Location: Along the East shore of Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Length: 28 miles (45 km)
Time To Allow: 45 minutes

Description/Highlights/Points of Interest

Surrounded by national forest lands, wilderness and state parks, Lake Tahoe possesses some of the country's most spectacular scenery. Eastshore Drive skirts the edges of Lake Tahoe, providing breathtaking views of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The pristine alpine lake is surrounded by the snowcapped mountains of Sierra Nevada. Part of the Pony Express Trail and home to the historic sacred grounds of the Washo Indians, Lake Tahoe's East Shore offers something for everyone all year.

Suggested Itinerary

Visitors may want to begin traveling the byway at the northern terminus at Crystal Bay along the California/Nevada border. There are several casinos in this area for visitors to enjoy. From here, the highway winds toward Incline Village, one of Tahoe's finest communities. A side trip up Mt. Rose Highway, approximately four miles (6.4 km), leads to a lookout over the entire Tahoe Basin.

Back on Highway 28, the Ponderosa Ranch is the location of TV's legendary "Bonanza" series that made Lake Tahoe famous worldwide. The Ponderosa offers Cartwright Ranch House tours, an Old West town with shops and memorabilia, summer haywagon breakfasts and more. From Incline Village, the byway continues south down the east shore. One of Tahoe's most beautiful beaches, Sand Harbor, is located here in the Nevada Lake Tahoe State Park. Following the bouldered Nevada shore, the highway continues south through forests of pine and fir. Stop at Spooner Lake for wooded picnic areas and a walk along the water. Turn right at the intersection of Highway 50 and head south past historic Glenbrook, once a busy logging town, now an exclusive community and golf course.

Your next landmark is Cave Rock, where the highway passes through 25 yards (22.8 m) of solid stone. This is a holy spot for the native Washoe Indians who put their deceased to rest in the cold waters below the outcropping. Farther along is Zephyr Cove with its beautiful old lodge, beach and tour boats.

The tour now returns you to South Lake Tahoe and the high-rise hotel/casinos in the stateline area, a perfect place to stop at a restaurant or lounge, take in a top name show or try your luck in the casinos.

The following organization offers trips near the Lake Tahoe-Eastshore Drive Scenic Byway:

Circling the Lake: Scenic Drives in the Lake Tahoe Area
American Driving Vacations
Today, visitors can enjoy the products of these moving plates at Lake Tahoe. Famous for its spectacular mountain scenery, the area is also rich in wildlife, wildflowers and wilderness. The natural beauty is complemented with centuries old heritage and culture begun by hardy pioneers who traveled west along settlement trails by wagon train. To explore the area around Lake Tahoe, we've designed this 3-day/2-night break away that combines local heritage and a series of scenic drives over incomparable terrain, with historic towns and homes with fascinating stories.