South Lake Tahoe, CA elevation
Downtown South Lake Tahoe sits at 6,238 ft (1,902 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 6,950 ft, 2.7 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
6,238ft
1,902 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 38.93324, -119.98435 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 6,227 to 6,950 ft
- 1,898 to 2,118 m · 169 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 6,300 ft (1,920 m)
- Source: USGS 3DEP
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Check your exact spot in South Lake Tahoe
Elevation changes from street to street. Use your location, search an address or click the map to get the USGS value for one point. Green pins mark the points named on this page.
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Elevation range inside the city limits
South Lake Tahoe covers 10.1 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 169 sampled points run from 6,227 ft (1,898 m) to 6,950 ft (2,118 m), a spread of 723 ft. The average of those points is 6,300 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 169 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 410 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 6,238 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown South Lake Tahoe (6,238 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 79 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
South Lake Tahoe compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- South Lake Tahoe (downtown)6,238 ft
- Truckee, CA5,817 ft
- Carson City, NV4,680 ft
- Reno, NV4,505 ft
- Sparks, NV4,413 ft
- Kalispell, MT2,955 ft
- Placerville, CA1,861 ft
- Frankfort, KY504 ft
- Juneau, AK34 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown South Lake Tahoe | 6,238 ft (1,902 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 6,950 ft (2,118 m) · 2.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 6,227 ft (1,898 m) · 1.4 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Lake Tahoe (KTVL) | 6,268 ft (1,911 m) · 2.8 mi away | FAA field elevation |
South Lake Tahoe at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,225 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 10.1 sq mi (26.1 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | El Dorado | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | South Lake Tahoe | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 38.93324, -119.98435 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Carson City, NV — 4,680 ft, 20 mi (32 km) away
- Truckee, CA — 5,817 ft, 29 mi (47 km) away
- Sacramento, CA — 27 ft, 85 mi (137 km) away
- Mammoth Lakes, CA — 7,873 ft, 104 mi (168 km) away
- Bishop, CA — 4,145 ft, 139 mi (223 km) away
- All California elevations
Tools pre-filled for 6,238 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of South Lake Tahoe, CA?
Downtown South Lake Tahoe is 6,238 ft (1,902 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 169 sampled points run from 6,227 to 6,950 ft.
What is the highest point in South Lake Tahoe?
The highest of our 169 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 6,950 ft (2,118 m), about 2.7 mi from downtown (38.9387, -119.9350). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in South Lake Tahoe?
The lowest sampled point is 6,227 ft (1,898 m), about 1.4 mi from downtown. That is 723 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in South Lake Tahoe?
At 6,238 ft, water boils at about 200.6 °F (93.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 23.76 inHg (805 hPa), so each breath holds about 79% of the oxygen it would at sea level. Cooking times for pasta, eggs and beans run a little longer than at sea level.
What is the elevation of the airport near South Lake Tahoe?
Lake Tahoe (KTVL), 2.8 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 6,268.4 ft (1,911 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in South Lake Tahoe?
Yes. At 6,238 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 6,227 to 6,950 ft.
Sources
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — downtown elevation and every sampled point
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — city boundary used for sampling
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — land area and Census place match
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (cities and towns, July 1, 2024) — population
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names — city-center coordinates, county and topo map name
- FAA Aeronautical Information Services, Airports (field elevation) — airport field elevation
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning — canning altitude thresholds
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made