The sun is shining. The temps are hovering in the mid 70’s. Lake Tahoe is calling you. You just want to get to the beach and explore the Lake Tahoe Water Trail. But, you don’t want to deal with the traffic and don’t have the gear. We’ve made it easy. Rent your gear at the beach from a local paddle outfitter. Skip the Tahoe beach access headache by fully planning ahead with a reservation at a Tahoe paddle outfitter and taking an alternative mode of transportation like a bus or even a bike!
Leave It To Us & Take A Bus
The Tahoe region is home to several transportation hubs that give you access to almost anywhere you can imagine including the beaches. For example, if you’re planning on launching from Sand Harbor, you can take the East Shore Express from either South Lake Tahoe or Incline Village. Starting on the west or north shores? No problem. Just hop on a TART bus, and you can transfer to the East Shore Express in Incline.
You Get A Ride, I Get A Ride… We ALL Get Free Bus Rides
If that wasn’t good enough, for 2021 they’re offering FREE rides on the East Shore Express this year as well. Be aware that this summer’s schedule is a bit different. In June, it will only operate on weekends, and for July and August, the bus will run Friday – Sunday, so plan ahead. To access west shore and north shore LTWT launch/landing sites, take the Main Line of the TART bus. This year they’re also offering FREE bus rides on this route too. The route provides access to over eight trailheads starting from Sugar Pine Point CA State Park, through Tahoe City, the iconic North Shore beaches and all the way over to Incline Village. Check out the route and times at Tahoe Truckee Transit. With multiple pickup points throughout Lake Tahoe, you’ll remove the stress of finding parking and just enjoy the calm cool waters of Tahoe.
For more information regarding bus transportation, check out LinkingTahoe.com.
Hotel Shuttles
Many hotels offer guests FREE shuttles to major destinations such as the local beaches. Stop by the hotel concierge, or better yet, ask when you book your accommodations!
Bike To The Beach
Another option to consider is riding a bike. If you own your own equipment, get a paddle board storage rack for the bike. Or, if you don’t get a reservation with a paddle outfitter at a beach, there are miles and miles of jaw-dropping trails that give you quick and easy access to our world-class beaches and tons of bike rental shops along the way. On the south shore, access the popular Pope, Baldwin, and Kiva beaches via the Pope-Baldwin Path. On the west and north shores, take the new designated paved bike route that hugs old growth forests and the shoreline to gain access to Lake Tahoe Water Trailheads like Meeks Bay all the way up to Kings Beach. And on the east shore, you have the newest addition and what cyclists are dubbing “America’s most beautiful bike path” – the East Shore Bike Trail giving you easy access to Sand Harbor.
The popularity of Lake Tahoe beaches has never been higher, and as such, parking spaces are tough to get. Unless you feel like arriving at sunrise to enjoy an entire day at the beach, the best solution is to plan another way to get there. You’ll have more fun AND less stress.
The Lake Tahoe Water Trail is a Sierra Business Council sustainable recreation tourism project. Learn more about SBC's innovative social, environmental and economic development projects in the Sierra Nevada at www.sierrabusiness.org.
