The second deepest and one of the highest lakes in North America, Lake Tahoe is one
of the United States' natural gems. The enormous lake was formed by normal faulting,
which causes sections of the Sierra Nevada to rise while others dropped, allowing the
lower areas to fill with snowmelt and rainwater over the course of thousands of years.
Although many creeks feed into the lake, the only river that drains it is the Truckee
River, which flows through Reno, Nevada en route to Pyramid Lake. Today, Lake Tahoe
is home to dozens of world-class ski resorts, numerous state parks, and hosts millions of
annual visitors who seek it and the surrounding high country as a place of respite or
entertainment year-round.
Lake Tahoe Photos
Top Row, Left to Right: Sand Harbor, NV, looking west towards California; Sand Harbor; Beach at Sand
Harbor; Calm emerald waters of Sand Harbor; View from Sand Harbor showing Lake Tahoe's clear
waters. Bottom Row, Left to Right: Emerald Bay, Fannette Island, and Eagle Falls from Highway 89;
Panorama of Lake Tahoe from near Emerald Bay looking east; Panorama of Lake Tahoe from Kings
Beach looking south; Panorama from Sand Harbor looking west; Highway 89 winds its way along the
shores of Lake Tahoe en route to Emerald Bay.  
Lake Tahoe Vicinity and High Sierra
Top Row, Left to Right: Interstate 80 eastbound as it climbs towards Donner Summit; Following I-80
eastbound; Donner Summit and Donner Lake as viewed from a small pullout; Descent from Donner
Summit en route to Truckee; Hope Valley as viewed from Highway 89 as it leaves Grass Lake and
heads southbound to meet with Highway 88. Middle Row, Left to Right: Backside of Sierra Nevada as
viewed from Highway 88 in the Carson Valley; Alpine meadow at Grover Hot Springs State Park in CA;
Alpine Meadow; Hope Valley and West Fork Carson River in the spring; Grass Lake in the spring.
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Grass Lake in the winter; Hope Valley and West Fork Carson River in the
winter; Hope Valley buried under snow; West Fork Carson River en route to Carson Canyon.   

All photos taken by the author unless otherwise noted. Questions or comments? Email the author at
apezeshkpour@gmail.com.