Lake Tahoe is beautiful, but not as much in the summertime as I would bet it is in winter. Nestled among the mountains of the high Serra Nevada Range centered on the border between California and Nevada, it is an amazing color blue with the mountains as a backdrop.
Of course, there are dozens of resorts, a half dozen casinos on the Nevada side, shops and restaurants galore.
If you like to hike, or like to bike, this is a great place to be. The weather is temperate, there are trails almost completely encircling the lake, countless acres of National Forest land and State Parks. If I had not already been spoiled by Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, the Tetons and Yosemite parks, this would have been a great place to spend a week or more hiking and biking.
Although I was still feeling some of the aftereffects on my ailments from late last week, I still managed to get in a couple of short hikes and bike rides.
One of the highlights of the week was walking through camp in the early evening and spotting a coyote trotting along with one of the thousands of squirrels inhabiting the campground dangling from his jaws on his way to dinner. What amazes me is that many of my fellow campers had no idea what a coyote looks like. If you live west of the Mississippi, you really should know your neighbors.
That first Glimpse and Emerald Bay
Lake Tahoe State Park & Sunset over Lake Tahoe
Dusk over Lake Tahoe and my view from Camp Belongamik