Lake Tahoe to Crater Lake: 2 Lakes Route Across the USA
Explore two of North America's most striking alpine lakes on this 480 km route through the USA. Travel from Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada's largest alpine lake nestled in the Sierra Nevada, to Crater Lake, Oregon's deepest lake set within a volcanic caldera, both renowned for their crystal-clear waters and scenic mountain surroundings.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Lake Tahoe
- End
- Crater Lake, Oregon, USA
- Stops
- 2
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Lake Tahoe — Number 11 lake, the largest alpine lake in North America, straddling California and Nevada with crystal-clear waters set in the Sierra Nevada mountains and forests.
- Crater Lake, Oregon, USA — America's deepest freshwater lake, formed in a volcanic caldera and renowned for its stunning deep blue waters and pristine alpine setting.
Useful for your trip
- Timing
- Visit Lake Kawaguchi during cherry blossom season to see beautiful cherry blossoms hugging the lakeshore alongside Mount Fuji reflections.
- Timing
- Lake Tahoe offers skiing and snowboarding in winter, and hiking and water sports in summer for year-round recreational opportunities.
- Where to stay
- Lake Tahoe has lakeside casinos, flashy hotels, and ski resorts available for visitors to stay at.
- Transport
- Take a boat trip around Inle Lake's tranquil waters to see the lake's many sights, including monasteries, temples, and floating villages.
- Timing
- Visit Lake Baikal in summer when the sun glints off its dark waters, or in winter when it freezes up to two meters deep for ice skating.
- Tip
- Lake Titicaca lies more than 3,800 meters above sea level; visitors can hike along the lakeshore, take boat trips to floating islands, or visit Inca ruins.
- Where to stay
- Use the lively tourist town of Copacabana as a base for Lake Titicaca, or stay in quieter and more relaxed shoreside towns.
- Tip
- Lake Pehoe is located in a remote part of Chilean Patagonia; it takes effort to reach but offers gorgeous glaciers, sparkling waterfalls, and majestic mountains.
- Tip
- Crater Lake offers hiking, cycling, and camping as popular recreational activities alongside photography opportunities with surrounding craggy cliffs.
- Transport
- Arrange hiking, paragliding, and white-water rafting from Queenstown along Lake Wakatipu's scenic shorelines, or go sky-diving above the sparkling waters.
- Tip
- Lake Como in Italy offers celebrity spotting in Bellagio, hiking in surrounding mountains, and access to marvelous food along its shores.
- Tip
- Paddle around Moraine Lake's tranquil waters or hike up to numerous viewpoints to take in the arresting scenery of snow-capped Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Video on this route
12 Most Beautiful Lakes in the World - Travel Video