Fall Favorites Round Up
It’s no secret that Fall is an amazing time to be in Truckee-Tahoe - it’s definitely my favorite season, and it's almost here. The trails are less crowded, the weather ranges from stormy (Yay! It’s finally raining.) to hot & sunny (Yay! A little bit more summer.), and the general feel of the locals is just more relaxed. Over the years, I’ve posted a lot of my recommendations for the fall, so I thought I’d do a round up of previous fall favorites, and add some bonus new suggestions as well.
Sierra Fall Essentials:
Here’s a round up of some of my favorite products to help me get through the variable weather of fall in the Sierra.
Sierra Fall Essentials // tahoefabulous.com
Bonus Favorites: An ultra-light, packable wind shell, like the Patagonia Houdini is perfect for cooler morning runs or to stick in your bike pack for a chilly downhill after a sweaty climb. It’s water resistant, so it will even keep you dry for a little bit in the event of a surprise rainstorm.A mid-weight vest is the perfect fall layering piece. You can wear it under a raincoat or over a flannel, and your arms will be free while your core is warm. I think springing for a down version, like the Marmot Aruna is so worth it, for quality, packability, and warmth. The Aruna is a high quality - I own the vest and the jacket version and I love them both.
Fall In Yosemite Valley:
Fall is my favorite time to visit Yosemite - check out these photos of Yosemite Valley to see why!
Yosemite Valley Fall // tahoefabulous.com
Bonus Sierra Destinations if you want to see Fall Colors:
June Lake, California: great beer, & fishing
Hope Valley, California: - delicious pie & country charm
Nevada City, California: - incredible restaurants & the Yuba river
Nothing says fall like pumpkin, and this pumpkin bread recipe with a kick of whiskey is just about perfect, if I do say so myself.
Whiskey Pumpkin Bread Recipe // tahoefabulous.com
Round the Lake Beer Tour: You’ll need a designated driver for this one, but check out my loop from Truckee, around the lake, and back, hitting up breweries and craft beer spots along the way. I just updated it for fall of 2018, so check out the new version!
Round the Lake Beer Tour // tahoefabulous.com
Favorite Fall Activities:
And here are some of my favorite things to do in Tahoe and the Sierra in the fall:
Sierra Fall Favorites // tahoefabulous.com
Go mountain biking. Often, we’ll get an early snowstorm that melts out and gets the trails in perfect condition. My favorite trails to ride in the fall are the Donner Lake Rim Trail to Wendin Canyon and Sawtooth Trail in Truckee, Mills Peak in Graeagle, and the Corral Trail Network in South Lake Tahoe.
Jump in the lake one last time. Often, the water is still warm enough for a quick swim in September and October. Or you could head to nearby hot springs, like Grover Hot Springs State Park in Markleeville or Travertine Hot Springs in Bridgeport.
Get in shape for snowboard season with some trail running. I like to get a few more trips up and down Donner Peak before the snow falls in Truckee. In South Lake Tahoe, Powerline Trail is my preferred trail running location.
Go on a road trip to the coast. Alright, that might be cheating for favorite Tahoe fall activities, but the California coast in the fall is amazing too! I especially like Santa Cruz, Point Reyes, Mendocino, and the North Coast during this time of year.