Incline Village: Beaches, Sports and Hotels

There are several options for a trip to Incline Village, including beaches and water activities, winter sports, outdoor recreation, and cultural and historical attractions.

Beaches, Water and Access

The Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) manages four access-restricted beaches in Incline Village. Access is reserved for holders of an IVGID Picture Pass or a Recreation Punch Card with beach access, and their guests. The beaches offer different amenities: Burnt Cedar Beach has a small sandy beach with a sheltered swimming cove, an outdoor pool with a waterslide, and an adjoining wading pool for young children. Incline Beach offers a sandy beach and a swimming area.

Ski Beach has a boat launch, picnic areas, a bocce ball court, and a volleyball court. The east side of the boat ramp is reserved for private, non-motorized watercraft such as kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats. Outdoor classes are also held at Ski Beach from May to October. In summer, live music takes place there on most Wednesdays and Fridays between 4 and 7 p.m. Check the current schedule before your trip.

A regional attraction is Sand Harbor State Park. On the park’s eastern shore, gently sloping beaches, crystal-clear water, and distinctive rock formations shape the landscape. Visitors can swim, kayak, and scuba dive there. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival takes place each summer at Sand Harbor State Park; check the event dates for the current season’s program. The Sand Harbor Visitor Center and Gift Shop offers self-guided tours, informative exhibits, and regional information. Check operating details before your visit.

Winter Sports and Outdoor Recreation

Diamond Peak is a community-owned ski resort above Incline Village. Its terrain caters to skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels and covers 655 acres, with a vertical drop of 1,840 feet. Operating hours and snow conditions vary by season, so take them into account when planning.

The Incline Village Fitness Trail offers another way to spend time outdoors: this 0.8-mile fitness trail winds through the forest beside Incline Creek and has 18 stations. It is suitable year-round for walking, running, snowshoeing, cycling, and exercise; snow conditions affect use in winter. For cyclists who prefer trails with a variety of features, Holman Family Bike Park has a pump track, beginner and intermediate flow lines, and jumps. All ages and ability levels are welcome. Maintenance or weather may lead to closures; check the current status before your visit.

Other facilities offer a range of activities. Incline Village Disc Golf Course has 18 par-3 holes and is next to Incline Village Recreation Center, the skateboard park, and Ridgeline Park Ball Fields. The advanced area of Incline Skate Park has two side-by-side, five-foot-high bowls connected by a spine. The Parks & Recreation Department also runs skateboard camps and classes for young people, led by Village Skate School instructors Cedar Gateley and Clayton Green.

Incline Village Tennis & Pickleball Center has seven tennis courts and 15 pickleball courts; operations are weather-dependent and seasonal. The Recreation Center has a 25-yard indoor pool with eight lanes, as well as aqua fitness classes, swimming and diving programs, and lap swimming. For golf enthusiasts, public Incline Village Championship Golf Course is another option: the 18-hole course on Lake Tahoe was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and offers lake views. Golf operations are seasonal.

History and Trails Along Lake Tahoe

The remains of the Great Incline of the Sierra Nevada are on the mountain above Incline Village. The Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Company completed the 4,000-foot incline in 1880. Those looking to combine history and scenery on one route will find 23 interpretive panels about regional history, the environment, and local wildlife along the Tahoe East Shore Trail. The three-mile section begins on the mountain slope, passes under the highway, and then follows a rugged, rocky shoreline. The trail provides access to public beaches, coves, and paths along Nevada’s scenic coastline; amenities include restrooms, benches, bike racks, and panels at viewpoints.

The Lake Tahoe Flume Trail is also near Incline Village. This singletrack trail is carved into steep granite cliffs and overlooks Lake Tahoe. For context on the region: within the broader destination of Washoe, the southeastern part of Washoe County borders Lake Tahoe’s northeast shore and meets the Sierra Nevada.

Discover more destinations: Reno, Lemmon Valley-Golden Valley, Crystal Bay, Sparks, Cold Springs.

Go to the broader travel overview: Washoe.