Do the Downieville Downhill
Here's an incredible fat-tire biking opportunity - begin at 7,150 feet, amidst Tahoe National Forest's firs, and ride down to town on beautiful forested singletrack, following sparkling streams along the way. The area's most popular option is taking a shuttle from Downieville to Packer Saddle, then riding back along this spectacular route. Riders can, however, make this a loop ride if they're not afraid of climbing. Although the trail has some very technical sections, competent intermediate riders should be able to handle it, if they don't mind walking their bike occasionally. There are several variations to this trail, all of which run parallel to one another. You may begin with either Butcher Ranch Trail, Pauley Creek Trail, or Big Boulder Trail. When you've reached the end of your selected route, you will then take the Second Divide or the Third Divide Trails to the dirt Lavezzola Road. You'll take that road to First Divide Trail, which takes you back to Downieville. And there are many other trails around Downieville on which to further whet your singletrack appetite - try the Chimney Rock/Empire Creek Trails.

Skinny-Ski the Backcountry
Tahoe National Forest's alpine resorts are justly famous, but it may well be an even better spot to cross-country ski. For one thing, it's home to Royal Gorge, the largest Nordic resort on the continent. Perched on snowy Donner Summit, Royal Gorge has just about everything you could want: an immaculate trail system that is revitalized daily with a fleet of snow-grooming machines; an extensive network of warming huts; a backcountry overnight wilderness lodge, unique among U.S. Nordic ski areas, that serves gourmet meals; four surface lifts that form something of a miniature downhill ski area served by a large day lodge with a restaurant and sundeck; and rental equipment that is always on the cutting edge of technology. It's one of the great winter resorts of the world. There are several other Nordic areas near Tahoe City and along the Donner Pass corridor, along with an extensive and fairly heavily used system of free trails on Tahoe National Forest land. All of which adds up to make one of the nation's true cross-country hot spots.

Backpack a Chunk of the Pacific Crest Trail
Not many of us find time to thru-hike the length of the great long-distance trails. Fortunately, there's always section-hiking, and for all those who tackle the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail in bits and pieces, there are 97 miles and a few sublime sections within the Tahoe National Forest. One favorite is the trip from the I-80 trailhead at Boreal Ski Area down to Squaw Valley; it's a 15-mile hike along knife-edge ridges. Another traverses for 21 miles along the eastern border of the Granite Chief Wilderness, a jaw-droppingly scenic area of exposed rock formations, granite cliffs and glacially-carved valleys, forests, and meadows.

Paddle the American River
The American River is truly an American favorite: more than 100,000 people float just the South Fork of the river every year, making it the most popular stretch of whitewater in the state of California. The river offers great scenic beauty, thrilling whitewater excitement and a motherlode of mining and American history. The North Fork, which gathers steam in Tahoe National Forest, present greater challenges to the rafter; the run from Iowa Hill Bridge to Ponderosa Way is a technical, fast, and furious trip with five miles of virtually continuous Class IV rapids. Standouts among the sharp drops and rocky chutes are Zig-Zag, Achilles Heel and Bogus Thunder. On the slower lower stretch, savor the spectacular scenery of this truly wild river. The diversity of the unique river canyon can be seen in its deep, vertical walled gorges and high bluffs; in its placid pools and cascading rapids; and through its mixture of conifer and hardwood forests. The river has it all - good fishing in uncrowded conditions, backpacking, swimming, photography, gold panning, and more.

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