Lake Tahoe Triathlon
Tahoma (Sugar Pine Point State Park), United States · August · Independent (Big Blue Adventure)
Course: 0.5 km (0.3 mi) swim, 16.1 km (10.0 mi) bike, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) run. 500 m (0.31 mi), 10 miles (16.1 km), 2 miles (3.2 km); shorter than a standard sprint.
Why people love it
- Clear lake water about 19 to 21 °C (66 to 70 °F), wetsuits optional.
- The sprint has a 500 m (0.31 mi) swim, a short bike and a soft trail run.
- Shaded lakeshore and forest trail run in a state park.
- One venue for swim, transition, expo and finish.
- The Olympic bike passes Meeks Bay, D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay.
Watch out for
- Altitude of about 1,900 m (6,200 ft) slows everyone.
- The Olympic bike climbs about 730 m (2,400 ft) and has a technical descent.
- The highway stays open to cars, with traffic holds of up to 20 minutes.
- Dawn air is about 6 to 12 °C (43 to 53 °F), and the run is dirt and sand.
- Few independent race reviews exist, and none is recent.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 30% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
Racer reports from 2016 and 2017 praise the scenery and clear water, and one calls the Olympic the most demanding out there. Nothing recent. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Clear schedule with separate sprint and Olympic check-ins. No racer complaints, but traffic holds of up to 20 minutes are expected in 2026. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.9
The organiser pitches it at first-timers: a 500 m (0.31 mi) swim, 16.1 km (10 mi) bike and 3.2 km (2 mi) trail run. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.5
Short, unusual distances and altitude make times hard to compare. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.6
Wetsuits are optional and August water is 19 to 21 °C (66 to 70 °F), below usual legal limits. The sanctioning body is not stated. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureIdeal4.5
August water is about 19 to 21 °C (66 to 70 °F), though dawn air can be near 12 °C (53 °F). · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.0
Sheltered west-shore cove at dawn. A 2017 report noted high water but no chop, and Tahoe can get windy later. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy4.2
A 500 m (0.31 mi) rectangle in clear water. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceSuperb4.5
Clear alpine water, a state-park beach start and a pine-lined shore. · Medium confidence
- Swim supportGood3.5
Sprint swims in four waves five minutes apart, and the 2017 Olympic age-group start was one wave. Lifeguard details not found. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Paved highway 89. The race director joked about road construction in 2016. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open1.9
The bike course stays open to cars, with highway patrol flaggers at key points and rolling breaks. · Medium confidence
- Bike scenerySpectacular4.5
Lakeshore road past Meeks Bay, D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay, which a 2017 racer called the most scenic spot. · Medium confidence
- WindMostly calm3.7
Pine-sheltered shoreline road. No wind complaints. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage2.9
Short out-and-back on an open road with a turnaround. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.4
Elevation is not published. The out-and-back on highway 89 is rolling. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts2.9
A 2017 racer called the Emerald Bay descent technical and dangerous. The short sprint out-and-back is simple. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportSparse2.3
State-park trail run with few spectators, though the finish has a beer tent and live music. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
The Olympic has one bike aid station without bottles and five or six on the run. The sprint has two run stops. · Low confidence
- Run scenerySpectacular4.6
Lakeshore nature trail, shaded creek trail and forest. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.6
Soft, shaded 3.2 km (2 mi) run. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.0
Short trail with a steep exit and a finish climb. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.6
Cold mornings, about 6 to 12 °C (43 to 53 °F) in 2016, then warm afternoons of 21 to 27 °C (70 to 81 °F). · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.8
Late August Sierra weather is typically dry. Wildfire smoke and cold mornings are the risks. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyStunning4.8
West shore of Lake Tahoe in Sugar Pine Point State Park. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints2.6
Remote park with trails, and the bike is a highway out-and-back. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeHigh altitude1.2
Lake level is about 1,900 m (6,230 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.5
Tahoe in late August is high season, so book early. No event-specific source. · Low confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.2
Peak-summer lakeside lodging is costly. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.9
Swim, transition, expo and finish are at Sugar Pine Point, and a campground is inside the park. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.6
Reno-Tahoe airport is about 80 km (50 mi) away, with mountain driving. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.9
One venue. Sprint check-in is race morning 06:00 to 06:30, and Olympic check-in is the afternoon before or 05:15. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.3
Tahoma and Tahoe City are 15 to 25 km (9 to 15 mi) away, with little near the park. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Tahoma (Sugar Pine Point State Park), California, United States
- Typical month
- August
- Latest or next date
- 30 August 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Big Blue Adventure)
- Distances (non-standard)
- 0.5 km (0.3 mi) swim, 16.1 km (10.0 mi) bike, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Sugar Pine Beach, Lake Tahoe (lake)
- Water temperature
- 19–21 °C (66–70 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Optional
- Swim start
- wave
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- D.L. Bliss; Emerald Bay
- Run laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Mostly shaded
- Air temperature
- 6–27 °C (43–81 °F)
- Humidity
- low
- Altitude
- 1,900 m (6,230 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Reno-Tahoe International (RNO), 80 km (50 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Tahoe City, Homewood, Tahoma
- Booking
- Peak summer, book early.
What racers and reviewers say
- Lake Tahoe Triathlon sprint recapRaced 2017 · blog · Positive
Racer's sprint write-up posted on the organiser site, calling it one of her favourite local races. Notes very high lake water that year, leaving no beach at the start. PDF text could not be extracted, so only the title and a search snippet were read.
- Freeplay MagazineRaced 2016 · blog · Positive
Half-distance racer at Sugar Pine reports a clear scenic swim (her favourite part), cold dawn about 6 °C (43 °F), a hilly out-and-back bike with construction narrowing the road and a tough Emerald Bay stretch, and a shaded single-track and fire-road run. Volunteers and fellow athletes were supportive.
“two seasons in Tahoe, winter and construction”
- South Tahoe NowRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Caltrans traffic notice for race weekend: flaggers at six points along SR 89 with rolling breaks and possible delays of up to 20 minutes each, from Camp Richardson to Tahoe City. Shows the highway stays open to cars during both races.
Raced Lake Tahoe Triathlon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for Lake Tahoe Triathlon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.