Lake Tahoe, Travel
Published on February 26, 2012
Comments 145

Lake Tahoe: Sand Harbor State Park

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After spending a couple of days on the slopes, we thought we’d take a break to explore more of Lake Tahoe’s beauty.

Enter Sand Harbor State Park, a recommended spot by our hosts and only a short 48-minute drive away. What a treat!

The water was blue, green and clear all at the same time. I read somewhere that objects can generally be seen on the bottom in 70 feet of water.

We actually climbed onto these rock formations. I was very paranoid about my camera, but we made it out of there alive!

Factoid: The lake stays at a constant 39 degrees near the bottom and can warm up to 68 degrees along the shore.

Big and beautiful. Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide.

I could’ve stayed there all day.

And you can thank my husband for this last picture who exclaimed to me, “Airplane, airplane! Take a picture of the airplane!” :)

*UPDATE: March 6, 2012*
Freshly pressed for the second time!! I’m speechless! Thank you WordPress Team and to all those who stopped by, commented and liked the post. I started this blog to share my photos with family and friends, but I’m happy to be sharing with all of you too. Thank you again!

145 Comments

  5. Michelle Williams says

    Love the pictures Jen! So beautiful! Question . . . all over lens and camera equipment pamphlets they say to not place the sun in the viewfinder. I have done it and have seen you do it. What is that all about? I am not trying to ruin my camera. Speaking of which I can’t believe you were out on those rocks with yours! It paid off though

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    • photosbyshew says

      Thanks, Michelle! I have heard the same thing too about not placing the sun in the viewfinder, but I’ve also read that it’s like treating your camera like your own eye. You would never stare in the sun for too long when it’s really bright out because you could hurt your eye. Same thing with the camera. As long as you don’t point your camera into the sun for long periods of time, you and your camera should be fine.

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  8. Mikalee Byerman says

    Hey…that’s where I live!

    Well, not Sand Harbor per se…but Reno, which is only 40 minutes away. The best time of year to visit Sand Harbor is in the summer when they do a Shakespeare play in an outdoor arena. With Lake Tahoe and a sky full of twinkling stars as the backdrop, you can imagine the magic…

    Beautiful photos of my almost-home — congrats on a well-deserved Freshly Pressed! :)

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    • photosbyshew says

      Thank you! And you are lucky to call it your almost-home! The summer scene you described sounds beautiful. Perhaps one day. :)

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  13. gypsyvinrose says

    Now there’s a place we need to visit! Been thinking of heading out to Cali! Thanks for sharing such stunning photos!

    .V..
    Gypsy Vin Rose

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  19. Carlie Chew says

    Wow! Absolutely beautiful. I have always wanted to see Lake Tahoe and now you have made me want to see it even more. Thanks for sharing.

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  22. Barneysday says

    Been visiting Tahoe for 35 years. Favorite spot in the world! Love the drive around the lake, the eastern shore, the west shore and state parks, everything about it. Good luck to the commentator who wants to go swimming. even in 105 degree July day, lake is still COOOOOLLLLD! Great shots and congrats on the FP!

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  25. brocoherps says

    I love the photo of the airplane flying over the mountain and the rock pillar tide pool. I’ve been to lake Tahoe before and I have to say I’ve haven’t seen any parts that cool before.

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  26. Steve says

    Those photos are awesome – makes me really want to go there. Every time someone takes pictures of Lake Tahoe area it seems great, but these are even better.

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  27. nestorakarts says

    Great photos! I’m a photographer too and I’m hoping to visit Lake Tahoe someday! It certainly seems like a great place for photography!

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  31. evsetia says

    Honestly I don’t understand about photography, but I always love natural picture especially in your post. it makes me fresh

    Thank’s

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  35. Rae says

    Lake Tahoe is gorgeous! The last few times I’ve been out there it’s been covered with snow. I need to make it out there in the summer!

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  36. vintage45 says

    Always glad to see pictures of Lake Tahoe. These are especially good. Thanks for the memories. I used to live there.

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  37. Sylvia Alakusheva says

    Amazing photographs! I have always wanted to visit Lake Tahoe, the area seems so beautiful and serene…I would love to be there right now :-) Does anyone know of any inexpensive places to stay around Lake Tahoe?

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  38. Finally... Wendy Wanders says

    Absolutely beautiful!! We are hoping to head to that part of the country within the next few months depending on where the next job takes us. Lake Tahoe, and Sand Harbor State Park specifically will certainly be on our itinerary now. Simply breathtaking shots!

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  43. In The Lead says

    We have been going to Lake Tahoe for the past couple of years and love it. We stay at DL Bliss State Park just North of Emerald Bay. I think it might be among the most beautiful places on the planet.

    Thank you so much for sharing. By the way, if you get a chance, take the rigorous but worth-the-view hike up Mt. Tallac – Tahoe is amazing from 9700 ft!

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    • photosbyshew says

      We heard Emerald Bay was beautiful too, but we ran out of time. Hopefully we’ll get to revisit the area in the future and take you up on your suggestion. Thanks for stopping by!

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  44. Dounia says

    Wow, it looks truly spectacular there. Your photos are amazing – thanks for sharing and congrats on being freshly pressed!

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  45. fruitaliniyogi says

    There are few places more beautiful than Tahoe…it reminds me of the Yuba River which is the S. Lake Tahoe area and one of my favorite places in the world.

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  52. maejane28 says

    Lake Tahoe is so amazing! Very well captured, and very stunning..And wow, your blog has been freshly pressed for the second time..I am so impressed! Keep it coming, I’m following now!:-)

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      • eva says

        Thanks honey for the info. I am also an avid travel photographer but never taken the time to invest in a serious camera. I’m running to best buys now. Amazing!!!

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  55. starlight says

    awesome postcard-like photos… with a view like that, i could also stay there the whole day enjoying the scene and basking in serenity.. love your post.

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  57. John T. Osorio says

    My grandparents used to take my fishing for trout at Lake Tahoe. Such a beautiful place. Thanks for helping me to re-live some great memories!

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  59. kleeyaro says

    Amazing photos. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Lake Tahoe. This really makes me want to go back!

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  62. kylesimmons1991 says

    Incline Village was my home for a humble 5 months, but it is my dream to return to Tahoe someday. Many great summer memories on those beaches! Great images as well. Thanks!

    Kyle

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  64. asoulwalker says

    The water is really that clear. You can see that far down. You picked a beautiful spot to take some photos. Tahoe is always amazing.

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  69. Nandini says

    Wow, stunningly beautiful. :) Loved the pine cones one, it’s my desktop display now, thank you very much. It’s wonderful to look at, so refreshing! :)

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  78. Michele LMS says

    Spectacular photos! . . . I have some incredible memories of spending winter holidays in Lake Tahoe with my family when I was young. We had some wonderful times skiing and sledding, and simply enjoying the winter wonderland! . . . I’ve taken my husband once, and we can’t wait to go back! Congrats for being “Freshly Pressed” for the second time!

    http://arabianmusings.wordpress.com/

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  80. arigoldstein says

    Beautiful. Thanks for posting and spending the time to compose these images. Everything you have done made a difference – the right day to shoot the right camera and settings, the right blog theme, the right captions. Thanks!

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  89. sheryllrea says

    Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite destinations. I haven’t been in a while but thanks for sharing your travel picture. When we went, there were snow on the beach. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!

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    • photosbyshew says

      I was hoping for some fresh snow while we were there, but they’ve had a hard winter. It was still beautiful. Thanks for stopping by!

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  92. Primrose Rebellion says

    Love the pictures, I grew up in Incline Village and know Sand harbour very well. As beatiful as it is now it is not what it once was. In the 80’s the water was much higher.

    Thank you for sharing your shots.

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    • photosbyshew says

      How sad! I also read that the lake will continue to collect sediments and lose its clarity over time. Hurry up, everyone, go visit now!

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  95. A Little Bit Fairy says

    Breathtaking photography! And the image of the pine cones resting in the water is just fab. This has definitely added Lake Tahoe to my list of places to visit when I get the chance to leave these Irish shores again :)

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  101. Mariajose says

    The pictures look gorgeous! I love how landscape pictures make you feel peaceful and just make you dream like you’re there already.

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  102. emiliabrasier says

    Ha ha, your husband sounds like my son! Mom, mom, take a picture of x, take a picture of y, take a picture of my shoe…um okay sweetie. Such beautiful colors in the water. Nice shots.

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  103. metaphoricdream says

    Amazing photographs-thank you for posting and sharing. Your photographs possess great beauty and emotions-while looking at them I felt relaxed and serene. I am sure that taking these photographs and getting the great opportunity to visit such wonderful places was a truly unforgettable experience/trip. I cannot wait to travel all over the world in the future-I think there are so many wonderful places full of beauty, History, cultures, and uniqueness.

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  107. Rustic Recluse says

    It’s with these photos that I remembered I was there when I was still a child!! So I went back to digging out the old photos (old-school cameras, not digital ones!) and that feels like so long ago! Great photos there, it’s beautiful!

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  109. StrayCanary says

    These photos are gorgeous! I grew up going to Lake Tahoe and these pictures were the perfect bit of nostalgia for my morning.

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  116. radhiyahh says

    Really beautiful, would love to go here someday. Thank you for capturing these wonderful images (:

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  117. GMP says

    I had the privilege of living in Incline Village for 6 months last summer and it was the best time of my life. Lake Tahoe is beautiful in all angles and the locals are very accommodating. I consider it as my second home. Your pictures remind me so much of my life there. Just breathtaking any time of the day!

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