting one of the many state parks in the region. Both Nevada and California have many state parks to choose from, but some of our favorite spots include Emerald Bay State Park, which we’ll cover separately, Spooner Lake State Park, Sand Harbor State Park, and D.L. Bliss State Park.
The North Canyon Road in Spooner Lake State Park was hands down our absolute favorite spot in all of Lake Tahoe. We were mesmerized by the pretty-as-a-postcard aspen-lined paths, which were just a short mile’s hike from the main parking lot of the park. When we were here in mid-October, we were in fall heaven. If you’re interested in biking, we’d highly recommend the scenic 14-mi Flume Trail. The Lake Tahoe views are simply jaw-dropping and there’s even a wonderful cafe for grabbing lunch, snacks, and even a beer at the end of the trail.
Then there’s Sand Harbor State Park on northern Lake Tahoe’s eastern shoreline, which is all about wooden plan walkways leading to sandy and boulder-strewn shores. Finally, there’s the D.L. Bliss State Park, which features a moderate hike that hugs the Lake Tahoe shoreline and boasts spectacular vistas.
Hope Valley
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Get ready to indulge in some of the best leaf-peeping you’ll ever do in your life in Hope Valley. This gorgeous region was a 30-minute drive from South Lake Tahoe and is home to many, and we mean, many popular autumn photography spots. The old cabin in the image below lies off Highway 88 and is one of the most popular photo op spots. What’s more, the fall colors can be enjoyed right from the main road many times. Some of your best bets for soaking in the vibrant fall colors are along State Route 88 between Blue Lakes Road and Luther Pass Rd (State Route 89). While there are different parking areas, the one near the junction of Blue Lakes Road and State Route 88 is perfectly sized.
During our visit, we checked out the much-recommended Desolation Hotel Hope Valley, a historic resort with modern amenities. Their “Wildernests” were as luxurious as they were charming and were perfect for us to unplug, unwind, and relax. Moreover, we had the choice of cabins, RV sites, tent campsites, trailers, a huge cabin for larger groups, and even glamping yurts. Our off-the-grid yurt, while without running water or electricity, was spacious and had a plush bed, a private bathroom, a gorgeous skylight, and even a deep soaking tub right in the room. Did we mention the outdoor fire ring and indoor fireplace? Yep.
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Apple Hill
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Our absolute favorite family spot in all of Lake Tahoe is Apple Hill, which is an hour’s drive away. This small but gorgeous community near the Sierra Foothills town of Placerville comprises around 50 locally-owned farms. More importantly, it’s a festive fun place to visit during autumn. The town is all about pumpkin patches, apple picking, and warm baked goodies, like the region’s legendary hot apple cider donuts.
One of the best places in Apple Hill is Hidden Star Camino, especially since we were with our kids. We can’t express just how amazing this place was, and the kids were in absolute heaven. Why not? The place had a variety of tasty donuts, face painting, cider (both kid-friendly and adult-friendly), and sand toys and sandboxes. What’s more, there was even an old airplane and fire truck model for the kiddos to climb on, play, and sit in the driver’s seat. Heck, there was even a mini ‘town” with playhouses where the kids were running among the most. And don’t even get us started on the pumpkin patch.
If you’re visiting Apple Hill, go on a weekday between September and October, as it could get crazily crowded on the weekends.
Spa Days
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What better place than Lake Tahoe to invest in some much-deserved me-time? Self-care against the backdrop of the clear blue lake and the magnificent mountains was all the more memorable, rejuvenating, and relaxing for us. Since we wanted to indulge, we headed straight to The Spa at Edgewood Tahoe, which offered immense serenity amongst the Sierra Mountains. The spa sits in a massive yet private second-floor area of the Lodge at the resort with a stunning design aesthetic and vibe and majestic views of the lake. Rated 4-star by the Forbes Travel Guide, it’s the region’s only spa to provide specialized, holistic massages using locally sourced stones.
There are many offers available at the spa, so make sure you check them out before scheduling anything. We scheduled a combination of a 50-minute facial and massage each, and received a complimentary USD 35 service of our choice! The only stipulation was that the combo should be for the same individual on the same day, and both treatments should be a minimum of 50 minutes or longer. Check out the other packages, menu, and other details here.
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Emerald Bay
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It’s not difficult to see why in his 1871-written travel book “Roughing It,” Mark Twain called Lake Tahoe ‘the fairest picture the whole earth affords.’ Emerald Bay State Park is, without a doubt, the best place in Lake Tahoe to witness autumn in all its glory. Think blue waterfalls, bold green fir trees slowly changing to yellows, oranges, and flame reds, and even hints of purple fall hues. The only inlet along the lake’s shoreline, Emerald Bay is famous for its scenic waters, teeny-tiny and only islet Fannette Island, and the mighty Eagle Falls. There were even lovely little paddle-wheel boats circling the bay.
Sitting just 12 mi north of South Lake Tahoe along Highway 89, the bay has many wonderful viewing stops. However, we wanted to explore it a bit more, so we parked our car and hiked a mile down (the ascent is steep) to the historic Vikingsholm Castle right along the lakeshore. The richly detailed, hand-built home was built by Lora Knight, who drew inspiration from 11th-century Scandinavian structures. The stone castle, and the ruins of a tiny stone teahouse perched atop the island, can also be seen from the viewpoints above.
The foliage at Emerald Bay changes a bit later in the season, around the end of October/early November. Do you want to splurge on something unique and different? Check out this Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay Wine-Tasting Boat Tour.
Land Adventures
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You can hike in Lake Tahoe throughout the year and every season has its benefits too. We loved hiking around in autumn, as the temperatures were milder, the sun was out, and it wasn’t too cold either. Pro tip: Ensure that you wear layers as mornings can be pretty cold!
When it comes to hiking trails throughout the region, there were many easy-to-moderate trails near South Lake Tahoe. For instance, the Lam Watah Nature Trail (rated: easy) was a flat 2.8-mi out-and-back trail through forests and meadows, looping through Nevada Beach. Another easy hike is the Rainbow Trail at Taylor Creek, but the one we loved was the moderate Vikingsholm Trail, which offered spectacular views of Emerald Bay. The same goes for both, the Eagle Lake Trail and the Cascade Falls Trails.
Another land adventure we indulged in was mountain biking. We rented bikes from South Lake Tahoe and cruised through the forest on the Pope-Baldwin bike path. Another biking trail we and the kids loved was the Flume Trail. There are endless miles of singletrack, paved, multi-use paths, mellow roads, and steep climbs — no matter your biking style, you’ll find a path in Lake Tahoe.
The Beer and Ale Trails
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Anytime, anywhere is the perfect time and place when it comes to a crisp, cold beer, ale, or cider, and fall is no exception. Lake Tahoe is famous for its ale trail in the north and a rocking beer scene in the south. What’s more, these amazing breweries not only offer a great cold one, but also ensure a cozy and fun scene with outdoor seating, firepits, and live music.
When it comes to the ale trail, one of the most popular stops is Jason’s Beachside Grill in Kings Beach. This lakeside restaurant is very popular for its loaded salad bar, appetizers, and delicious brews. We made our way through baby back ribs, hot wings, and crostinis, washing them all down with draft beer.
When it comes to South Lake Tahoe, we had the best craft beer experience at Lake Tahoe AleWorX. This taproom boasted a selection of brews where we could pour our own pints! We could also walk through the brewing process and see what made this place unique. Finally, don’t miss having the citrusy pilsner handcrafted with fresh Lake Tahoe water, Cali Common. We paired it with pizzas and small bites.
Water Activities
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There’s no doubt that the best thing to do in Lake Tahoe is, well, the many, many water activities on offer. You’d think that summer is probably the best and only time for watersports in Lake Tahoe, and that’s only partly true! Fall, especially earlier in the season, is still a fantastic time to indulge in watersports on the lake. Not only is it still quite warm out, but the lake also sees very few boats, thus making for calmer water conditions. So, this time is ideal to go stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. Look for tour companies that launch from multiple locations on the lake, which will take you along the different shorelines.
Taking a dip in the lake is also not completely out of the question, especially during the day when the water isn’t freezing. Until the end of September, the water temperatures are usually still tolerable, so it’s best to use common sense and caution, as well as check out the swimming conditions and temperatures every day.
You could also do what we did — bring a blanket, pack some light jackets and a picnic basket, and head down to one of the region’s many beautiful beaches. Some of our favorite places for beach strolls and picnics during autumn were Zephyr Cove, Baldwin Beach, and Nevada Beach.
Where to Stay in Lake Tahoe?
Edgewood Tahoe Resort: There’s no way to mention staying in Lake Tahoe without mentioning this gorgeous beachfront hotel in South Lake Tahoe. This luxurious retreat, which started as a cattle ranch, has five-star restaurants serving every cuisine under the sun, a decadent lake-facing spa, a massive and renowned golf course, and a boatload of legendary outdoor activities. The rooms and suites were no less luxurious, with soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush beds, and luxe bathrooms.
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Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort: This resort sits in the heart of Incline Village on the northern side of Lake Tahoe and is one of the Incline Village, Lake Tahoe’s best hotels. It’s not difficult to see why — it’s a spa, casino, and resort all rolled into one. A heated pool, hot tubs overlooking the lake, a bevy of restaurants, and spacious and indulgent lake-facing rooms make up the rest of the resort.
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Places To Eat
- Fire Sign Café, Tahoe City: Smack dab in the heart of Tahoe City sits the breakfast lover’s dream, Fire Sign Café. The cozy setting and the homemade dishes perfectly complement the lakeside location, and it was the perfect place to start our day in the region. We dug into everything from stacks of blueberry pancakes to classic egg dishes like Eggs Benedict, all washed down with delicious coffee and freshly squeezed juices.
- Manzanita, Ritz-Carlton, Truckee: If a fine dining and upscale culinary experience is what you’re looking for, then look no further than the Manzanita Restaurant. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Manzanita features Californian cuisine with local mountain resort touches. Try the short ribs, lobster bisque, diver scallops, little gem salad, and the winter squash porridge.
