Just in Time for Tahoe!

Fall Adventure Getaway to North Lake Tahoe

09.28.2022
woman riding a bike in North Lake Tahoe

Shorter days, cooler nights, and plenty of room to roam: Fall is amazing in North Lake Tahoe! You’re just in time to enjoy North Lake Tahoe’s autumn splendor among trails less traveled. The aspens are calling! So are the beaches, hiking, and biking adventures. Mid-week deals beckon a longer stay. While you’re there, be sure to take the North Lake Tahoe Challenge (do three adventures and win cool stuff—including a lakeside resort stay). Find inspiration with some of these ideas. Photo credit: North Lake Tahoe.

Out of Office, Into Nature

woman on laptop North Lake Tahoe

man hiking North Lake Tahoe

couple hiking North Lake Tahoe

Step out for a work break by stepping into North Lake Tahoe’s autumn magic. Big mountain energy practically bounds off the bright blue lake as the secret season of crisp air, sunny days, and turning leaves takes over. Take your pick of digital detox activities from a leaf-peeping hike at Sugar Pine Point State Park to the peak you reach via the Tunnel Creek Trail: Your new Zoom background is the view overlooking the lake and basin. If sunrise or sunset hikes are your favorites, do the 2-mile (round-trip) hike to Picnic Rock via the Tahoe Rim Trail. The view of Big Blue is both grand and grounding. Take it all in perched on one of the giant boulders. There’s over 400 miles of trails to choose from.

BONUS: After the hiking trails, relax on the beer trail! The North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail is an adventure of its own, and a rite of passage for craft brew enthusiasts. Refreshing beer awaits close to trails in any of North Lake Tahoe’s mountain towns. Photo credit from top left: North Lake Tahoe, Lisa Bao, Ryan Salm.

North Lake Tahoe Hikes for Fall

Challenge Yourself

couple hiking North Lake Tahoe

Woman sitting at Lake Tahoe

Do the North Lake Tahoe Challenge: Complete your choice of three adventures—from outdoors to sustainable practices to exploring the towns—then share them to win a $250 gift card for North Lake Tahoe, a 2-night stay at Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort, and more. Photo credit: Ryan Salm and North Lake Tahoe.

Do the North Lake Tahoe Challenge

Town of Your Dreams

family in North Lake Tahoe

couple in North Lake Tahoe

firepit North Lake Tahoe

Whatever your desired getaway vibe, you’ll find it in North Lake Tahoe. Spanning the California–Nevada border, 12 distinct towns offer every kind of ethos: romantic, adventurous, foodie, fun, relaxation—find the best towns for you to explore in and around North Lake Tahoe. Lounge lakeside by crystalline Carnelian Bay; sink your toes into the sands of sprawling King’s Beach; pedal the East Shore Bike Trail from Incline Village to Sand Harbor; or soak in the alpine setting from Olympic Valley. However you want to go, go North Lake Tahoe this fall.

STAY: Check out all the lodging—and their locations—in North Lake Tahoe. Extend your stay through the week to take advantage of additional savings and more open space.

TIP: Check out North Lake Tahoe’s Know Before You Go Guide for all the information you need to plan your trip, including these itineraries.

Photo credit from top left: North Lake Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe, Paul Dryer.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View

  4. Roaring Good Time

    There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of California’s redwood forests. Now, imagine experiencing those towering giants aboard a historic 19th-century steam train. Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton is home to some of the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in America.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  2. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View
  3. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View