Why is it named Tahoe?

The name Tahoe comes from a mispronunciation of the Washoe Native American name for Lake Tahoe, da ow a ga, which means, “edge of the lake.”



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The word 'Tahoe' is the result of a mispronunciation of the first two syllables of the Washoe's word – Da ow a ga – which translates to “edge of the lake.” You can consider them the original Tahoe locals, and like us, they enjoyed the lake and its surrounding land for all it had to offer.

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Brief History Explorer John C. Fremont first saw Lake Tahoe in 1844 from the top of Red Lake Peak, which is located south of the basin and what is now Carson Pass. He named it Lake Bonpland after a botanist, but then changed it to Mountain Lake. Subsequently it was named Lake Bigler after a California Governor.

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Through the end of the 1800s the Tahoe versus Bigler feud continued, until the California legislature reversed its decision on Lake Bigler and officially named it Lake Tahoe in 1945.

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Is Lake Tahoe man-made? A. The formation of Lake Tahoe occured naturally over the course of 3-4 million years through faulting, volcanic activity, and glaciation. However, as a result of the dam (controlled by the federal water master) located in Tahoe City, the Lake is also a reservoir.

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Lake Tahoe is one of the most pure bodies of water in the world with 99.994% of the water pure. Commercially distilled water is 99.998% pure.) If you took all of the water out of Lake Tahoe and poured it onto an area the size of California, the water would still be 14 inches deep.

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First of all, Lake Tahoe's only natural outlet, the Truckee River, carries water into Nevada, not California, where it terminates at Pyramid Lake. This means there are no legal water rights to use Tahoe water in California, aside from a few local uses along the river's path to Nevada.

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Lake Tahoe is over 2-3 million years old. Tahoe is considered an ancient lake and is counted among the 20 oldest lakes in the world.

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Here's an oft-asked question: Can you swim in Lake Tahoe? The answer is yes, especially if cool/cold water is your thing! And, if you look at all the water sports outfitters and popular beaches in the area, it's clear that it's absolutely a preferred thing to do in Tahoe for a lot of people.

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Lake Tahoe's name actually originates from the Washoe language. Although the name has gone through many changes throughout the years, in 1945, California legislatures officially named the lake “Lake Tahoe” based on the indigenous name meaning “big water.”

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Because of that 2 million year old routing, a very very deep lake was created in the basin. Lake Tahoe is 1,645 feet deep (compared to a height of 1,454 for the Empire State Building). The depth means that, despite the chill, the lake never completely freezes.

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6 Fun Facts About Lake Tahoe's Natural Landscape
  • Lake Tahoe is deep enough to cover the Empire State Building. ...
  • Lake Tahoe is in two places at once. ...
  • The lake could cover the entire state of California in water. ...
  • Tahoe South gets enough snow to cover a three-story building. ...
  • The water is almost as pure as drinking water.


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Nestled in the Sierra Nevada and straddling the California/Nevada border, Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States after Crater Lake, Oregon. Lake Tahoe is the fourth deepest lake in North America and the sixteenth deepest lake in the world. The maximum depth of Lake Tahoe is 1,644.1 feet.

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Uncovered and exposed: Secrets of pristine Lake Tahoe
  • There is a nude beach (and you can drink on the beach legally)
  • Most of the ski terrain is hidden in the backcountry.
  • There's a better way to access Tahoe's amazing historic sites.
  • A Frank Sinatra overdose helped put Tahoe on the map.
  • Tahoe isn't the only lake in town.


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The water in Lake Tahoe is of excellent quality, and our community treatment plants are designed to remove or inactivate microorganisms, meeting exacting standards .

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