State Parks and National Parks

The Lake Tahoe Basin encompasses 500 square miles of which more than a third, or 122,000 acres, is the lake itself. The landscapes range from the rugged, exposed heights of Freel Peak to the glacial lakes of the Desolation Wilderness to the Jeffrey pine-fir forest at lake level.

It is a four-season recreation area for hikers, skiers, campers and horseback riders.

The forest service manages about 150,000 acres within the basin. The remainder of the land is in California or Nevada state parks or private ownership.

There are 220 miles of trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail.

The Desolation, Mount Rose and Granite Chief wilderness areas offer hikers the chance to enjoy solitude among some of California's most spectacular scenery.

More than 20 campgrounds are available through the forest service, California state parks and private organizations.There are picnic sites, scenic vistas and historic points of interest.

The U.S. Forest Service operates a visitor center on the south shore of the lake. For information on winter recreation, call 530-543-2600 and for summer recreation, call 530-543-2674.

For national forest campground availability and reservations, call 877-444-6777. For California

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, phone 800-AT-TAHOE, provides information on commercial outfitters.

Photo credits in order: Courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. Courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region.