Has anyone gone swimming in Lake Tahoe in May? I read that the water is pretty cold. What is it like?

The water is cold even in the summer!

FREEZING!!!!!!!!

water temps 50-60f.

I've been swimming in Lake Tahoe in May and thought the water was chilly, but ok. You should know that I grew up swimming in the Pacific ocean in Santa Cruz without a wet suit so I have quite a tolerance for cold water.

We spent every summer in Tahoe when I was growing up, usually in August. I would spend the whole afternoon in the lake floating on a raft and swimming. I don't remember the water being cold at all. ***kim***

Major SHRINKAGE in May!!!!

We'd go up in June or July and it would still be cold when the sun goes behind a cloud!
But it's still so beautiful! Especially flying over it at sunrise.

The story has always been that the waters at the depths of Lake Tahoe are so cold that it is the perfect place to dump a dead body. The water is so cold, the body will never rise to the surface. That thought alone is enough to keep this Floridian out of those waters!

It is COLD. I was there in August and it was still freezing. Most people in the water had wet suits on.

Kimamom neglected to mention that she's an Eskimo.


The water in Lake Tahoe is among the coldest of any major lake in the WORLD (not just my impression, this is according to worldtravels.com), but the surface temps do reach well into the 60's during late summer. Still cold by my scale, though.

LOL! I don't know about being an Eskimo but sure did enjoy being in the water there in August. I've raised a family of swimmers and water polo players so being in the water is very natural for us. My daughter has a wetsuit for the surfing and boogey-boarding at the Oregon beaches but certainly could not imagine nor have I ever seen anyone in a wetsuit in August at Tahoe!! Maybe May is different.....

***kim***

I too grew up spending summers in Lake Tahoe. While it wasn't warm by East Coast standards, it never required a wetsuit! May could be hit or miss, though.

On a hot sunny day, the top two inches are heavenly!

Floating is good.

Almost as bad as ice water, even in July and August. But, there are always a share of people that are in it who seem to be oblivious to the temp. Maybe they are insane.

I think it's all a matter of what you are used to. I've never been swimming in the Atlantic or the Gulf. I grew up swimming in the Pacific and in lakes and streams in the Sierras. To me, water anywhere other than a bathtub is SUPPOSED to be cold.

Exactly! We all know that Lake Tahoe is not a Hot Springs!! It's refreshing when the water is a bit cold. My husband will swim anywhere. When we go to the Oregon Coast he won't even put on a wetsuit. We also swim a lot at Huntington Lake in the Sierra Nevadas. We just jump in the spa when we get back to our condo!! LOL ***kim***

i am one of those crazies who swims in lake tahoe from june to october...no wet suit...hardcore....i am 65!

Wow Holly how do you find a topic from 9 years ago?

If you go to where there is shallower water - by the beaches -it's nice/tolerable - and warmer than if you go further out in the deeper lake.

The beaches along the South shore - Baldwin, Pope, - etc - a couple miles from the Y are fine - as the beaches up by Homewood on the west side get good sun - and the Kings Beach area finds people in the water. see these pics: http://tinyurl.com/d7eeufy

And here is one page listing some of the beaqches - and there are others: http://www.tahoesbest.com/places/parkbeach.htm

Tom maybe you might notice that Holly topped a thread from 9 YEARS AGO.