6 Picturesque Places to Paddle Board in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
- Gabriella Viola
- Aug 16, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Are you looking for the prettiest lakes to kayak and paddleboard in California's Sierra Nevada? You've come to the right place!
Home to countless alpine lakes, the Sierra Nevada Mountains offer some incredibly scenic opportunities for kayaking and paddleboarding. Paddling along a pristine lake with a backdrop of towering evergreens and snow-capped peaks is truly a magical experience. As the lakes are small and the water is usually calm, paddleboarding on an alpine lake isn't particularly challenging, so both beginners and seasoned paddleboarders can enjoy this activity.
In this post, I'm listing six paddleboard locations that not only have gorgeous scenery but are also easily accessible. You can drive right up to these spots and launch just a few steps from your car.
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Lake Tahoe
Straddling the border of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a top destination for paddleboarding due to its gorgeous alpine scenery and crystal-clear water.
One of my favorite locations to paddleboard in Lake Tahoe is the east shore, a rugged section of shoreline with large granite boulders and beautiful turquoise coves. Sand Harbor State Park is one of the most convenient places to launch your paddleboard from and access the east shore. If you don't own a paddleboard, you can easily rent one from several companies within Sand Harbor State Park.
Sand Harbor and the east shore are on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, but there are many stunning spots to launch from on the California side, including D.L. Bliss State Park, Emerald Bay State Park, and Meeks Bay.
Lake Mary
Located in the heart of Mammoth Lakes, California, Lake Mary is the largest lake in the Mammoth Lakes Basin and a popular spot for boating, fishing, and, of course, kayaking and paddleboarding. The lake features sparkling blue water and a beautiful wall-like backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Paddle boards and kayaks are available for rent at both the Lake Mary Marina and the Pokonobe Resort and Marina.
I use an inflatable paddleboard because it’s lightweight and easy to transport. My go-to board is from Sea Gods, and I absolutely love it. If you’re looking for a high-quality (and really pretty) paddleboard, you can use my link to get 10% off.
For inflating it, I use the AIRBANK Pulse Pro electric pump.
June Lake
Located about 20 minutes north of Mammoth Lakes, June Lake is a picturesque alpine lake with the majestic Carson Peak as the backdrop. Not only is June Lake a stunning spot to kayak and SUP, but it's also very convenient. You can drive right up to the lake and paddle on out! If you don't own a board, kayak, and paddle rentals are available on the beach.
The area features a 14-mile scenic loop known as the June Lake Loop, which offers plenty of beautiful scenery, a handful of lodging and restaurant options, as well as a few smaller lakes that are also great kayaking and SUPing spots.
Sardine Lakes
Tucked away in the Sierra Buttes in the Lakes Basin area of Tahoe National Forest, Upper and Lower Sardine Lakes are framed by the jagged Sierra Nevada mountains.
Lower Sardine Lake is the more accessible of the two, as you can drive right up to the shore and launch your kayak or paddleboard just steps from your car. Upper Sardine Lake is smaller and requires about a 1/2-mile hike up a bumpy, rocky dirt road to reach it.
Convict Lake
Convict Lake is another beautiful place to paddleboard in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Located about 10 miles south of Mammoth Lakes, just off Highway 395, this small lake is surrounded by towering glacially carved peaks and is one of the most photographed lakes in the Eastern Sierra.
Paddleboarding and kayaking are easy here, as you can drive right up to the boat launch, and Convict Lake Resort offers kayak and paddleboard rentals.
Lake Sabrina
Located about 20 minutes south of Bishop, California, at the end of Highway 168, one of the most scenic drives in the Eastern Sierra, is Lake Sabrina. The views along the drive alone are worth the trip. The greenish-blue lake is surrounded by towering granite peaks, making for an impressive setting.
Kayak rentals are available at the Lake Sabrina boat landing, but as far as I know, paddleboard rentals aren’t offered. Of course, you can always bring your own and launch from the boat ramp.
Lake Sabrina is also the trailhead for some of the most beautiful hikes in the Eastern Sierra, including Blue Lake, Baboon Lakes, and Hungry Packer Lake, to name a few.
I hope you enjoyed my guide to paddleboarding and kayaking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss the latest blog posts, videos, and announcements! And of course, you can check out more adventures on YouTube and Instagram.
Some of the photos in this post were captured by @kirstenalexisadventures. Find her on Instagram!
