What does Tahoe mean?
We all know it's a Native American word... isn't it? What does it mean and how'd Lake Tahoe get its name?
TAHOE
Jason Akinaka
7/20/20231 min read
Lake Tahoe is a breathtakingly beautiful freshwater lake located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the state line between California and Nevada. Rumor has it the name "Tahoe" comes from the Washoe Native American language, and it means "big water" or "lake." However, "Tahoe" actually comes from what the Washoe called the place — "Da ow aga," meaning "edge of the lake." Apparently, when European settlers arrived in the area, they mispronounced and shortened the place name to what it is today.
To learn more about the Washoe, you can attend a FREE tour hosted by the Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Resources Office of the Washoe Tribe. You will have to buy a $19 Aerial Tram ride but the event is otherwise free. More info about the tour can be found here.
Also, there are several tours of Lake Tahoe itself from sailing tours, to biking tours, helicopter tours, and more, which you can shop for here. If you're considering Lake Tahoe for a vacation, I highly recommend it, having visited every year of my teens. Tahoe's pristine blue waters, surrounded by majestic mountains and pine forests, have made Lake Tahoe a popular tourist destination and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether it's swimming, boating, hiking, or skiing, Lake Tahoe offers a wide range of activities for visitors to enjoy in this stunning natural setting.
The Tahoe tours link on this page is an affiliate link and earns me a commission, which allows me to continue to create helpful content like this. Affiliate links do NOT increase the cost of the purchase; in fact, sometimes they can be exclusive discounts (though I will let you know if or when that is the case.) Happy shopping!