Lake Tahoe Mountain Biking
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Mountain biking is big in Tahoe and with plenty of up and down, the emphasis is on definitely on “mountain”.
Terrain
Trail surfaces tend to be dirt cushioned with soft, but squirrely pine needles and are usually studded with angular rocks that add to the challenge. Depending upon where you ride, it’s not unusual to traverse long rock garden sections which can consist of sharp, broken shale. Don’t forget your patch kit and pump. Savvy locals carry a spare tube and tire, as well. With cold streams everywhere, be prepared for wet feet and brakes. It’s not usual to find downed trees across the paths, which sounds like a minor inconvenience until you relalise the giant tree trunks are often 3 feet thick.
Tahoe Rim Trail
It’s possible to circumnavigate the lake on this system of trails, but it is a hugh undertaking requiring a lot of planning. Try some of the day trip sized sections instead.
Nevada
The eastern side of the lake, which is in Nevada, offers spectacular rocky trails that wind along the lake rim high above the water. Check in with a local bike shops when planning your ride. They can help you run a shuttle and are up-to-date or which days you can bike and which days are reserved for horseback riders. Some offer guided tours, as well.
California
The southwestern section boasts some great California State Parks, such as Sugar Pine Point, where you can hit the trails right from your campsite and wind up and into the hills. There are easy family-friendly paths leading around the parks and down to the lake, as well.
Author’s Pick
One of my favorite places to just ride for fun and exercise is the Nordic Ski Center on the west side of the lake. Some of the paths have natural and man-assisted obstacles and whoop-de-doos that let you practice your skills. This is a maze of wide trails and nearly all of them will return you to your starting point at the Nordic Center parking lot. However, check the map and keep your bearings or you may find yourself descending through the wrong drainage and end up miles away.
Ski Areas with Mountain Biking
Some of the numerous ski resorts around Tahoe offer lift-assisted riding in the off-season. Northstar, at the north end of the lake is probably the most popular with the adrenaline crowd and has more than 100 miles of trails and a mountain bike park where competitions and training are held throughout the summer.
Road Biking
Although there are plenty of riders who do it, they are much, much braver than I am. The traffic can be thick and irritable on the curvy, two lane, mostly-shoulderless roads that wind around Lake Tahoe. I’ll stick to the trails!
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