Swimming, hiking, fishing – Crystal Lake has it all

The lake is usually about 75 degrees in the summer, refreshing, but warm enough to enjoy for hours. The sandy beach is great for relaxing, building sand castles, and warming up after a long swim. Swimming across the lake can be fun for strong swimmers, but please be aware of your own capabilities, especially since at 5800 feet altitude you can get short of breath very easily. The end of the dock is about 5 feet deep, great for cannonballs.

As you explore the lake, you can generally find turtles sunning themselves, and see bird nests around the edges of the lake. There are fishing poles in the house, feel free to cast for the large-mouth bass.

A hike around the lake takes most of an afternoon, and there are plenty of good picnic spots along the way. Enjoy dozens of petroglyphs on the exposed granite near the dam on your way by. Or, hike north above the railroad tracks to overlook Grouse Ridge beyond Eagle Lakes. To the south, you can hike deep into the Tahoe National Forest, to Kelly Lake or even Lake Valley Reservoir. The more adventurous can climb Indian Dome, Keisha Dome or venture up Cisco Butte. There are also miles of forest roads and dirt tracks for mountain biking.

Nearby lakes include Kelly Lake, Lake Valley Reservoir, and numerous smaller lakes. Lake Spaulding is a 10 minute drive and allows water skiing if you have a boat.

Younger kids can swing and slide on the play structure. The tennis court is a short walk through the meadow, and there are rackets and balls in the house. The court has an adjustable basketball hoop as well, great for kids of any size. There’s a picnic table and water fountain up there as well, so it can be a spectator sport. Just remember, the balls bounce higher and faster at this altitude!

The patio has a large hot tub that for relaxing in the sunshine or under the stars. There is also a gas grill and a charcoal grill for cooking out. The patio has a stone fireplace that is perfect for s’mores, a great way to end a perfect day at Crystal Lake.