Lake Tahoe Clear Water

With its crystal clear blue water and big boulders, Lake Tahoe offers some of the best snorkeling in California!

In our Clear Water Lake Tahoe Guide, we will show you the best locations with the clearest water in Lake Tahoe, as well as the best beaches for swimming, diving, and snorkeling in Lake Tahoe.

In addition, you will find tips for the very popular clear kayaking in Lake Tahoe, paddle boarding, and tips on photographing Lake Tahoe’s crystal clear water.

The Ultimate Lake Tahoe Summer Vacation Guide

Table Of Contents

Lake Tahoe Clear Water
Lake Tahoe Snorkeling
Clear Kayaking Lake Tahoe
Water Temperature In Tahoe
FAQs

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Over underwater photography at Lake Tahoe with crystal clear water and big boulders

Clearest Water In California

Lake Tahoe is THE place to find amazingly clear water in California. The water is so clear and blue, you won’t believe it until you see it for yourself. Tahoe’s clear water literally looks as clear and blue as in the Caribbean but with an alpine background.

The Northern California alpine lake is by far our favorite and best place to see and swim in clear water in California. Hands down!

Where is the clearest water in Lake Tahoe?

We’re sure you are probably wondering where to find the clearest water in Tahoe? While the entire alpine lake boasts super clear water wherever you go, there are certain spots along the shores that bring out the clarity and turquoise color even more.

Best Lake Tahoe Crystal Clear Water Locations

The most amazing Lake Tahoe crystal clear water locations are along the Northeast side of the lake in our opinion. This area around Sand Harbor Beach is also the place where you will see those iconic giant Lake Tahoe rocks sticking out of the water.

On the lake’s west side at Rubicon Bay in D.L. Bliss State Park, you will find a less rocky but therefore wide-spanning area with jaw-dropping azure blue and crystal clear water in Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe Snorkeling

One Of The Best Places To Go Snorkeling In California

With its crystal clear water, Lake Tahoe boasts some of the best California snorkeling spots. For good reason!

Not only is Lake Tahoe amazingly clear, the mountain lake also features huge boulders scattered along its shores surrounded by turquoise Caribbean-like water inviting snorkelers to explore the lake’s underwater world.

Lake Tahoe Snorkeling Spots

Where are the best places for snorkeling in Lake Tahoe?

The spots best for snorkeling Lake Tahoe are the ones that offer the best visibility underwater as well as the most interesting scenery to explore. Easy access to the snorkeling spot is also a factor to consider.

In the following, we will show you our favorite beaches to go snorkeling in Lake Tahoe:

Kings Beach

A very family-friendly beach to go snorkeling in Tahoe is Kings Beach on the North Shore. Kings Beach is easily accessible and offers plenty of parking, long stretches of beach, clear water, and a shallow entry.

Speedboat Beach

To snorkel among Lake Tahoe’s big rocks head to Speedboat Beach which is located next to Kings Beach. While Speedboat Beach is a great place to snorkel, accessibility is not the best as there is almost no parking and beach area available. But the scenery is even more so worth it.

Sand Harbor Snorkeling In North Lake Tahoe

The most popular and one of the best places for snorkeling in Lake Tahoe is Sand Harbor Beach.

There are two coves and one long sandy beach stretch with amazingly clear turquoise blue water great for all kinds of water activities during summer in Tahoe.

Since Sand Harbor Beach is very popular and parking fills up quickly, you have to arrive very early in the morning on summer weekends.

Scuba Diving Lake Tahoe

Besides snorkeling and paddleboarding, Sand Harbor is also a popular Lake Tahoe diving spot for scuba divers or the ones who are looking to learn it and get their certification.

Lake Tahoe Bonsai Rock Nevada — Lake Tahoe rocks in the water at Bonsai Rock

Bonsai Rock Beach

For the more adventurous ones, the unique Bonsai Rock is a great place to snorkel in Tahoe’s more off-the-beaten-path area.

Bonsai Rock is located South of Sand Harbor and requires a little hike to get there. So while it is not the most family-friendly snorkeling spot at Lake Tahoe, it is certainly a pretty cool one and absolutely worth exploring.

Crystal clear water at Secret Cove in Lake Tahoe in summer — Crystal clear water at Secret Cove, Lake Tahoe

Secret Cove (North Lake Tahoe)

Another adventurous spot with incredible crystal clear water in Lake Tahoe is Secret Cove. This picturesque cove is not only loved by snorkelers but also by people loving to go swimming and sunbathing in their birthday suits.

Like Bonsai Rock, getting to Secret Cove also requires a short hike to get there, but that’s part of what makes this place so special, aside from the amazingly clear blue water and the big boulders.

Clear water at Calawee Cove Beach in Lake Tahoe — Clear water at Calawee Cove Beach

D. L. Bliss State Park / Rubicon Bay

And lastly, not only the Northeast shore boasts the iconic Lake Tahoe clear water. At D.L. Bliss State Park’s Rubicon Bay on the West Shore, you will actually find the clearest part of Lake Tahoe.

Lester Beach & Calawee Cove Beach

Rubicon Bay offers the longest stretch of crystal clear blue water and is easily accessible via multiple beaches. In particular, Lester Beach and Calawee Cove Beach boast the clearest water and best snorkeling opportunities.

At Calawee Cove Beach, you will find Lake Tahoe’s iconic big rocks peeking out of the water again.

Snorkeling Gear

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Underwater Photography Gear

If you go on a Lake Tahoe snorkeling adventure, you must not forget to bring an underwater camera to capture the beautiful azure blue underwater world of California’s snorkeling spot number one.

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Clear Kayaking Lake Tahoe

Clear kayak and paddle board rental Lake Tahoe

A great way to experience clear Lake Tahoe is by renting one of those popular clear kayaks or clear paddle boards in Lake Tahoe which let you peek into the underwater world without getting wet.

Lake Tahoe Water Temperature

Sand Harbor Beach crystal clear water Lake Tahoe — Crystal clear water at Sand Harbor Beach, Lake Tahoe

How cold is Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe is a mountain lake and in general relatively cold. But during the summer months, the alpine lake warms up and is quite nice to swim in.

Lake Tahoe Water Temp

Tahoe’s water temperature ranges from around 40 F in the winter to about 70 F in the high summer months. The warmest months with the highest water temperature are July and August.

Water Temperature In July

The Lake Tahoe water temperature in July averages about 66 F with peak water temperatures of 73 F.

Water Temperature In August

Lake Tahoe’s water temperature in August averages even higher at 68 F.

Even September still averages 65 F. Whereas, in the month of June with an average of around 57 F, the water temperatures are not quite there yet.

So July, August, and September are really the best months for swimming and snorkeling at Lake Tahoe.

FAQs

Which place has the best snorkeling in California?

You can find the best snorkeling in California at Lake Tahoe in our opinion. Tahoe has crystal clear water and big rocks to explore underwater which makes it the perfect California snorkeling spot. In addition, snorkeling in a lake is a lot calmer than in the open sea.

Where is the best place to swim in Lake Tahoe?

In our opinion, the best places to swim in the clearest water in Lake Tahoe are Sand Harbor Beach, Secret Cove, Bonsai Rock, and Rubicon Bay.

Why is the water in Lake Tahoe so clear?

Lake Tahoe is so clear because it is a huge mountain lake that receives a big portion of its precipitation directly onto the lake. The other portion gets filtered through marshes and meadows surrounding the lake.

However, Lake Tahoe actually used to be even a lot clearer than it is now. With environmental pollution, invasive species, and deforestation the lake’s clarity decreased significantly over the past few decades. Therefore, it is paramount to do our part in keeping Tahoe as clean and blue as possible.

A great source to support and learn more about the issue is the Keep Tahoe Blue organization which tackles the environmental challenges the lake faces.

Things you can do to keep Tahoe blue:

Prevent the spread of invasive species
Leave only footprints and take home your trash
Pick up after your pet
Choose reusables over single-use plastic
Reduce your carbon footprint
Choose low-impact recreation opportunities like hiking, cycling and kayaking/SUPing