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With 72 miles of shoreline and some of the clearest water on the planet, Lake Tahoe is an ideal spot for one of the fastest growing sports out there.

Why to go
Flat water kayaking offers paddlers a gentle, laid back experience and a different look at the natural world that hiking or cycling does not provide. Many historic buildings around Tahoe as well as many hidden coves and secret beaches are not accessible from land. But private property, rugged landscapes and remote areas are all easily viewable while paddling a flat water kayak.

If the whitewater is too extreme for your tastes, flat water kayaking lets you get wet without getting drenched, and you don’t have to concern yourself with the technical stuff. Literally, anyone can do it. So pack a picnic dinner, throw in your sleeping bag, strap on that PFD, grab a paddle and explore that big, beautiful blue lake.

When to go
Parties should travel early in the morning or in the evening after the winds have settled down to maximize efficiency on the water — kayaks track much better in flat, calm water than wind chop common in the afternoons on the lake.

What to bring
If you’re planning to rent a watercraft and go on your own, choose your craft carefully. Tandems are the most efficient out there for two people. Plastic, sit-on-top kayaks offer the best versatility and stability for those unfamiliar with the “Eskimo roll” – righting a kayak from a flipped position. Canoes and sit-inside kayaks are recommended only for those experienced in “rolling” the boat. Still, this type of craft should carry float bags in the stern to help with flotation if open water bailing does occur.

All rentals should come with paddles and lifejackets. It’s also a good idea to bring a visor, warm layer, some food, water and sunblock. And, if you’re the type who likes to know where you’re going and where you’ve been, by all means pick up the Lake Tahoe Water Trail Map ($8.95, available in most kayak shops on the lake).


Ready to explore?

• North Shore
Put in at Kings Beach State Recreation Area and paddle down to Crystal Bay. Explore boulder fields and natural hotsprings off Brockway Point.

For another launch option, use the Tahoe Vista Beach and the National Ave. boat launch facility. Paddle west along Tahoe Vista to Dollar Point.

Parking fees at both Kings Beach and Tahoe Vista.

• West Shore
Put in at D.L. Bliss State Park and paddle south into Emerald Bay passed completely undeveloped shoreline. Get up close and personal with Tahoe’s only island while you tour Emerald Bay, then treat yourself to a treasure hunt and you just might find a sunken bathtub or a couple of ships while gliding over the sandy bottomed bay. On land visitors explore Fannette Island and its historic tea house on foot. While hordes of crowds pack the overlook on Highway 89 hundreds of feet above, accessing Fannette Island and Emerald Bay by kayak is an unforgettable and much less chaotic experience.

Or try Meeks Bay, Hurricane Bay or Sunnyside and paddle past historic old Tahoe beachfront homes, the Erhman Mansion in Sugar Pine State Park, the Keizer Estate and the many bays of Tahoe’s West Shore.

Day use fee at D.L. Bliss and Sugar Pine State Parks.

• East Shore
Sand Harbor: Best place to put in on Tahoe’s East Shore is Sand Harbor. From there you can’t go wrong. Paddle south to the Thunderbird Lodge and explore hidden coves and secluded beaches along the way. Or, go North to Hidden Beach and the breathtaking beachfront homes of Incline Village.

Keep in mind that traditionally west winds on Tahoe bring the biggest waves and swells to the East Shore, so morning paddles are the best option on this side of the lake.

There is a day use fee for the facilities at Sand Harbor.

• South Shore
The best places to launch from the South Shore depend on what it is you'd like to do and where you'd like to go. For kayaking and camping your best bets are: Round Hill Pines, a private resort set on national forest land (user fee is $7. Visit www.rhpbeach.com or call (775) 588-3055 for more info) and Nevada Beach, which is closer to Stateline. User fee is $5. Call (530) 588-5562 for details.

For free launch and take-out access head over to El Dorado Beach, one of the most popular city beaches for tourists staying in South Lake Tahoe. Visit www.recreationintahoe.com or call (530) 542-6056 for more information.

To view wildlife check out Pope Beach which sits on the west side of Tahoe Keys and provides access to Pope Marsh and more pristine, public shoreline. The user fee is $5. Call (530) 543-2600 for details.

And finally, if you're most interested in heading off for a day trip or overnight camping trip into Emerald Bay launching from Camp Richardson Beach is a popular option. User fee is $7. Visit www.camprichardson.com or call (530) 541-1801 for more info.

Where to get the gear
If you’ve never paddled before or even if you just don’t own a boat, Tahoe has no shortage of operations ready to hook you up with lessons, tours or just rentals. From Incline Village to Tahoe City there’s plenty of access available.

• Tahoe Adventure Company
(530) 913–9212
www.tahoeadventurecompany.com

Tahoe Adventure Company operates out of the Tahoe Vista Recreation area and the National Ave. boat launch facility. They offer kayak rentals, lessons and tours of all kinds.

After wildly popular tours off the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, full moon tours and a tour launching from Sand Harbor and paddling down the East Shore to the Thunderbird Lodge, Tahoe Adventure Company has added a historic tour of Tahoe’s West Shore from Sugar Pine State Park along the West Shore, including a tour of the Erhman Mansion.

Even if you’re an avid paddler, these guys will take you out and show you the wonders of Lake Tahoe. And if you’ve never been in a boat before, it’s the perfect way to try it out.

• Tahoe Paddle and Oar
(530) 581–3029
www.tahoepaddle.com

Located in Kings Beach, Tahoe Paddle and Oar offers lessons, tours and kayak rentals. Tahoe Paddle and Oar even offers instruction in a swimming pool for river kayaking and paddling techniques. Tours launch from Kings Beach and paddle through the boulder fields of Crystal Bay, or launch from Sand Harbor and paddle through hidden coves and secret beaches on the East Shore.

• Tahoe City Kayak
(530) 581-4336
www.tahoecitykayak.net

Located right in the heart of downtown Tahoe City, with a launch location behind the Safeway and the Lighthouse Center, Tahoe City Kayak offers a fleet of rentals from open deck, closed deck, tandem and high end kayaks. TC Kayak also has eight different tours spanning from Zephyr Cove to Emerald Bay, including a Sunnyside Brunch tour and a Sunset Tour.

• Enviro–Rents
(530) 546–2780
www.tahoeecosports.com

These guys expanded from the smaller Tahoe Vista location onto Coon St. in Kings Beach right at the edge of the public beach and just yards from the boat launch. Offering rentals lakeside.

• Action Water Sports
(775) 831–4386
Located at the Hyatt Beach in Incline Village

• Tahoe Trips and Trails
(530) 583–4506
www.tahoetrips.com

Tahoe Trips and Trails offers tours of Sand Harbor on the East Shore and Sugar Pine Point on the West Shore for groups of five people all the way up to 60.

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