When you think of the state of Nevada, diving might not be the first thing that comes to mind. The fact is, there are a few interesting places to dive in Nevada; one of the very best is lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor State Park, which is just 5 miles south of Incline Village on Highway 28. Located at an elevation of 6,230 feet and definitely a contender for nomination as the best dive site in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the area gets its name from the natural, sandy beaches in the vicinity. Let's take a closer look at this beautiful Lake Tahoe dive site.
Diving Sand Harbor: Prominent Features
Sand Harbor became a state park in 1958, and was the first of Nevada's Lake Tahoe state parks. The area set aside for diving is the aptly named Diver's Cove, which is located a short 50 yards away from the parking lot, where you'll find a boat launching facility and picnic tables, as well as clean restrooms and a ranger's office.
Inside the area delineated by swim marker buoys, and to a distance of about three hundred feet beyond those buoys, the average depth is just 30 feet; beyond this, a slope with vertical cliffs and large sunken trees, as well as with impressive boulders, starts at a depth of about 40 feet and drops away into the hundreds of feet.
To the left and right side of the marked area of Diver's Cove, there are massive granite rocks, including a large cluster of boulders stacked one atop another to form a grotto. About 100 feet from shore, you'll find some scattered remains of an old barge.
Sand Harbor is home to crawdads and minnows, as well as some lovely lake trout; outside the area marked off for diving, fishing is a popular pastime, and boats travel through the area frequently, often at a high rate of speed. For this reason, it is important to use extreme caution when surfacing. In addition, Nevada state law mandates that all divers tow a dive flag.
Diver's Cove can be very busy on weekends, particularly during the summer months. You'll often find instructors holding class here, however the area is large enough that you can get away from the crowds fairly easily, particularly if you are an experienced diver planning to explore the slope and the walls.
As with other mountain lakes fed by icy springs and cold snow-fed rivers, Lake Tahoe's temperatures are chilly. During the summer, you'll find a cool 65 degrees Fahrenheit surface temperature, and temperatures get progressively colder as you descend. While you can dive in a wetsuit with a hood during the summer months, you'll need a drysuit during the winter, or if you plan to head into deep water - at a depth of 100 feet, the temperature is just 42 degrees. Visibility is normally between 50 and 60 feet. There is a fee to dive, and failure to pay will result in a hefty fine.
You can dive Sand Harbor all year; most divers prefer to visit when warmer weather comes, beginning in late May and lasting until the middle of September. Topside, accommodations include everything from camp sites to posh casino hotel rooms and there are many activities ranging from hiking to gambling to keep you occupied. Easy to access from either California or Nevada, Sand Harbor is an outstanding site all divers are sure to enjoy.