Independence Lake is a beautiful glacier-cut lake located less than an hour's drive from Truckee…read more Here, you can borrow one of the small fleet of kayaks and fishing boats ~after first filling out a registration waiver~. No outside watercraft are allowed! This is to protect and preserve the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout that are native to this habitat. Outside watercraft are risky because they may unknowingly transport foreign mollusks that are detrimental to the health of the trout living there. If fishing waders are used, there is a wader scrubbing/washing station located at the registration area. There are Nature Conservancy staff people on site if you have further questions. I found them informative and helpful. The loaner kayaks are located to the left side of the lake. The ones on the right side are for staff members. Every other week, ~only~ the kayaks are allowed out. Call to check the calendar schedule to avoid disappointment if you want to use one of the motorized boats. They require a motorized boater's card {available online at https://www.boat-ed.com/california/) There are single person and tandem person sit-on-top kayaks available. after 8AM Thursdays through Sundays. Loaner PFDs are also available in standard sizes. I recommend getting there early morning after opening while the water is calm. I was told that later in the day, the wind can pick up. This makes paddling a kayak to get backk across a lot more difficult. You may fish using barbless hooks. Only artificial lures are permitted. All trout caught must be released. Kokanee salmon are an invasive species here. Fishermen are allowed to keep those. Limit 5 per day, or 10 per trip, total. No live bait. There is no overnight camping on the Conservancy's grounds. There are campgrounds at nearby Webber Lake and Lake of the Woods.

Independence Lake Preserve is an amazing place to enjoy the high Sierras. The best part is the free…read morekayaks that are available to anyone who signs a waiver. How cool and inclusive is that? You get to Independence Lake Preserve from highway 80 by heading north on 89 and then turning L at the "Little Truckee Summit OHV/Snowmobile" area, which is on a road labeled "07." It's the turn you'd take if you wanted to go to the Mt. Lola trailhead or Webber Lake Campground, which are also nearby. You'll need an offroad capable vehicle to make it over a water crossing and two miles of rocky road. There are lots of signs that explain that no watercraft are allowed, because Independence Lake is one of the two places in the world with a wild, self-sustaining lake population of Lahontan cutthroat trout. That's why they care so much about not letting folks put their own watercraft on the lake: they might unintentionally introduce invasive species. When we pulled up (with a canoe on our Jeep: we didn't know the rules beforehand), a ranger came out to verbally explain things to us and to let us know about the free kayaks to use. I was pleasantly surprised that there were not a lot of bugs out in July 2022. The last time we were in this area, which was maybe July three years ago, there were so, so, so many bugs. We came armed with bug spray but didn't need it! There are hiking trails around the preserve as well. The lake is large and beautiful, and the view of Mt. Lola is spectacular.

Truly a hidden gem! The views are absolutely breathtaking and you are surrounded by rich Nevada…read moreHistory. There are placards lining a half mile loop that you can easily walk through and see what remains from a grand hotel with a dark past and a kinda dark history to follow. There is beautiful green grass with several picnic tables and grills available. You won't believe that you are right off the highway because when you're here you are completely surrounded by beautiful nature! And they have these beautiful fishing ponds! They were bursting with frogs, baby fish and tadpoles. We all really enjoyed our visit and will be returning!

CRYSTAL PEAK PARK is an adventure once you find it !!…read more If you're looking for a remote atmosphere with mountain views, ponds & the Truckee River, this is it. Take I-80 West past Boomtown to Exit 3 for Verdi.Turn left onto South Verdi Road at the bottom of the ramp (look for the sign pointing to Crystal Peak Park). Follow the road as it twists under I-80, crosses the railroad tracks and goes under I-80 once more. The road becomes Crystal Park Road. Look for the park's upper parking lot on your left. I suggest taking a sharp left turn just before the upper lot to reach the lower parking lot near the picnic area, restrooms, and trailhead. This was a great experience. Bring snacks and your childhood love for dirt FYI- We had perfect reception with Verizon & AT&T the whole route

There are a few ways to reach Marlette Lake, all of them totally worth it, especially this time of…read moreyear. This trail takes you around Spooner Lake and up to Marlette. It's a 9 mile out and back with fairly gradual elevation gain, up through the trees, until you reach the lake. A great little workout. Marlette sits along the Flume Trail, so you're likely to see a lot of mountain bikers. Fun fact: The Flume Trail got its name because Marlette and the tributaries that feed it were part of a log flume system to carry logs used to build our region all the way down from as far as Virginia City! Marlette has a short fishing season, but people say it's grand if you make the trip. Of course you need to hike in to have that experience. This is definitely a trail worth checking out in our area!

We hiked the Marlette Lake Trail from Spooner Lake to Marlette Lake as a backpacking trip for my…read morefriend's bachelorette party! We added some extra distance at the end by hiking to the Marlette Peak Campground to stay for the night. From the parking lot to the campground was about 7 miles each way. The trail itself was well-maintained, moderate difficulty, and had everything you'd want in a good hike! Solid trail conditions. Beautiful mountain and lake views. Some sections of wildflowers. A good amount of sun but also some shaded parts. Gradual incline that never felt super steep, so the elevation gain felt manageable. We saw people hiking as well as mountain biking on this trail. There are several sections of aspen trees along this hike, so it's a great one to come back and do in the fall once the leaves turn yellow. The trailhead area has great facilities, the bathrooms were clean and there is ample parking. The park rangers I spoke to were friendly and helpful. There is a $10/car entry into this area but it's totally worth it, especially when you see how well they take care of it. I loved this hike and will continue to come back to Spooner for hikes in the future!

Lassen Meadows Ranch is an incredibly breathtaking location for your vacation or special event…read more After considering options from the Sierras to Yosemite for our July, 2016 wedding, we discovered LMR and immediately fell in love with the place after one visit and stopped considering any other options. There is a gorgeous lake central to the large event space on the property, an outdoor prep kitchen, bathrooms with showers, nesting bald eagles and frolicking bear cubs, a huge, glorious meadow, and acres of forests surrounding the major circulation areas. The Juniper lake entrance (a non-major entrance) to Lassen Volcanic National Park is nearby (as well as Drakesbad), and short hikes 15 minutes from the ranch give you incredible views of Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. Chester is the nearest town, and has enough hotels and restaurants to accommodate out of town visitors. We wanted our wedding to feel more like a family reunion/camp-out than a fancy or formal event, and to be primarily outdoors, and the ranch worked perfectly for our needs and our guests. We were able to rent the property and cabins for an entire 4 day weekend, and held a welcome BBQ and Square Dancing event, dinners and brunches, a 5k, and of course our wedding ceremony and associated festivities. Some of our guests camped on the property in tents and a few in trucks or RVs, and everyone is still raving about the beauty of that weekend. Debbie and Russ, the ranch owners/proprieters are incredibly responsive and easy to work with. Debbie was very helpful from start to finish, with advice and information about resources in and around Chester, and even offered to let us use some of the supplies from previous events for our event. She was very flexible with allowing us to visit the property with our caterer and event planner months prior to the event, and helped answer last minute questions and resolve issues when we were setting everything up. We couldn't be happier with the way our wedding turned out, and much of that success was due to the fantastic venue--we highly recommend Lassen Meadows Ranch for your family reunion, vacation, or wedding venue.

Best wedding venue we could of asked for. Debbie was amazing to work with and the venue was…read moreeverything we could have dreamed of.

The best fishing guides in Tahoe! Crew is amazing from start to finish!…read more Thanks Taylor for setting it all up and the captain put us on the fish! The entire boat limited out on salmon!

was able to treat my grandson Jaxx who's 11 to his first fishing charter! It was truly a wonderful…read moreexperience. Perfect day exceptional crew. CAPTAIN James and Deckhand Will are very nice and attentive to all on board. My grandson, Jaxx was able to reel in a 5 lb. Mackinac. He was over the moon and so proud! This was definitely a special grandma moment. Thank you so much. Folks, if you get out to Tahoe... I 100% recommend Tahoe Sportfishing

We visited Tahoe Trout Farm on July 25, 2026, close to closing time. The pond hadn't been restocked…read morein a while, so we weren't having much luck and she was feeling a bit disappointed. The husband‑and‑wife team working that evening completely turned our experience around. They mentioned they had moved to Tahoe from LA and had a few daughters, and both were incredibly kind and welcoming. The gentleman went above and beyond, bringing out new reels, adjusting our setup, and personally coaching my wife with patience. Thanks to his effort, she caught her very first fish, and it absolutely made her day! We left with huge smiles and a wonderful memory. Tahoe Trout Farm has amazing people who truly care about their guests. Highly recommend!

We went there for my nephew and niece who are really into fishing. Grandpa Jim the owner is a sweet…read moregentleman who explains everything. Fishing rods and bait are provided or you can also bring your own fishing rods. We were able to catch 3 of them and cleaning them was done by the staff ( you have option of getting it fillet). Had such a fun time at the trout fish farm with my nephew! It was a great experience spending quality time together, enjoying the outdoors, and making some really good memories. The whole experience was relaxing, fun, and especially exciting for my nephew. Definitely a great activity to do with family, and we'd love to come back again!

This is for the northshore campground at loon lake spot 21…read more Ok here's the sitch, amazing views and vibes but just beware NO SHOWERS HERE. Also if you are at lot 20/21 you are RIGHT by the entry for off roading people who are on the way to do the rubicon trail. On our camping experience here they would make loud noise starting at 11pm- 1 am so it was not quiet by any means and felt like the cars were right next to the tent. Despite that the camp itself is nice, bathrooms are well maintained, shade comes in the evening, and off the beaten path from Tahoe

Camped here in June weekend, stayed at the Northshore campground site#5. Overall the location is…read moregreat. 2-3 minute walk down to the water. The vault style restrooms were clean, well stocked, odor free. The overall campground could of used a few more trees here and there as it was a little difficult to find shade. Only a few sites provided ample shade. Most sites offer RV parking, tent camping is available, but difficult if placing for two tents. Overall I would be back and would recommend.

Camp host was very nice and helpful. Campground was well maintained. We had a wonderful time...will…read morebe returning soon.

This campground on Lake Davis was the perfect peaceful getaway. It is a pay campground with a mix…read moreof reservable sites and first-come, first-served options. The host was attentive and kind, the bathrooms were clean, and the area was well maintained. There are plenty of trails leading directly to the lake, including some beachfront sites. Having a nearby dump and fill station was a great convenience. Bears are active in the area, so be sure to store food properly. We're looking forward to staying here again!

It's gorgeous out here…read more.. We've been fishing at Halsey Forebay Picnic Area quite a few times now. We've caught trout and crawfish! Along with some gnarly mosquito bites. You can pull in and park in a parking space where it leads right up some picnic benches. Just beyond that, a l is a fence with holders for your pole. About 10-12 of them lined up. If you are fishing here, this is where having a 2nd and 3rd pole comes in handy - just be sure to get your license for that!! The water current starts off strong over here and, depending on what you are using, could float downward towards our into the next person's line, so use wisely! Figure it out! On this cool evening, we were catching them left and right. Everyone fishing here is so friendly. It's fun to meet people and see what they're using. When the sun goes down, and most of the heat goes away, Halsey Forebay becomes a sight for sore eyes... as I said... so gorgeous

On a recent mild sunny winter weekend afternoon, I visited the Halsey Forebay fishing access area…read more It's a water reservoir that's occasionally stocked with trout and crawfish. It's managed by PG&E. The reservoir is a lake with shallow rocky edges. It's just for casting fishing, no humans or animals should go into the water. The access and parking is FREE. And as always, anglers 16 and older need a CA fishing license to fish. I didn't fish here. I looked about and soaked in the sights though. It was rusticly beautiful. However the perimeter doesn't have any shade trees. But vibes were super quiet, I call it library fishing. Shhhh. As I walked about the perimeter of the lake, I noticed folks were quiet even amongst their own groups. Even the elementary school age children there were super quiet. An incredible feat. QuietPlace. And about the fishing situation, not much luck with the anglers that day. Stock was low. Near the parking lot is a short concrete pier with fishing rod holders. This is closest to the water shed. The picnic area is across the watershed. To get to the area from the parking lot, you will have to walk, on a narrow steel grate walkway, over the watershed. The rushing water provides for a dizzying visual effect. The picnic area is set back enough from the lake so if you bring the kiddos, this is the area where they can go about hooting n hollering. The area has 3-4 concrete picnic tables and a several bbq pits. It's first come, first serve. This area is not paved, dirt packed; shaded with big growth trees. Plus let me tell you I learned the hard way that the walking path doesn't connect fully around the lake. I don't recommend attempting the mythical loop. The path is mostly gravel with the other parts being dirt. Watch where you step; there was a lot of poop along the trail. There is a stretch of the path that ends and funnels you out to the narrow bike lane on Christian Valley Road near Bancroft Road. There is no adjacent room to the side of the bike lane, only a chain link fence. Cars are going 50plus miles a hour inches away from you; and they are on a curve. So wait until traffic clears for a significant distance to hightail yourself across that stretch which runs about 50 feet. Don't try to walk with cars coming at you; don't risk getting impaled by a side view mirror or worse. There is a paved parking lot and a public restrooms with vault toilets. Sorry ladies, I can't provide any additional info about the restrooms. As always, I try my best to avoid public park restrooms. But at least they have a restrooms. And to add the landscape of area doesn't provide for any natural discrete spots to answer the call of nature.