When you first lay eyes on Lake Tahoe, it’s almost hard to believe it isn’t a protected national park. But for the millions of visitors that flock here each year, that means unprecedented public access to some of the clearest water in the world.
There’s no shortage of fun in the Tahoe Basin, from motorized or human-powered boating to exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains on foot or bike. To help you set up your RV as an adventure sports basecamp in Tahoe, here’s everything you need to know about Lake Tahoe camping.
How To Get To and Around Lake Tahoe
Photo by Vineyard Perspective via ShutterstockA common remark that I hear from visitors is, “I didn’t realize it was so spread out.” Indeed, the lake is approximately 22 miles long, 12 miles across, and 72 miles in circumference. Because of the windy mountain roads, RVers will need to travel slowly and carefully when visiting Lake Tahoe.
Be aware that it usually takes about two hours to drive around the entire lake–if you don’t run into any summer traffic. There are multiple ways to get to different parts of the lake. So here’s a quick rundown:
From The East
Photo by instacruising via ShutterstockIf traveling in from the east, the two main cities before Lake Tahoe are Reno and Carson City. From Reno, you can take Interstate 80 to the town of Truckee. From there, you’ll have the option of taking Highway 89 to Tahoe City or Highway 267 to Kings Beach.

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