Tahoe National Forest, Protected forest in Sierra Nevada, California, United States.

Tahoe National Forest spreads across mountain terrain with meadows, lakes, and rivers throughout the Sierra Nevada region. The landscape features diverse ecosystems that support varied outdoor activities year-round.

The Sierra Forest Reserve, including the Tahoe area, was created on February 14, 1893, covering over 4,000,000 acres. The Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve, established by President William McKinley in 1899, was renamed Tahoe Forest Reserve on April 13, 1899. In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt moved the reserves from the Interior Department to the Agriculture Department's Forest Service under Gifford Pinchot, and in 1908 the Sierra National Forest was split into five units.

The Washoe Native American people lived here for centuries, relying on the lake and forests for food and materials they gathered. Their presence shaped how this landscape is understood and valued today.

Nearly all of the forest is publicly accessible, though temporary closures occur for fire or weather. Foresthill Road and Mosquito Ridge Road are paved and open to regular vehicles, reaching areas that would be remote in other Sierra forests. Check fire restrictions before visiting; 63 campgrounds are available.

The forest holds three wolverines, a species rarely documented in California; sightings are uncommon and not something visitors can plan on. Its elevation runs from 1,500 feet in the American River canyon to over 9,000 feet atop Mount Lola on the Sierra Crest.