Lake Tahoe straddles California and Nevada. The state boundary runs through the lake, with approximately two-thirds of its shoreline and surface area associated with California and the remaining portion in Nevada.
Tahoe sits high in the Sierra Nevada at about 6,225 feet above sea level. It is roughly 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, yet its maximum depth reaches 1,645 feet, making it the second-deepest lake in the United States after Oregon’s Crater Lake. Its clear, deep water and mountain setting made it a major resort destination.
The lake formed through faulting and glacial activity over millions of years. Its only outlet is the Truckee River, which flows northeast through Nevada toward Pyramid Lake. The basin is also unusual because more than 75% of its watershed is national forest land.
The main confusion is geographic: Lake Tahoe is not wholly in California, despite the prominent California communities on its western and southern shores. Nevada’s side includes Stateline and Incline Village, and Nevada’s casinos add another distinctive feature to the eastern shore.