Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area is a national forest that protects and manages the land around Lake Tahoe. Formed about five million years ago, the lake holds 37 trillion gallons of water and provides 72 miles of shoreline to play on. There is also 150,000 acres of land and water for you and your family or friends to explore and enjoy. The forest is divided between California and Nevada, with plenty to do on each side. From Tahoe City, California to Incline Village, Nevada, there is a plethora of activities from water sports to ATV riding, hiking, and hunting.
The Tallac Historic Site is one of the points of interest in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area, which was considered the grandest resort in the world 100 years ago. Now the site is a huge recreation area with several trails to hike, picnic tables with BBQ pits, and an interpretive site to get the history on the place. The remains of the resort still stand where you can take some selfies to share on Facebook or Instagram.
Whether you are here for one night or a week, there is so much to do, you will have to come back again and again. Find a campground to park your RV or camper on and set out for a walk in the woods or take a long trek through the mountains. There are 14 RV campgrounds here and we have highlighted our top three picks for you.
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area straddles the border between California and Nevada. Only 20 miles from Carson City, an hour from Reno, and two hours from Sacramento, this vast recreational area is popular with the locals, as well as people from all over the world. Take Interstate 80 coming from the north, east, or west and Highway 50 or 395 from the south. No matter where you are coming from, it is impossible to miss this large tourist spot.
Because the area is so popular, the roads are paved and well-maintained to provide easy access to the lake and surrounding forests. However, some of the roads can be narrow and may be dangerous if you are driving a big rig or pulling a camper, especially if the weather is bad. The streets can get slick if it rains so take it slow and easy.
You should also be alert for any wildlife that may cross the roads here, especially at dusk and dawn. The gravel and dirt roads in most of the campgrounds can be rutted and you may encounter some low hanging branches so be careful. It is best to park the RV at your campsite and walk or ride bikes to wherever you want to go.
On the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake, the Fallen Leaf Campground has 196 spacious campsites. Of these, 31 of them are pull-throughs and the driveway pads range from 24 to 40 feet in length. All the sites have a cleared space, fire ring, pedestal grill for cooking, a food locker, and a picnic table. You must make a reservation if you want to stay here.
There are several restrooms in each group of campsites and drinking water access in various areas of the park as well. Coin-operated showers are also available. Across the street you will find a large day use area on the west shore of Lake Tahoe which also has restrooms and several large picnic areas including pavilions. Bears are common in this area so please keep your food in the provided food locker. Pets are welcome but they must be on a leash.
William Kent Campground on the west shoreline of Lake Tahoe has 84 campsites with picnic tables, pedestal grills, fire rings, and a large cleared space to enjoy. You have to reserve your site online well in advance to get a spot. The park also has several modern restrooms in various locations and quite a few vault toilets as well. If you need drinking water, there are 17 different water spigots you can choose from. They also have an RV dump site for your convenience.
There is 22 miles of shoreline along Lake Tahoe where you can enjoy some beach time or take the kids swimming. If you want to catch some fish for dinner, there are three different kinds of trout and Kokanee salmon as well as bass and crappie. If you brought your boat, there are several boat ramps you can use to get out on the lake where you can do some water skiing or wakeboarding. Bears are common in this area so please keep your food in the provided food locker. Pets are welcome but they must be on a leash or restrained.
Nevada Beach Campground has 54 campsites that are reservable online. Each of the sites have picnic tables, fire rings, and pedestal grills for cooking. The driveway pads range from 24 to 45 feet in length. The campground has several modern restrooms with running water and vault toilets as well. If you want to join some friends and family for a picnic, they also have several group picnic areas with pavilions. You can also enjoy a nice hike through the woods on one of the many trails in the park.
Also, you are just a short walk away from the shores of Lake Tahoe where you can go fishing, boating, swimming, and even do some water skiing. Bears are common in this area so please keep your food in the provided food locker and you have to reserve your site online well in advance to get a spot. Pets are welcome but they must be on a leash.
If you have never been windsurfing, now is a great time to start. On Lake Tahoe at any one of 17 different spots you can enjoy the 191 square miles of surface water, so don’t forget to pack your windsurfing equipment in the RV. The East Shore of the lake has three areas to enjoy, the South Shore has nine, and the West Shore has five. Whether you are a surfing expert or a rookie, you can find what you need here in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area.
Hook the boat trailer up to the campervan and make sure you pack your tubes because tubing on Lake Tahoe is unlike tubing anywhere else. There are several areas where tubing is popular, and you can even rent a boat and tubes if you did not bring your own. On the East Shore, there is Roundhill Pines Resort and Zephyr Cove and on the South Shore, Fallen Leaf and Camp Richardson are great spots. However, you can go tubing anywhere on Lake Tahoe no matter where you are camping.
In Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area you can find over a dozen ATV riding trails, so don’t forget to hook the trailer to the rig before heading out. From less than a mile to 11 miles long, and from easy to difficult, there are trails here for everyone to enjoy no matter whether you are a newbie or an expert. Watch out for hikers, bikers, and equestrians who sometimes share the trails, and make sure your vehicle is licensed.
If you want to go on a backpacking trek for a few days or more, there are over a dozen trails to try including the 20.2-mile Tahoe City to Brockway Summit or part of the 2,653-mile Pacific Crest Trail. For a shorter day hike, try the 1.6-mile Clark Trail that takes you from Fallen Leaf Lake to the Angora Lookout. If you are an experienced hiker, the 1.7-mile Vikingsholm Trail that starts above Emerald Bay to the Vikingsholm Castle, where you can take a tour.
With over 150,000 acres of public land to hunt on, you have a plethora of choices, so make sure you pack your hunting gear in the RV. Don’t forget your hunting license and tags. If you are looking for large game, you can find black bears, deer, pronghorns, elk, sheep, and wild pigs. If you would rather hunt the littler critters, there are plenty of rabbits and squirrels around the forest. Be sure to bring and wear your hunter orange and follow the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules and regulations.
Pack up those skis in the RV because Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area has a bunch of awesome places to ski when the time is right. The Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City has over a dozen trails for beginners through experts and they even have several dog friendly trails. Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe off highway 89 has some great ski trails as well. Also, Homewood Mountain in Homewood has 67 different runs with something for everyone and all with lake views.
