Saying Farewell To 2017 - Tahoe, California - Fallen Leaf Lake Day-Trip

Tahoe, California/Nevada is full of adventure, a never ending list of year round offerings that are a result of the areas rich culture, wilderness and unique weather.  Tahoe is two very different places when contrasting between its Summer and Winter seasons. There is an abundance of snow activities (Skiing, Snowboarding, Mountaineering) and summer activities (Hiking, Camping, Boating) that could keep an individual, or a family exploring for a lifetime.

This last December I decided to take my fiancé to South Lake Tahoe/Eldorado County, which is on the Nevada side.  When we visit Tahoe, we typically stay on the North Shore of the Lake, however this trip I decided I had to show her just how vast the Tahoe area is.  I wanted to be sure she knew that we had only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes what Tahoe and its outlying area have to offer.  Here is what our journey looked like....

These shots are from the field that surrounds Fallen Leaf Lake, South Lake Tahoe/Eldorado National Forest 

The plan was to visit Glen Alpine Falls in Eldorado County, but unfortunately due to my lack of research we quickly became aware of the fact that the State and National Forestry departments close a great deal of the parks during the off-season.  Our disappointment was quickly diminished as we drove down Fallen Leaf Road, near Camp Richardson (off the 89).  As we drove down Fallen Leaf Road we passed by open fields covered with tall grass and wildflowers, and in the foreground there was a thick forest of trees that hid a secluded lake behind it.

At first we were completely unaware that behind the trees (featured in the shot above) lay a gem in the form of a lake, Fallen Leaf Lake.  We were beyond blessed to have this gorgeous piece of wilderness all to ourselves (not a person in sight).   We spend about an hour by the lake, watching the afternoon sun fall back behind the mountain side.  This is a great place to take your partner, or to take some great landscape photography. If you are take your partner along this is great place to bring a loaded picnic basket.

 The prime time to visit Fallen Leaf Lake is between 8am - 10am, or between 3pm - 4:30pm.  Generally speaking this is an easy location to get to, as it is only about a 1/2 mile walk from the road to the lake (winter season may make an impact on the difficulty due to snow).  See map below for more details on how to find Fallen Leaf Lake.