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Just twenty five miles north of Truckee lies the sleepy little village of Sierraville, just on the edge of the Tahoe sized valley known as the Sierra Valley. The Sierra Valley is a great place for cows, wildflowers and a variety of birds, and it’s also an awesome place to go bike riding. You can ride a big level circle around the valley and marvel at the birds arising from the wet spots, or do a bit of climbing by heading just north of the valley to Frenchman’s Lake or Davis Lake. You can take the short jaunt to ride the Sierra Valley anytime, but one great option is to arrive on a summer Friday, when the Sierra Farmers Market is in session just a bit south of Beckwourth. The best way to ride the valley, however, is to be a part of the Tour De Manure. This year set for June 21st.
The Tour De Manure is a metric century ride, which at 62 miles is much more civilized then the grueling 100 milers. It circles the Sierra Valley, giving you plenty of opportunity to decipher how it gets its name. It starts and ends at the Sierraville Volunteer Fire House, which is appropriate because it is a major fundraiser for the Sierraville Fire Department. When you finish, inside that firehouse you will find lots of excellent food and drink, and outside you will find a party going on, with a band, and lots of Tahoe and Truckee locals enjoying a hopefully beautiful sunny day.
For information or to register go to . In addition to registration, this year the inaugural Tour http://www.sierravillefireandrescue.com/biketour.html. De Manure bike jersey is available for purchase. Don’t you want a raging bull on your back while you are riding through the farm land?
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EVENT CANCELLED!
Unfortunately, it turns out that this venue is on Federal Park land, not State Park land. As you no doubt have heard, Congress has decided to shut down the entire country’s PUBLIC lands while they decide whether or not to get their collective acts together.
The fish however, did not get the memo. They will continue doing what they do, which is spawn. The rangers won’t be giving the planned educational tours, and the river viewing area and visitor center will be closed. On the other hand, if you are so inclined, there is nothing wrong with a little civil disobedience I say.
Just stroll right past those ‘Park Closed’ signs, enjoy the fall colors and watch the fish!
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Spawning Kokanee Salmon at Taylor Creek
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Fall is soon upon us, and that means it is time for the annual Kokanee Salmon spawning ritual.
We on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe and Truckee tend to forget that there is a whole other half to the lake, with plenty of fun things to do – other than gambling. (Although you can do that too after you’re done with the daytime/outdoor activities.)
The South Shore of the lake will once again play host to the annual ‘Fall Fish Festival’ – (formerly known as the Kokanee Salmon Festival.) The name change is no doubt due to the fact that, hey, there ARE other fish in the Lake…which the Forest Service Biologists will be happy to educate you about from 10am- 4pm on both Saturday, Oct. 5th and Sunday, Oct. 6th.
The Taylor Creek Visitor Center is on Hwy 89 south just past South Lake Tahoe heading towards Emerald Bay. The trails at The Center meander through lovely aspen and pine forest as it follows the stream, which is perfect for viewing the colorful salmon as they make their way to the spawning grounds. Depending on what week in the fall you hit the area at, there will be anywhere from dozens to hundreds of salmon the entire length of the stream. (It’s kind of like trying to catch the height of fall colors in the mountains. It’s never at quite the same time every year.) There is also an underground viewing area that cuts right into the stream bed. There you can see what’s really going on underwater and get a different perspective of the stream than you could get viewing it from above.
Do keep an eye out for bears. There’s plenty of fish, so there are often bears lurking about trying to fatten up on all that plentiful bounty before they go into hibernation for the winter. Be sure to go to the links below and read up on the proper ‘bear etiquette’ while you’re at Taylor Creek.
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Tallac Historic Site
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Continue along the trail until you get to the fence that separates the nature center from the Tallac Historic Site. Slip through the gate and wander the estate of a bygone era. While the building tours themselves may be closed for the season, the grounds themselves are pleasantly interesting and home to some of the most lovely ‘Old Tahoe’ architecture to be found at the lake. Walk along the beach, or check out the last vestiges of the gardens as they wind down for the growing season.
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Tallac Historic Site
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For more information on The Fish Festival and the Tallac Historic Site, go to these links:
Fall Fish Festival
Tallac Historic Site
tahoesouth.com
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