Lake Tahoe Basin
Lake Tahoe Basin is a high-elevation watershed straddling California and Nevada — known for crystalline lake outlets, year-round recreation, and mountain forests.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Western United States |
| Subregion | Great Basin |
| Country | United States |
| State | CaliforniaNevada |
| County | Placer CountyEl Dorado CountyWashoe CountyStorey CountyCarson City |
| District | Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit |
| Timezone | AmericaLos Angeles |
| Latitude | 39.1 |
| Longitude | -120 |
| Maps |
11:52 AM LOCAL TIMEThe Lake Tahoe Basin is a dramatic alpine landscape where clear, cold waters of Lake Tahoe meet towering peaks and pine forests. As a major watershed crossing the California–Nevada border, it offers world-class skiing and snowboarding in winter, and guaranteed trail access, lakeside beaches, and mountain biking in summer. Managed predominantly by the U.S. Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the region encompasses key areas like Desolation Wilderness, Ski resorts, and trails that thread through high-elevation forests and granite drainages. Visitors come for outdoor activities year-round — from kayaking and lake swimming to fall foliage and winter snow — and use a network of public campgrounds, day-use sites, and trailheads as basepoints for longer journeys and scenic drives.
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