Taylor Creek Visitor Center
- October kokanee salmon run
- Bears & eagles
- Viewing platform
- Free
ActivitiesWildlife Watching
Wildlife watching at Lake Tahoe
Black bears, bald eagles, osprey and mule deer live around the basin, and every October kokanee salmon turn Taylor Creek red.
Conditions today
- Right now
- 72°F, Sunny
- Today
- High 72°, low 48°
- TomorrowPartly Cloudy, 10% chance of rain68° 45°
- ThuMostly Clear, 5% chance of rain74° 50°
- FriPM Storms, 75% chance of rain61° 44°
Best months
- Jan: possible
- Feb: possible
- Mar: possible
- Apr: possible
- May: best
- Jun: best
- Jul: possible
- Aug: possible
- Sep: best
- Oct: best (this month)
- Nov: possible
- Dec: possible
There is something to see all year. Late spring brings nesting osprey and active bears; October brings the kokanee run.
Know before you go
- Distance
- Stay well back from every animal and never feed one. Bears that learn to take food from people often end up being killed.
- Timing
- Dawn and dusk are the best times. Bears are most active at dusk.
- Bring
- Binoculars make the difference for eagles and osprey, which nest high in shoreline trees.
- Dogs
- Keep dogs leashed, or leave them behind, in viewing areas.
7 places for wildlife watching
Open the wildlife mapD.L. Bliss — Bear Territory
- Black bears most active at dusk
- Bear boxes required
- Osprey nesting
Spooner Lake Wildlife
- Osprey
- Waterfowl
- Mule deer
- 2mi interpretive loop
Sand Harbor — Shorebirds
- Yellow-legged frogs
- Great blue heron
- Waterfowl
- Morning best
Eagle Point — Osprey Zone
- Bald eagle nesting area
- Osprey fishing
- Spring best
Fallen Leaf Lake — Deer
- Mule deer at meadow edges
- Osprey & mergansers
- Quiet
All 7 wildlife watching places, A to Z
Guides and official sites
These open on other websites.