WEST SHORE

Heavy snowpack has sculpted these aspens near Page Meadows, bending their trunks but not stifling their will to survive.

A series of little communities—Carnelian Bay, Tahoe City, Homewood, Meeks Bay—line the west shore of Lake Tahoe. The towns offer places to stay and access to activities on the water, as well as touchstones for trails that lead into the high country.

Sugar Pine Point State Park is the outdoor enthusiast’s basecamp on this side of the lake. Unless, of course, that outdoor enthusiast has access to one of the numerous private residences (or vacation rentals) that line the highway. Access to trails in the backcountry is primarily via Blackwood Canyon or through the state park, with other opportunities located off CA 89 as it winds west along the Truckee River outside of Tahoe City.

In terms of culture, Tahoe City is the West Shore’s hub. Most modern amenities can be found in this strip of a town—restaurants, grocery stores, sporting goods, souvenirs, hardware, coffee shops, raft rentals (for those with a hankering to float the Truckee River), gas stations, etc. Paved trails parallel the main drag, offering walkers and cyclists safe passage from Dollar Point all the way to Homewood and beyond.

A former hunting ground for native peoples, established as a mining town for operations out of Squaw Valley, and once the end of the road for the Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Company, Tahoe City now thrives on tourism. The town bustles in summer, when the hikers and boaters converge, but the little burg is arguably even busier in winter, when the skiers descend. Surrounded by ski areas, including Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Granlibakken, and Homewood, Tahoe City is a year-round destination.

Walkways and railings form barriers along exposed sections of the Rubicon Trail.