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Lake Tahoe is renowned for it’s exceptional winter skiing and the fabulous lake days during the summertime, but one of my favorite times to be here is the fall. With the COVID-19 closures throughout the state of California and Nevada, this summer seemed more crowded than normal. Understandably, people traveled here from all over to enjoy our campgrounds, beaches, hiking and mountain biking trails. Additionally, thanks in part to programs like the Pay Check Protection Program(PPP) and Economic Disaster Relief Loans (EIDL) that are available, a surprising number of local businesses received economic relief and managed to stay open to take advantage of the busy summer season.
Additionally, a booming real estate market has increased the amount of people living here full time. According to a recent article from reporter Greg Rosalsky of NPR News:
“Like a lot of other vacation destinations — the Hamptons, Cape Cod, Aspen and so on — the Truckee housing market is booming during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s up over 23% since last year, according to data from Redfin, a real estate brokerage. Truckee is part of a trend that realtors and journalists are calling “Zoom towns,” places that are booming as remote work takes off.”
Zoom Towns And The New Housing Market For The 2 Americas
Despite the recent relabeling of Truckee-Tahoe as a “zoom town” and a significant increase in the local populace, generally, the crowds tend to disappear after Labor Day. The snow doesn’t arrive until late November, making late September through early November a wonderful time to escape to the Sierra Nevadas. Here are some of my favorite places to visit in the fall:
CHIMNEY BEACH HIKE AT SUNSET
The Chimney Beach hike is a family friendly, and most popular in the summer. However, I really enjoy doing this hike in the shoulder season of fall because the crowds are low.
Plan ahead and make sure to schedule your hike around sunset. Make sure to layer the kids up with mittens, scarves and hats because even on a beautiful, crisp fall day the temperatures drop drastically as the sun goes down. Once you arrive in the Chimney Beach parking lot (no charge), follow the trail markers TO THE BEACH.
Keep in mind that the majority of this trail is downhill which is great for the trip down, but your little ones will need extra motivation to make their way back up the hill.
The trail itself will take less than an hour down and an hour up. We like to stay on the beach to enjoy the sunset and then use flashlights to make our way back up towards the parking lot.
FALLEN LEAF LAKE
This serene lake is only a stones throw away from West Lake Tahoe, but it feels like you are in a whole new world. It is peaceful and beyond breathtaking.
WATCH THE KOKANEE SALMON SPAWN
As the Lake Tahoe fall colors begin to set in, so do the salmon. In October, Taylor Creek, one of the alpine lake’s 63 tributaries, is blush with bright-red kokanee salmon making their way upstream to spawn. Sensing the cooler water flowing from Taylor Creek and the aroma of waters familiar at birth, the kokanee begin making their way up the 2-mile stream.
Coming from a hatchery on the North Shore, the kokanee is a non-native species to Lake Tahoe. Their introduction to Tahoe in the ’40s, was accidental.
Fall Spawning Run of the Kokanee Salmon, a Landlocked Version of the Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Taylor Creek, Lake Tahoe, California, USA.
TOUR HELLMAN-EHRMAN MANSION
Take a step back in time and enjoy a tour of the historic grounds and The Mansion located in the day use side of the park. Constructed in 1903, the property is one of the finest examples of a by-gone era of summer retreats found along the shores of Lake Tahoe. The house was built by San Francisco financier I.W. Hellman for his family to enjoy the clean air and refreshing waters of Lake Tahoe. The property, containing the estate and 2,000 acres, was sold to the State of California in 1965. This National and State landmark is now open to the public for tours during the summer months by the Sierra State Parks Foundation. All proceeds from the tours benefit the restoration and interpretation of this very unique piece of California heritage.
HIKE THROUGH THE ASPEN FORESTS
The Aspen trees in Lake Tahoe start to change color in September and continue to transform until the first snow falls. The gold and yellow colors we see in autumn in Tahoe make absolutely awe-inspiring scenery. A bonus: the best hiking trails to see the fall colors, are way less crowded than they would be in the summertime. Here are some of my favorite places to see the fall Aspen tree metamorphoses:
PLAY GOLF
Most golf courses in Truckee-Tahoe offer discounted rates during the fall. This is a great way to get a bit of exercise, see the fall colors and most importantly, have fun! Some of my favorite courses in the area are listed below:
EAT & DRINK
Another bonus during the fall season is that there are less people and often better deals at local restaurants and bars. Warm up on chilly nights with a s’mores martini at the Resort at Squaw Creek, a traditional martini with blue cheese stuffed olives at Moody’s, an exceptional Prix Fix Menu at Trokay or the Manzanita Bison Foie Gras Burger at the Ritz Carlton
SEE YOU SOON
There’s plenty to do during each season in Lake Tahoe. I have to say that I think fall in Tahoe is an underestimated season. I hope you will find value in this information and make your way here so that you can enjoy this place during autumn as much as I do.
Inspiration for this article came from the following references:
