Tahoe National Forest - California

Explore one of the most visited of all national forests in the U.S. Join more than 5 million people a year who come to hike, mountain-bike, cross-country ski, and launch off cliffs on snowboards and alpine skis at Tahoe National Forest.

Tahoe National Forest is one of the most historically significant national forests in the U.S. It was the center of the 1849 Gold Rush and served as the gateway through which most emigrants entered California.

Summertime at Tahoe is splendid and attracts outdoorsy types, who are eager to explore the deep river canyons, high peaks, panoramic views, meadows of wildflowers and forest of firs, hemlocks and hardwoods. To top off your trip, spend the night camping out at Independence Lake Campground. If visiting in the winter, when the snow lays thick on the conifers, why not take advantage of the forest's many of ski lifts. Landscapes at the Tahoe National Forest range from dry woodlands with patches of chaparral brush, to montane forests of ponderosa pines and stands of lodgepole and whitebark pines.

The famous freshwater Lake Tahoe, the largest and deepest alpine lake in the U.S., is surrounded to the north and west by Tahoe National Forest. The lake, is a known for its clarity of water and the panorama of mountains surrounding it. With all of this recreational and natural diversity, everyone is sure to find fulfillment at Tahoe National Forest!