Lake Tahoe loop
Around the clear blue lake on the California–Nevada border, with Emerald Bay and old Truckee.
- Distance
- 145 km (90 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 36 min
- Suggested days
- 2
- Stops
- 4
- States
- NV, CA
- Updated
- September 1, 2026
At a glance: 2-day road trip of about 145 km (90 mi) with 4 stops, from Reno to Truckee. About 1 h 36 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Reno, take US-395 south to Carson City, then US-50 west over Spooner Summit and down along the east shore of Lake Tahoe to South Lake Tahoe. The lake straddles the California–Nevada border, and the east shore has quieter beaches and viewpoints.
From South Lake Tahoe, CA-89 winds north to Emerald Bay, a green inlet with a tiny island crowned by a stone teahouse. A steep trail drops about a mile to the Vikingsholm mansion on the shore, and the climb back up is harder than the walk down. Parking at the overlooks fills early, and the road around the bay is narrow with steep drops and can close in winter.
Continue north on CA-89 through Tahoe City, then along the Truckee River to Truckee, an old railroad town with a historic main street on I-80. From there, I-80 returns to Reno. Summer weekends are busy, and in winter chains may be required on all the mountain roads.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Reno
NV - 280 km
South Lake Tahoe
CA - 314 km
Emerald Bay
ViewsSouth Lake Tahoe, CAA green bay with a tiny island teahouse. A steep trail drops to the Vikingsholm mansion on the shore.
- 450 km
Truckee
CA
