Spring Activities in the Sierras

Kayaking and Paddleboarding on the Lake

Spring is a great time of year to get those paddles out. The crystal-clear blue waters, surrounded by mountains and still capped with snow, make for serene views. If you need gear Tahoe Eco Sports in Kings Beach, CA has kayak and paddleboard rentals as well as wetsuits, which are recommended during spring. For a list of popular spots to paddleboard, click here.

Picnic at the Beach

Enjoy some of Tahoe’s busiest beaches before the summer crowds hit. Roll up your pants and dip your feet in the water, wander up and down nearly empty beaches and find that perfect spot to spread a blanket out on the sand and enjoy lunch. Remember to pack out and properly dispose of trash when visiting a beach or trail… let’s all work together to keep Lake Tahoe healthy and beautiful, and the wildlife safe!

Museums and Historic Sites

The Tahoe area has many interesting and noteworthy museums and historic sites. Spring is great time to catch a tour or exhibit and learn a bit a bit more about the local history. The Olympic Museum at High Camp, at Squaw Valley, presents memorabilia (old and new), media and even shows a historic film celebrating the 1960 Winter Olympics held at Squaw Valley. Admission is free with your Aerial Tram ride. The Donner Memorial State Park Visitors Center features many artifacts and historical accounts of the Emigrant Trail. This includes the Donner Party, local Native Americans (Washoe), Chinese construction of the railroad, early motoring over Donner Pass and the people that shaped the area’s history.

South Shore's Pope-Baldwin Bike Path

This beautiful, easy, family-friendly bike path is approximately 3.5 miles one-way. It runs along California Highway 89 through a stunning forest setting and passes some popular sites such as Camp Richardson and the Tallac Historic Site, Kiva Beach and Taylor Creek. This path is also dog friendly (leash required) with access to the Fallen Leaf Lake trail. The path ends at Baldwin Beach where you can take a break while taking in more breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe.

Go Spring Skiing

Hit the slopes and enjoy both the sunshine AND fewer crowds. Some Tahoe-area ski resorts will remain open thanks to some badly-needed spring storms. Mammoth Mountain & Squaw Valley are projected to be welcoming skiers and snowboarders until the end of May.

Take a Photo Tour

There is no shortage of places around Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Donner Lake to capture breathtaking photos. Springtime is the perfect season to photograph the Sierra wildflowers, alpine trees, sunrises/sunsets, spring storms, blue waters and lightly snow-capped mountain tops. Check out our list of Insta-worthy stops here.

Hike to a Waterfall

It’s definitely waterfall season. As the snow melts around Lake Tahoe, the waterfalls flourish. Eagle Falls near Emerald Bay offers two popular family friendly hikes. The hike to Upper Eagle Falls is only a 3/4-mile on easy terrain to a 25-foot waterfall. Lower Eagle Falls is a more difficult, 2-mile round-trip hike, but the falls are much more impressive at 100 feet high. Hiding away in Desolation Wilderness above Fallen Leaf Lake lies the 60-foot Glen Alpine Falls. These falls are easily accessible by car and can be photographed beautifully from many angles, even from the roadside. The hike to Cascade Falls starts out at Bayview Campground, near Emerald Bay. The short, easy hike is about 1.5 miles round-trip through beautiful alpine scenery to the majestic 200-foot falls.