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Incline Village on Lake Tahoe's Nevada Shore
Through the LGBT community’s mobilizing efforts, as well as all our supporters, we are more than happy to espouse the beauty of Incline Village – our home away from home on Lake Tahoe. Incline Village is located on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side – just a few miles beyond the California Stateline. The population is roughly 6,000 and in our opinion it is by far the prettiest town on the lake. Nestled between the lake and Sierras, Incline Village lets you forget about the rest of the world while there. The community surrounding our cabin offers a little bit of everything - from camping to fine dining; kayaking to skiing; retail therapy to the slots.
Further along the trail is Chimney Beach; another clothing optional beach more popular with LGBT people than Hidden Beach. The views of the lake and the opposite shore from here, as well as from along the path, are breathtaking and the eye candy isn’t half bad either. One of the prettiest hiking trails in the world is the Flume Trail, which starts at Spooner Lake south of Incline Village and ends at the Village itself. The smell of the Ponderosa trees seems even stronger here than anywhere else. The trail is 13.5 miles long, with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet. From the trail you can see the entire Lake Tahoe Basin including Emerald Cove and the surrounding mountains. The V-flume giving the trail its name is also related to Incline’s history. In the mid 1800s, a double track narrow gauge tramline carrying logs nearly 1,400 feet vertically to the V-flume ran along the mountain’s granite outcroppings. The tram was positioned at an incline giving the town its name.
Other nearby runs include Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows and Homewood. Whether you go skiing or snowboarding, you are guaranteed some of the best snow in the country. For those of you who want to enjoy some gambling after a day in the great outdoors, there is a great first-class casino located at the Hyatt Regency right in town. Aside from the blackjack tables, roulette wheels and baccarat - there are great restaurants and bars in the resort, as well as in the vicinity of the hotel. Getting there:
The Reno/Tahoe International Airport is located 45 minutes away. For train enthusiasts, Amtrak makes scheduled stops in Truckee, California, about 25 minutes by car from Incline. The train ride to Truckee from the north, south or west traverses the Sierras along historical Donner Pass. The trip is breathtaking and one you will never forget. Getting Around Incline Village is a very walkable and bikable town, but it is hilly! The Tahoe Area Rapid Transit (comically known as TART) busses make several stops around Incline Village on its route around the Lake. Though not very frequent, it is efficient. The easiest way is to bring a car. If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, though, go back to the beginning of this paragraph, and consider cycling or enjoying a leisurely - albeit moderately challenging walk - to all kinds of great spots.
The cabin sleeps up to 8 people comfortably and has a nice living area and deck for parties and just hanging out with your friends. It’s also a great romantic getaway for two. There is a stream next door that runs year-round. The gentle babbling soothes us at night as we fall asleep or when we sit on the deck to read or chat. Our dogs also like splashing around in the stream. We’ve made every effort to decorate and supply the cabin in such a way that it feels like home as soon as you walk in. If you’d like to learn more about the cabin and see a few more pictures, please check our webpage at www.inclinevillagecabin.com
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Recently, we didn’t feel we could recommend Incline Village because the local Trust that governs the town had repealed Domestic Partner Benefits. Fortunately, there was so much pressure from all over the country, plus the threat of a boycott, that the board had to reinstate those benefits.
One of our favorite things to do is to take our two dogs on a hike along the lake just south of Sand Harbor. The trails starts up on Highway 28 (Lake Tahoe Drive), and continues above the lake for about a mile until you reach Hidden Beach, a clothing optional beach.
In the winter months, there is plenty of skiing in town at Diamond Peak and Mount Rose. For the true powder enthusiast there is additional skiing within 20 minutes at Northstar-at-Tahoe, our personal favorite.
Incline Village is located within a 3 1/2 hours drive from the Bay Area. If you live in, or are visiting, San Francisco, you can enjoy a quick getaway up to the Lake.
We spent close to a year remodeling our cabin in Incline Village. And we can now not only enjoy it on occasion, but be able to share it with our guests throughout the year. The cabin is located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the mountains above the town. Located only about a 15 minute walk to the main business district of Incline where, you will find a Starbucks; a movie theater; and Raley’s supermarket. Raley’s sells everything you will need for your stay, including premium wines, gourmet cheeses and great produce. If you’re in the mood to dine out – local eateries include Azzara’s Italian restaurant or La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in the Raley’s shopping center; Bite across the street; the China Chef, Crosby’s Grill Pub or Yoshimi Sushi just north of Raley’s at the Christmas Village. A few minutes down the hill towards the lake, offerings include Tomaato’s, Austin’s, China Wok or La Fondue to mention just a few.