Baldwin Beach just might be the best spot along the shores of Lake Tahoe. The wide beach has a nearly half-mile stretch of golden sand. It is part of Eldorado National Forest, a 600,000-acre area that protects lakes and rivers, meadows and mountains in northeastern California. Plus it has stunning views of the granite-peaked Sierra Nevada mountain range. It sounds like a perfect beach day.
Lake Tahoe straddles the border of California and Nevada. It is the largest alpine lake, with 75 miles of shoreline, in North America. It is also the second-deepest lake, surpassed only by Crater Lake in Oregon, in the United States. From the distance, the water in the lake looks brilliantly blue. It is a reflection of the sky above. The water becomes crystal clear up close. You can see objects more than 70 feet below the surface. Add crisp mountain air — the lake does sit more than 6,000 feet above sea level, after all — and you will certainly be ready to start searching for tips for planning a trip to Lake Tahoe.
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Spend the day on beautiful Baldwin Beach
kayaks for rent on Baldwin Beach in Lake Tahoe – George Rose/Getty Images
Lake Tahoe is a very popular vacation destination. Two million people travel to the area each year since it is an easy spot to visit. San Francisco is a three-and-a-half-hour drive. Sacramento is only two hours away. Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), northeast of Lake Tahoe, has nonstop flights from cities all over the country. From the airport, it is just over an hour to South Lake Tahoe. A slower, more scenic route, which hugs the lake’s eastern shoreline, only adds about 20 minutes to your drive. Sand Harbor State Park, a stunning state park with interesting rock formations, is a nice detour along the way.
South Lake Tahoe, the largest city on the lake, is a good home base with a lot of hotels and restaurants. It also gives you quick access to uncrowded Baldwin Beach, which is only four miles to the west along Highway 89. You can walk along the sandy beach, swim in the shallow water, and have a BBQ at the picnic area. Kayaks, which are available to rent, launch here for trips to nearby Emerald Bay, home of the lake’s only island. Plus Mount Tallac, the third-tallest peak in the Lake Tahoe Basin, looms impressively in the background. Baldwin Beach is stunning.
Since the beach is on national forest land, there is a $10 daily parking fee. The beach is usually open from mid-May through mid-October. No overnight camping or dogs are allowed.
Explore beyond the beach
the view of Lake Tahoe from Mount Tallac in Eldorado National Forest in California – Willburn.photography/Shutterstock
Though Baldwin Beach can lure you to the South Lake Tahoe area, there is a lot to see and do in the immediate vicinity. The Pope-Baldwin Bike Path is a paved trail that runs parallel to Highway 89. It passes the Tallac Historic Site with its three turn-of-the-20th-century estates. The site, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, offers tours of the grand vacation homes and their extensive gardens. You will also find the Taylor Creek Visitor Center along the trail. It has maps for four easy hiking trails that are lined with colorful wildflowers during the spring and summer.
If you follow Taylor Creek farther inland, you will find more difficult hikes around Fallen Leaf Lake. The smaller lake feels like a hidden gem, even though it is only a mile southwest of Lake Tahoe. While if you really want to challenge yourself, the Mount Tallac Trail is one of the most-popular day hikes in the area. The nearly 10-mile, out-and-back trail starts across the road from Baldwin Beach. It winds arounds lakes, forests, and ridges before the summit opens up for panoramic views of the lake and the mountains. Later, if you are planning to camp, one of the best destinations for beach camping is only seven miles north of South Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side of the lake. The views of Lake Tahoe do not get much better than this.
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