Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada on the California-Nevada border. At 6,225 feet above sea level, it is North America’s largest alpine lake and among the deepest and most voluminous in the United States. Its basin began forming about two million years ago through faulting, was later shaped by glaciers, and was filled behind volcanic deposits from eruptions of now-extinct Mount Pluto. Fed by 63 tributaries and drained only by the Truckee River, Tahoe is renowned for clear water, mountain scenery, and major recreation. Its name comes from the Washo word dáʔaw, reflecting its importance in Washo culture.

Nevada · United States