I’m planning to ride around Lake Tahoe with a couple of friends.
I know the traffic is bad. We’ll be starting around 5 am to avoid the worst of it. (This will be on a weekend in May or early June.)
Where would you start, and which direction would you bike, to stay the safest and/or to get the worst sections (traffic-safety wise) out of the way first? I realize many people go around the lake clockwise, just so they can be on the “lake-edge” side of the road and therefore have better views. But I’d go counter-clockwise if I thought riding on the inner side might be safer.
Since we’d be driving up from the Bay Area, our two logical starting-point choices are Tahoe City or South Lake Tahoe.
America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride is in early June. Couple 1000 cyclists. They start in So Lake Tahoe and go clockwise around the lake. I did it a few years ago and added the out and back to Truckee to make it a century.
Thank you. I know about America’s Most Beautiful Ride, and it’s great that they have a dangerous section of highway entirely closed off to cars for a few hours. However, I can’t go to Tahoe that particular weekend.
I’ve done it a few times and both directions. I would say your best bet is to start early like you said and go counter-clockwise. That has always seemed “safer” to me for some reason. You are also going downhill on the east side which is very narrow. Going slow up there in the opposite direction was super sketchy cause the cars are hauling ass on those twisty roads. They generally wont pass you much since you are carrying a good amount of speed going the other way.
The good news is traffic in May shouldn’t be too bad as May is “shoulder” season for Tahoe. The bad news is it is cold! in the morning in May and it has been known to occassionally snow (remember the Tour of California 2 years ago).
I rode the lake last July with five friends. We started in Incline Village and rode towards South Lake Tahoe. It took us 4 hours even, including stops for pictures. The only tough part of the ride is the road from South Lake up to Emerald Bay. Its about a two mile climb with limited shoulder. Between a Tahoe City and SLT starting point, I’d start in SLT and go toward Emerald Bay to get the climb over earlier in the day with less traffic.
Starting at 5am is a little too early, I’d at least wait for the sunrise. It’s actually not too difficult of a ride, with the only climbs at Emerald Bay and about a 6 miles climb from Sand Harbor to Spooner summit.
Used to live in Tahoe and still ride around the lake once a year, even during July 4th. I always ride clockwise and try to get through S Shore before 8am. Tahoe City is a good starting point.
Might want to wait until June after a few good rains and the gravel washed off the shoulder. The ride isn’t that bad otherwise.
If you must, bike clockwise and start anywhere on the north shore. Honestly, the traffic and lack of shoulders make this ride significantly worse than many other rides you can do in the area. Go ride the Death Ride course instead.
Clockwise for sure. The best place to start is Stateline Nevada. It’s best to go on a weekday if you can. Right now is the least busy time of year. By mid-June the traffic starts getting worse. Harvey’s and the Horizon casinos have ample parking. I would start early (by 9:00am) to get through all the congested areas of S. Lake Tahoe and the narrow roadways around Emerald Bay. Later in the day you will be traveling through less congested North and West shores. There are plenty of places to eat near Stateline when you get back to your car.
.