Angora Lakes

The one-mile saunter from the parking lot to the Angora Lakes is suitable for everyone in the family from kids to grandmothers. Those in need of greater physical challenges can make the 7-mile bike ride from Fallen Leaf Lake Campground on Highway 89 to the pair of quaint, blue pools east of Lake Tahoe.

You can even fly, but that’s reserved for adrenaline junkies who seize the opportunity to soar off the towering walls of granite that guard upper Angora Lake like a fence around the scariest ride at an amusement park.

“You get a little taste of skydiving,” said Joey Morlock, a high school football player from the Bay Area. “It was really fun. We’re already planning to go back.”

The Angora Lakes offer something for everyone from the kind of adventure appealing to teen-age boys or a lazy day lying beside the shoreline in between sips of lemonade. But it’s the rocks that make upper Angora Lake so unique.

Prime rock-jumping locations around Lake Tahoe are too darn dangerous these days due to low water levels, so many adventure seekers are turning to the 45- and 60-foot natural platforms at upper Angora Lake. Once at the lake, it takes a scramble through brush and over boulders to reach the peaks.

Even if you have no intention of jumping, it’s worth the effort to climb the quarter of a mile to new heights. Young friends goad one another and others brag fearlessly. And the vantage point from above is much more telling than the view from below.

“My first instinct is to just jump before you think about it,”' Morlock said. “You get that adrenaline rush.” 

Those who have been frequenting the lakes for years aren’t particularly pleased with notoriety of any kind. According to a posted sign, there have been two deaths caused by ill-fated dives. Additionally, many believe the Angora Lakes are overcrowded. A brochure in the office of Angora Lakes Resort, where pitchers of lemonade can be purchased and canoes can be rented, encourages users to petition the U.S. Forest Service to restrict visitation. Also, the resort does not advertise even though one- and two-bedroom cabins are so popular that there’s at least a one-year waiting list.

According to the Angora Lakes Resort brochure, the average number of vehicles on weekends has nearly quadrupled during the past 20 years. The two parking lots cannot handle the traffic, and creative parking on hillsides has contributed to erosion.

For its part, Angora Lakes Resort provides free bike parking to encourage alternative transportation. The company also discourages journalists from writing about the lakes.

Out of respect for the land and future generations, day-users should visit on weekdays and other off-peak times. There are already rules that bar camping and radios, but also be prepared to haul out all trash.

And don’t leave home without an adventurous spirit because the Angora Lakes are a jumping off point for an exhilarating day that may be different from anything you’ve ever experienced during a visit to Tahoe.

   

Location: From South Lake Tahoe, take Highway 89 toward Tahoe City. After 3 miles, turn left on Fallen Leaf Road and proceed for 2 miles. Turn left on Tahoe Mountain Road. After about 0.4 mile, Road 1214 (Angora Ridge Road) is on the right. Continue for 3 miles to the Angora Lakes parking lots. It’s a 1-mile hike to

Lakes
Activities: Swimming, jumping off rocks, sunbathing, canoeing
Cabin rentals: Angora Lakes Resort at 530-541-2092 or write P.O. Box 8897, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158