Lake Tahoe Camping

Lake Tahoe is a camping and adventuring paradise. There are three types of camping available to recreators in Lake Tahoe, backpacking, national forest 4X4 camping, and state park camping. For this article we will go over our top three of each. Here at Tahoe Rental Management we believe the best way to enjoy the luxury of a beautiful house is to sleep in the woods before you get there! Please remember to practice ‘Leave No Trace’ ethics and respect the different rules and regulations of the managing boards. All of the trail heads discussed below are labeled on the map at the bottom. Happy adventuring!

Backpacking (Labeled in Blue)

Backpack-in camping in Lake Tahoe is the best way to see the Sierras and avoid the masses. Your area options are Tahoe National Forest, Desolation wilderness and Granite Chief Wilderness. With these three zones at your disposal the options are unlimited, but here are 3 of our favorites. Please follow the link below to learn more about the rules and regulations associated with each.

Tahoe National Forest

Desolation Wildernes

Granite Chief Wilderness

1. Aloha Lake, Desolation Wilderness, South Lake Tahoe

This big beautiful alpine lake is surrounded by white granite peaks with tons of tiny granite islands perfect for jumping from. From the Fallen Leaf Lake trailhead it is a little over a 12 mile loop with some pretty substantial elevation gain and loss. It is very easy to turn this into a multi-night adventure by leaving a car at either Emerald Bay or Meeks Bay trailheads. More info

2. Five Lakes Basin, Granite Chief Wilderness, Alpine

This is a short but steep trip up to 5 beautiful small lakes in close proximity to each other. The trial can be quite crowded at times but once you are up there it is very easy to escape the crowds. This is a very popular dog hike so we suggest choosing a campsite a bit off the beaten path to avoid too many dog visitors to your tent and leaving their mark if you know what I mean! More Info

3. Paradise lake, Tahoe National Forest, Donner Summit

Although Paradise Lake is just outside of the Lake Tahoe basin, it still embodies everything Tahoe has to offer. Paradise is a hanging lake situated on the saddle of two peaks with great swimming and fishing. It is a 15 mile round trip (11 if you have a 4X4 vehicle) with amazing views and great wildflowers. More info

4X4 Camping (Labeled in Orange)

Off road camping in Lake Tahoe comes in all different levels of difficulties and distance, therefore we chose to outline three of our favorite areas in the basin to put the truck to work. Just remember that if you are in National Forest you can generally camp wherever you would like, but if you are on private land, such as PG&E, you need to follow their rules and regulations. We strongly suggest hitting a local shop and purchasing a map! These areas are a maze of trials and topo lines can be very helpful in deciding the best rout. If you would like a more specific list of trails in the Lake Tahoe area here is a great website.

1. Blackwood Canyon Sno-park, Tahoe National Forest, Sunnyside

During the winter months this park is a snow activity mecca, but once the gate opens at the bottom around June 1st, wheeled toys have their turn. Take the paved road until it ends and then pick a dirt road, enjoy the views, and drive till you find a great place to camp. This trail network also eventually links up with the infamous Rubicon trail.

Rubicon Trial Info

Blackwood Canyon Info

2. The 06 Fire Road, Granite Chief Wilderness, Truckee

There are a lot of ways to access this area of Granite Chief Wilderness but the best is from the 06 fire access road. If you have ever wanted to off-road from Truckee to Tahoe City it is certainly the best way to avoid traffic! There is some rough driving to be found, but for the most part it is maintained dirt roads. Just pick a place that looks good and call it home for the night. The link below is for a mountain bike loop but it does the best job of describing the terrain and how to get there. More Info

3. Kidd Lake, PG&E Land/Tahoe National Forest, Donner summit

Kidd lake is a great off-road camping destination. The drive to the lake is a well maintained dirt road, but the surrounding National Forest is full of more challenging drives. You can either camp in the campground by the lake or find another spot in the forest. More Info

State park Camping (Labeled in Yellow)

Camping in an established campground is fun and easy for the whole family. We chose the places below because they are a short walk to a nice beach and have a full range of facilities. When planning your trip make sure to keep in mind that these places fill up fast in the summer so book ahead of time or get there early. Alo remember to observe all of the rules associated with bears in these campgrounds… think Yogi The Bear but your car is the picnic basket!

1. D.L. Bliss, State Park, South Lake Tahoe

This State park has everything you need in a camping adventure: great hiking, bouldering, rock jumping, a beautiful sandy beach, and big trees. Bring some items to enjoy the water and kick back and relax. More Info

2. Zephyr Cove, Private Resort, Glenbrook

This urban-style campground is a great place for the whole family, including the furry 4-legged members. Camping options rang from RV hookups, cabins, and tent sights. The resort has a lodge with a restaurant, Starbucks, and wedding venue, but when you are in the camping area or on the beach you feel very secluded. The far north side of the beach is a dog beach (Best Dog Beaches Lake Tahoe) and has a nice nature walk. More Info

3. Lake Forest Campground, Tahoe Public Utility District, Tahoe City

This campground is fairly close to the main road but it is also has large sights and is a short walk to a quiet beach and park combo. You are also right next to an amazing bike path that stretches up the west shore and down the Truckee river to Squaw Valley. This is also a great place to bring your boat or kayak. More Info

Best Dog Beaches Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is full of great beaches and a dog lover’s paradise, but it is important to know where you can go to avoid a ticket. Below is a list of our top 5 best dog beaches in Lake Tahoe with some local tips. We are based in carnelian bay so we will start here and go clockwise around the lake. Please be help keep Tahoe dog friendly by cleaning up after your dog and being respectful of rules.

1. Patton Landing Beach, Carnelian Bay CA

This is truly one of the best dog beaches in Lake Tahoe! Located right next to Watremans Landing, this smooth pebble beach is a great place for you and your pup to take a dip or paddle board. It is a narrow beach with good shade, picnic tables, and a bathroom. Tip: Pop into Watermans Cafe and to grab some coffee or lunch on their dog friendly patio. More Information on Patton Beach.

Address: 5166 N Lake Blvd, Carnelian Bay, CA 96140

2. Coon Beach, Kings Beach CA

This is not the best beach for a slow wade into the lake due to the large rocks along the shore (fortunately the dogs don’t seem to mind!) but if you are looking for a great view to BBQ and enjoy a sunny day with your furry friend this a great place. The beach area is located where Coon st dead ends into the lake. The dog beach part is to the left of the boat launch. Tip: Hit the farmers market right next to the park every Tuesday morning in the summer. More information on Coon St. Beach.

Address: 8628 Brockway Vista Ave, Kings Beach, CA 96143

3. Zephyr Cove, Glenbrook NV

Only the far north end of Zephyr Cove is a dog beach but there is still plenty of space for two-legged lounging and 5-legged romping. This sandy beach with massive pine trees and a great view of Freel Peak is a great way to spend a day. Tip: Zephyr offers pet friendly camping and cabin rentals! More information on Zephyr Cove.

Address: 760 U.S. Hwy 50, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448

4.Kiva Beach, South Lake Tahoe, NV

This is one of the best dog friendly swimming beaches in Lake Tahoe. Sandy, sunny, dog friendly and free parking, what more do you need? Tip: Don’t forget the bug spray in the evening! There is a marsh area just beyond the trees behind the beach. More Information on Kiva Beach.

Directions: Hwy 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

5. Obexer’s Marina, Homewood CA

Grab a bite on the dog friendly patio of the deli/market and then take a dip at the best dog friendly beaches on the west shore of Lake Tahoe just to the left of the marina. Obexor’s offers all sorts of water activity rentals. Tip: Tucker your pup out before hitting the beach by taking them for a hike around Homewood Mountain Resort right across the street. More information on Obexor’s.

Address: 5300 W Lake Blvd, Homewood, CA 96141

Property Management Companies

Choosing Tahoe Property Management Companies

There are a variety of property management companies to choose from in Lake Tahoe and it can be a challenge to decide which one is best for you. The first thing you have to ask yourself is how you intend to use your property. Are you looking to still be able to use your house on a regular basis, seasonally, or not at all? Different property management companies offer specific services to meet these very different needs. In the sections below we will explain how each of these rental types impacts you are the owner.

Short-term Rentals

If you are looking to still have access to your home, short-term vacation rentals is likely the best option. Short-term rentals are 30 days or less and homes are generally rented in a “turn-key” condition. This means that you supply all furniture and kitchen utensils as well as towels and linens. Property management companies generally charge 10-50% for their management services depending on what you require and the level of involvement you want to have. Services can range from organizing cleaning and shoveling to paying taxes. One thing that is important to understand with short-term rentals is the Placer County Transient Occupancy Tax. As an owner you have to pay 10% of the total amount the renter paid to Placer county each quarter.

Tahoe Rental Management only handles short-term vacations rentals. We love working with people who love spending time in their Lake Tahoe home. Our services are designed for home owners to be able to reserve time at their home in advance while allowing for short-term rentals between their stays. In addition, owners can take advantage of last minute available gaps in the calendar via a live shared calendar. For these services we offer two different rental management packages, each of which is based on the rental profit.

Seasonal Renting

Do you enjoy spending winter in the mountains and summer on the beach? If you only see yourself enjoying all that Tahoe has to offer for part of the year you have the choice of either doing a six month lease or short-term vacation renting. In most cases both options will require the house to be fully furnished.

With short term rentals your nightly rate is very weather and vacation time dependant- especially in the winter. In addition to the fluctuation of the income you assume the cost of utilities and snow removal. If your property management company fees are reasonable, you should be able to get a higher gross nightly average by doing short term rentals regardless of utilities, weather, and transient occupancy task.

Six month rentals are a more reliable source of income but the potential to get a higher nightly rate average is better with vacation rentals. With six month rentals you pass utilities on to your tenants and you know that, no matter what the weather is doing, you will get a certain amount of money per month. With longer leases (over 30 days) transient occupancy taxes do not have to be paid to Placer County.

The amount of wear and tear on your house is very renter dependant. Although more people will pass through your home with vacation rentals the amount of time they spend there will be substantially less than with six month leases. This can be good or bad. With vacation rentals your home is getting cleaned and inspected between each renter so you have a better gauge on the condition it is left in but renters are less likely to feel a sense of ownership for your home. With six month leases you have more of an ability to vet your tenants and gauge how they will treat your house. No matter how well you vet them, whatever it is they are doing in your home will be done for 6 months which can either be a good or a bad thing.

The last factor to consider is flexibility. Six month rentals are generally form June to december or December to June. If you are looking at offering six month leases that start and stop outside that window it will be hard to find good renters. For example, if you want to use your home from March to July you will be off the general six month rental cycle. If you are looking for flexibility in occupancy and are willing to gamble a little for a higher potential income, vacation renting is the best option for you. Tahoe Rental Management is more than happy to work with homeowners who want to actually live in their home for certain times of the year. We firmly believe that is is your home and you should be able to use it whenever and however you would like.

Long-term Rentals

If the time is not right in your life for you to enjoy your home but you don’t want to sell it, long-term rentals are a good low maintenance option. Generally these sort of rentals are offered in 6 to 12 month increments and the house can either be offered as furnished or unfurnished. This can be a good hands off option and is relatively manageable without the assistance of property management companies. If you do not want to handle finding a tenant, collecting money and repairing or replacing appliances a property manager is the way to go. Companies generally charge between 8% and 12% of the monthly rate and then for expenses on top of that. Tahoe Rental Management does not handle this type of rental but there are a lot of great companies in Lake Tahoe who do.