Burnside Lake
Lake · Lake Tahoe corridor
Burnside Lake is a Sierra Nevada alpine lake at 8,156 feet in the Lake Tahoe corridor. Sheltered by granite ridges, it sits calmer than the exposed waters of Tahoe's open basin and warms slightly faster in spring.
Wind funnels from the east in afternoon hours, building steadily between midday and sunset. Morning conditions are typically glassy; skip paddling or fishing after early afternoon unless you tolerate chop. Cold water and shallow inlets freeze solid through winter, making late spring the functional window.
Over the last 30 days, Burnside Lake averaged a NoGo Score of 12.0 with a 10 mph average wind and temperatures hovering at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The week ahead looks similar: expect calm early mornings followed by afternoon wind gusts up to 24 mph. Plan accordingly if you're sensitive to wind or fishing a short window.
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About Burnside Lake
Burnside Lake sits at 8,156 feet in the high Sierra Nevada, roughly 45 minutes from the Tahoe corridor via Highway 395 and local forest roads. It is a modest alpine water body, not a destination lake for crowds but a legitimate fishery and dayhike target for locals working up from Carson City or the Reno area. Access requires a high-clearance vehicle on maintained but rough terrain; check Forest Service gates before committing. The lake drains into the Carson River system, well east of the Tahoe basin proper.
Spring and early summer are the functional seasons. Winter snowpack seals the lake until late May or early June, depending on melt rate; access roads remain impassable into mid-April most years. By late June, the lake has thawed and wind averages run around 10 mph with max gusts to 24 mph. Temperatures swing from lows around 32 degrees Fahrenheit in May to peaks near 46 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-summer. Crowding remains minimal year-round (average 3.0 on the NoGo scale), so solitude is the defining feature.
Burnside Lake suits anglers targeting native trout and hikers seeking a quiet alpine cirque without the Tahoe madhouse. The shoreline is rocky and talus-studded; there is no developed campground, but dispersed camping is available on nearby Forest Service land. Afternoon wind is the primary constraint. Head to the lake before 10 a.m., fish or swim, and be packed out by mid-afternoon when wind picks up. The water remains cold even in summer; wetsuit or thick layers are standard.
Nearby alternatives include Monitor Lake and Hobart Reservoir, both to the south and slightly lower in elevation. Eagle Lake, to the north, is larger and more exposed to wind. If you need a warmer, more sheltered alpine lake with easier access, consider the lakes in the Mokelumne Wilderness to the west, though those demand longer drive times and steeper hikes. Burnside's chief advantage is its eastside location and quick access from the Carson/Reno corridor, plus its low base popularity of 0.25 means you will find it empty even on moderate-traffic weekends.