The Angora Lakes are two small
freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
s in the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
and Lake Tahoe Watershed ~ in elevation above
Fallen Leaf Lake and
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe (; was, Dáʔaw, meaning "the lake") is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada of the United States. Lying at , it straddles the state line between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevad ...
. It is the location of th
Angora Lakes Resort[Angora Lakes Resort](_blank)
/ref> a small summer outdoor recreation location. The lakes were named for a herd of Angora goat
Angora may refer to:
Places
*Angora, the historic name of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey
*Angora, Philadelphia
**Angora (SEPTA station), a commuter rail station
*Angora, Minnesota
* Angora Township, Minnesota
*Angora, Nebraska
*Angora Lakes ...
s that used to graze in the area.
To reach Angora Lakes from Hwy 89, take the Fallen Leaf Lake Rd. turnoff for approximately . (Alternate route: Lake Tahoe Blvd. to Tahoe Mountain Rd.) Turn left and climb to the top of the one-lane road and look for the dirt road and a sign reading "1214". From there, an at times steep and at times paved road leads to fantastic vistas and ends in the Angora Lakes trailhead parking lot. There is a uphill hike to Angora Lake.
Tourist activities
The road to the lower parking lot is open from approximately May 1 to October 1, during which time the resort may be accessed on foot. At the resort at the upper lake, a small snack bar serves sandwiches, "world famous" lemonade, and ice cream. Rowboats, kayaks, and paddle boards can be rented.
A cliff face at the upper lake can serve as a jumping platform
A jumping platform is a naturally occurring or human-made surface for people to jump from. It is usually situated above a body of water, or above mats, a box-spring mattress, piles of empty cardboard boxes, or other soft landing surfaces, or they ...
. The highest ledge that is typically used is approximately sixty feet above the water. During the summer tourist season, jumps are frequent.
A narrow beach consisting of granite sand, located on the northwestern shore, is a popular spot for swimming and sunbathing.
Parking (fee-based) in the lot at the end of Angora Ridge Road is limited. On summer weekends, the lot often fills by mid-morning. Parking along Angora Ridge Road is restricted.
Water sports
During the summer, the lake is popular for water sports
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a s ...
, cliff jumping, and beach activities. The two cities most identified with the Lake Tahoe tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...
area are South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada. The city's population was 21,330 at the 2020 census, down from 21,403 at the 2010 census. The city, along the southern edge of Lake ...
and the smaller Stateline, Nevada
Stateline is a census-designated place (CDP) on the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. It lies next to the California state line and City of South Lake Tahoe. The population was 842 at the 2010 census. ...
; smaller centers on the northern shoreline include Tahoe City
Tahoe City (formerly Tahoe) is an unincorporated town in Placer County, California. Tahoe City is located on the shore of Lake Tahoe, at the outlet of the Truckee River.
The site was surveyed in 1863, and Tahoe House was built in 1864. The Taho ...
and Kings Beach.
Angora Fire of 2007
The so-called "Angora Fire
The Angora Fire was a 2007 wind-driven wildfire in El Dorado County, California. It started near North Upper Truckee Road subdivision near Angora Lakes, Fallen Leaf Lake, Echo Lake and South Lake Tahoe, California around 2:15 PM on Sund ...
" started around 1:00 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2007, at the southern end of remote heavily forested land below Angora Ridge Road and extended from Meyers and Fallen Leaf Lake on the south and west to Camp Richardson near Lake Tahoe's southern shore. Strong winds caused the fire to quickly spread uncontrolled through steep terrain. Most of the devastation to homes was near N. Upper Truckee Rd. where the fire destroyed 254 homes, damaged 26 homes, numerous other structures valued at $141 million and prompted 3,000 evacuations, making it among the half dozen or so most destructive fires in U.S. history. No commercial structures were involved. For $15 million, 2,100 firefighters, 145 engines, and 9 air tankers battled the blaze, which consumed 3,100 acres (12.5 square kilometers) and filled the entire Tahoe basin with dense smoke for several days.[Angora Fire Update](_blank)
KOLO TV News High winds initially spread the fire and caused most of the property losses, but much calmer conditions on the ensuing three days allowed firefighters to contain it 70% with firebreak lines around it.[South Lake Tahoe fire now 70 percent contained]
, ''San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
''
No thunderstorms were in the area at the time, and it is assumed that the fire was human-caused.
The ash from the fire that falls in Lake Tahoe is considered to be a problem for the clarity of Lake Tahoe, and Governor Schwarzenegger of California pledged to spend the necessary funds to restore the land values adequately to prevent erosion from depositing the ash on the ground into the lake and further damaging it.KOLO news
/ref>
Nearby peaks and mountains
* Echo Peak 8,895 ft (2,711.2 m)
*Angora Peak
Angora Peak is a summit in the Sierra Nevada south of Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, California. The summit marks a point on the eastern boundary of the Desolation Wilderness and is in the Eldorado National Forest.
The peak is located south ...
8,588 ft (2,617.6 m)
*Mount Tallac
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
9,735 ft (2,967 m)
*Ralston Peak
Ralston Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range to the west of Lake Tahoe within the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado County, California. Ralston Peak is a very popular mountain to summit for the views of the wilderness area a ...
9,235 ft (2,814.8 m)
* Pyramid Peak 9,985 ft (3,043.4 m)
See also
*Emerald Bay State Park
Emerald Bay State Park is a state park of California in the United States, centered on Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark. Park features include Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that is considered one of the fin ...
*List of lakes in California
There are more than 3,000 named lakes, reservoirs, and dry lakes in the U.S. state of California.
Largest lakes
In terms of area covered, the largest lake in California is the Salton Sea, a lake formed in 1905 which is now saline. It occupies ...
References
External links
Angora Lakes plant list
Angora Fire Restoration Project (US Forest Service)
{{authority control
Lakes of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Lakes of El Dorado County, California
Lake Tahoe
Tahoe National Forest
Ski areas and resorts in California
Lakes of Northern California
Lakes of California