It seemed like the universe was giving us a sign. Not a day would go by that we would not see a gorgeous photo of someone either kayaking or paddleboarding on Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe on social media. It was driving us crazy! As new Pelican kayak owners, we knew that we needed to get out there. Vy flipped the switch and went into full-on travel agent mode. Two weeks later, we found ourselves flying in the jeep (65 mph) up Route 395 in search of that crystal blue water. You can read more about the history of Lake Tahoe here.
After many hours in the car (16 to be exact as we stopped along the way), energy drink, Zipfizz, and some kombucha, we had finally made it to our Airbnb. We had planned on launching our kayaks from Sand Harbor, which is notorious for being super crowded, resulting in the lack of parking. They open at 8 am, and that is the time you want to be there if not earlier.
STATS:
Where:
Sand Harbor – 2005 NV-28, Incline Village, NV 89452
Coordinates: 39.198566, -119.928301
Parking:
Parking at Sand Harbor will cost you $10. There is NO street parking outside. You can also take the “East Shore Express” bus from Incline Village that shuttles you every 20 minutes after 10 am. There are restrooms available.
Hours:
8 am – 1 hour after sunset
Distance:
We went just over 9 miles, but you can go as far as you want.
Level:
Intermediate ( some paddling skills will come in handy if you plan on navigating through the boulders)
Estimated Completion Time:
We were out there for 9 hours. This is all depending on how far and how long you want to take your time at each spot.
Ideal Weather:
July/August seemed to have the best weather. The water was actually very pleasant.
Ideal Time:
Early morning. The water is a lot calmer in the morning. This area of the lake has a strong afternoon wave condition. It will also easier for you to find parking.
Wind and wave patterns on the lake tend to change suddenly so be prepared!
Pro-tip: If you are bringing your own kayak, you need to get a Nevada aquatic invasive species (AIS) sticker. They are $6 per non-motorized watercraft plus a service fee if ordering online. It takes about 14 days to arrived so order yours early. We ordered ours 2 weeks before the trip and it barely made it in time!
GETTING THERE:
We got up early enough to catch the gorgeous sunrise on the way to Sand Harbor. Traffic was already pretty bad at the time, especially with the road construction. We got there a bit later than anticipating (8:15 am), and the parking lot was already quite crowded. People were grabbing their beach gears and rushing to the beach to stake their claim on some lakefront property. We couldn’t believe that it was this crowded on a Wednesday. Lucky for us, we weren’t worried about getting a spot because we were going to be spending all day kayaking at Sand Harbor till our hearts were content on this massive body of water.
There are two entrances to go into Sand Harbor. The main one is for beachgoers and kayaks/paddleboards. The other, smaller entrance is for launching your boat. The rental place is in the same area as the boat launch. You do have to park and walk over. We brought our own so we just got all of our gear down to the shore and then hit the water.
The boat ramp area was super packed in the afternoon with tons of people so if you decided to go toward that way, go early. I somewhat nervously set the kayaks at the water’s edge. Knowing that a large part of the water that makes up this gigantic lake is snowmelt, I was expecting the water to be really cold. So I slowly dipped my toe in expecting to feel the icy sting. To my surprise, the water felt amazing. It was then that I looked down the shoreline to see kids swimming and people snorkeling. I was so bummed that we didn’t bring our snorkeling gear!
THE ADVENTURE:
Launching:
The shoreline of Sand Harbor was getting increasingly crowded so we decided to get our kayaking on. We shoved off and headed about 200 yards out from the shore. The craziest thing is that the water is so incredibly clear, we could still see the bottom. It was a pretty wild illusion because the water only looked a couple of feet deep. In reality, it was probably over 20 feet to the bottom. Not only was it clear, but it had this gorgeous teal tint to it. It reminded us of the gorgeous waters of Hawaii, not quite as warm, but equally as beautiful. Once we got on the water, we went to the left side toward Secret Harbor Beach.
One of the reasons we picked Sand Harbor was because of the natural rocky obstacle courses that run along the east bank. We saw what appeared to be little rocks sticking up out of the water off in the distance. Once we got closer, we realized that these were no tiny rocks, but instead huge boulders. You have to be really careful while making your way through the winding corridors of boulders. These rocks are a very coarse granite and will chew your kayak up if you get hung up.
There are also a lot of sneaky boulders under the surface so make sure you pay attention to where you are going. Both of us ended up grazing the rocks that were hiding just below the surface. Luckily, our Pelican kayaks are tough as nails and we ended up with nothing more than a tiny scratch on the bottom. It is hard to tell how deep the rocks are sometimes. They look pretty close but usually, you have plenty of room to go over them. You can always poke at them with your paddle to check.
One thing that you need to watch out for is the ski boats that like to zip by near the shoreline. They aren’t going through the rocks, but they can send some serious wakes your way if you are in a tricky section. We definitely don’t want to see anyone end up beached on the rocks. The other thing that you need to be aware of is the wind. We were very lucky the day we went, but we did read a lot of articles that talked about the winds kicking up in the evening from time to time. Always make sure to check the weather conditions before heading out on the water.
To the first cliff jump
If you are planning on exploring this amazing portion of Lake Tahoe, you should definitely be aware that there are not a whole lot of sandy beaches to beach your boat on. The vast majority of the shoreline is consumed with the above-mentioned boulders. We did see a few people that decided to pull their kayaks and paddleboards up onto the rocks. It seemed like a good way to chew up the bottoms of your kayaks.
There are some cool cove areas among the boulders that you can beach your kayaks, although those can be taken up pretty fast. The main sandy beach areas along your kayaking route on Sand Harbor are Chimney Beach (wide long stretches of sand), Secret Cove (limited sandy areas), Secret Harbor Beach (a decent amount of beach), Creek Beach (limited space), and Whale Beach (a decent amount of sandy areas).
If you are a fan of cliff jumping like I am, you are in luck. There are several good jumping opportunities on our short route of kayaking at Sand Harbor. I believe we came across at least 5.
The first cliff jump is the famous Bonsai rock. It is named for the neat little trees that have somehow decided to defy nature and grow right out of the top of the rock. This is a good rock for a first-time jumper. It isn’t too high. But as always, when you are going to do a jump, check the landing area for rocks and shallow spots. The water is super clear so you should be able to see where you need to land. There are also lots of cool boulders to paddle around nearby. There is a trail to hike down to Bonsai rock from the top. You will need to swim over to the rock to jump.
To Chimney Beach
After Bonsai, you will come up to the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation. Thunderbird Lodge is a historic landmark. You can tell that you’re passing by it when you see the stone lighthouse in the water.
One of the best things about kayaking at Sand Harbor is that it is full of neat little coves, hidden by big boulders. There are a few after the Lodge. We found one particular one that had a decent place to pull your kayaks over. There were a few people hanging out on their kayaks and paddleboards there. They even pointed us to a spot that had crawfish crawling around. Vy was very disappointed that she had no way to catch them!
After passing through these neat little coves, we came upon my favorite cliff jump of the day, which is on Chimney Beach. It is about 3 miles of paddling from Sand Harbor. The cliff jump here is at least 2 times the size of Bonsai Rock. As you are pulling up to the beach with the chimney directly in front of you, the jumping rock will be directly to your left. If you are going to do your jump, be sure to jump further out. The shallow rocks seemed to be closer to the base of the boulder. There were quite a few people jumping down from here, including a few younger kids and a puppy.
Exploring Chimney Beach
When we were there, the beach was quite crowded. Luckily, there was a nice little spot that seemed almost reserved for us to pull our kayaks up on the sand. While I couldn’t wait to run up the rocks for more cliff jumping, Vy was quite content making friends with Daisy the Golden Retriever. Chimney Beach is dog-friendly. You can access Chimney Beach via a trail from the road above. There’s also a small parking lot where you can park your car. If you want to check out Chimney Beach without your kayaks, you can follow the directions here.
After a couple of fun jumps, we decided to explore the area. I am sure glad that we did. The cove directly behind Chimney Beach is absolutely GORGEOUS. It doesn’t get much better than this. I still can’t get over the color of the water. In addition to cliff jumps and breathtaking views, Chimney rock is also an awesome spot if you want to hang out on the sand or go for a swim. It was one of the bigger coves that we found that day. There were tons of people as well as happy puppies enjoying the perfect water. There were also some boulders just below the water that you can stand on to make it look like you are standing on the water here. It was pretty neat.
To Secret Harbor and the way back
After we left Chimney Beach, we headed off to the furthest part of our excursion which was Secret Harbor beach. This long straight beach points directly out towards the center of the lake making it a pretty popular spot for motorboats. There were quite a few bigger boats that came in and tied up for a little beach relaxation. We approached from the left side that had more fun boulders to navigate and beached for a little lunch break.
On our way back, we thought we would look for the rumored clothing-optional Secret Cove of Lake Tahoe. We were sort of confused because we didn’t see it on the way out. But sure enough, just over 0.3 of a mile back towards Sand Harbor, tucked away (no pun intended) is a small cove that you can hardly see unless you are at just the right angle. This is where you can go if you just can’t seem to handle wearing your bathing suit that day.
There are 2 small sandy beaches where you can work on getting that glorious full body tan. If naked people freak you out, you might want to steer clear of this cove. There is a big cliff jump in this area. We’ve seen some guys jumping off a big rock further out in the water. We didn’t do it because we couldn’t find a place to beach our kayaks.
On the way back, we made one more stop for a jump at Bonsai rock and kept right on paddling. We noticed that a lot of kayakers were heading to the other side of Sand Harbor near the boat ramp, so we decided to check it out. It was insanely crowded, and we were there on a weekday. There were so many swimmers, paddle boarders, and kayakers that it was nearly impossible to move without running into someone. We decided to wrap it up and head over to Chimney beach for sunset instead.
I think that it is safe to say that this will not be our last kayaking trip to Lake Tahoe. We LOVE kayaking at Sand Harbor! We highly recommend getting out on the water here if you are looking for a fun and gorgeous adventure! If you are an adrenaline addict, check out Via Ferrata with Alpenglow.
You can hear Dustin’s interview about Lake Tahoe on the Between The Mountains Travel Podcast here
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, subscribe to our Youtube channel, and sign up for our newsletter!
RECOMMEND GEAR:
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
The majority of these links are through our affiliate links so if you buy something, it is at no extra cost for you but it helps us support the site. That being said, don’t buy something just to support us, buy something if you think it will enhance your travels and adventures.
• Sunscreen:
Make sure to bring lots of sunscreens. There is no shade on the river. You will be very exposed to the sun. We use eco-friendly sunscreen, Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen or Sun Bum Sunscreen
• Water shoes!!
We didn’t use them but it is nice to have if you want to climb up the boulders or run around the beach area. We usually use ALEADER Women’s Mesh Slip-on Water Shoes for Vy’s shoes and ALEADER Men’s Quick Drying Aqua Water Shoes for Dustin’s shoes
• Water
Lots of water! It gets toasty on the lake since you are exposed to the sun.
• Drybag
For your extra towels, sunscreen, camera, and phones, etc. We use Field and Stream Dry Bag. The Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag also works amazingly.
• Lunch and snacks
It’s good to tame the hangry monster.
• Towels
In case you want to play in the water.
• Jacket
Kayaking at Sand Harbor in Tahoe can be unpredictable. The wind picked up in the evening. We love our packable Patagonia Puff Jackets! It can keep you warm, yet pack up super light. You can get Vy’s version here, and Dustin’s version here. If you want some lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
• Life jacket
The rental company will supply them. However, if you are going to bring your own kayak or paddleboard, make sure to have these puppies on the watercraft with you. It is illegal to not carry life jackets on your boat on Lake Tahoe. The water is also deep and freezing cold most of the time. The wind condition also can be unpredictable and at times, very dangerous.
• Waterproof Phone Case
Not required but it is nice to have. Especially if you like to take photos with your phone or playing music. It will get wet. Our phone cases were donated by my sister. She got the Mpow Waterproof Case.
• Collapsible Cooler
We use Igloo Maxcold Cooler to keep our water cold. It’s compact enough to put inside our kayaks.
• Snorkel Gear
We wish we brought ours. The water was super clear and there were a ton of fish. We usually use WildHorn Outfitters Seaview 180 Snorkel Mask, U.S. Divers Trek Fin – Compact Snorkel Fins, or U.S. Divers Proflex FX Fin
• Kayak and Paddle
We use the Pelican Mustang 100x Kayak and Pelican Sports Poseidon Kayak Paddle.
CAMERA GEAR:
• Camera:
Sony a7 III
• Lenses:
Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX
• Drone:
DJI Spark, Fly More Combo
