If you’ve never been to Lake Tahoe before, you’re really missing out. Whether on the Nevada or California side, Tahoe is one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. And you don’t have to take our word for it. Just look for #LakeTahoe on Instagram and the results will speak for themselves.

Lake Tahoe is a hot spot for vacationers, and is one of the most sought-after places in the western United States for honeymooners. You can rent a cabin right on the water, take a jet-ski ride across the lake, or just hang out and do some gaming in the casinos. Tahoe is not big. It has fewer than 100,000 residents, according to TahoeOpenData.org. But this little city has a lot to offer.

Lake Tahoe Named The Most Picturesque Lake In North America

Another thing that Tahoe offers in abundance is amazing views. Which is why the area kills the competition when it comes to getting attention on Instagram. In fact, a study by a vacation rental platform called Lake.com recently confirmed this. By analyzing Instagram posts that contained hashtags relating to major lakes, they found out which lakes in the country had the most posts.

Lake Tahoe took the lead by over 200,000 posts. The data analysts counted 3,053,173 total posts that included a #LakeTahoe hashtag. The second most went to Lake Michigan, which had 2,831,512 posts. Followed by Lake Superior, with 1,187,896 posts, Lake Ontario, with 1,025,574 posts, and Lake Eerie, with 1,011,490 posts.

Honorable Mention For Lake Havasu

It’s pretty cool to have the most picturesque lake in North America in our state. That definitely gives us bragging rights. And we had another nearby body of water in the top ten most popular lakes on Instagram. Lake Havasu in Arizona was number nine in the study. It collected a total of 587,434 hashtags.

Cheri Alguire via Getty Images

Lake Powell was also on the list at number eleven, with 463,919 Instagram posts. And Nevada’s Lake Mead came in at number sixteen, with 254,577 posts. Surprisingly, Lake Mojave, located just south of the Hoover Dam in Arizona, didn’t make the list. However, that might be because many people refer to that area as the Colorado River rather than its proper name. But, as someone who paddleboards in that area often, I can tell you it’s also incredibly picturesque.

Related: Great Basin National Park Is Nevada’s Best Kept Secret

So what makes Lake Tahoe so amazing? Well, lots of things. First off, there’s a reason people see “Keep Tahoe Blue” on signs and license plates everywhere. The lake is known for it’s crystal blue water. KeepTahoeBlue.org attributes this quality to the cleanliness of the water and the air. Furthermore, it states that “water as crystal clear as Tahoe’s absorbs red light, leaving the rich blue color that we all see.”

Anyone who has ever been to Lake Tahoe has looked at the water in amazement. It is so clear that in some places you can see down as far as 70 feet, according to KeepTahoeBlue.org. This is due to the marshes that the lake water flows through, which acts as a natural filtration system that weeds out some particles before the water reaches the lake.

10 Photos Of Lake Tahoe That Will Take Your Breath Away

Beyond the clarity of the water in Lake Tahoe, the surrounding mountains and wildlife also make it a beautiful place to be. Here are ten of our favorite photos that show why Tahoe earns the title of most picturesque lake in North America.

• Still Waters

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  When the wind picks up at Lake Tahoe, it can be hard to see much on the surface of the water. But when it's still, this is the view. Look at how perfectly the water reflects the rocks in the foreground and the lights in the background. This is the view from the east shore. The mountains are the Sierra Nevadas in California.

• Clear Waters

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  Look at how clear the water is in Lake Tahoe. Even the people out on the boat can see all the way down to the bottom of the lake. And as cool as that is, clarity went down even further than 70 feet before the development that happened in the 20th century. According to KeepTahoeBlue.org, you could see down 100 feet before then.

• Emerald Bay

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  Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe shows another reason why this place is so picturesque. The lake is surrounded by these beautiful pine trees. And the colors of the bay are something out of a painting. Emerald Bay, while part of Lake Tahoe, is actually a short little drive from the main shores of the lake. And there are many water sports to do at Emerald Bay State Park.
• Emerald Bay At Sunset

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  This photo shows that Emerald Bay isn't just gorgeous during the day. The area is also famous for its sunsets. In the center of Emerald Bay stands the only island in Lake Tahoe. Called Fannette Island, it has a small stone structure on top called the Tea House. Which is a place where Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight used to have tea with her friends. She was the owner of the famous Vikingsholm Castle.

• Eagle Falls

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  There are many waterfalls around Lake Tahoe. People come from all over to hike this beautiful landscape. This waterfall is called Eagle Falls and it overlooks Emerald Bay. The trail to Eagle Falls continues on to Eagle Lake. Which is a very popular spot for hikers who have the stamina to make it that far. But it's well worth the walk!

• Purple Sunset

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  Emerald Bay is one of the most photographed areas of Lake Tahoe. And this photo shows why. The sunsets are not only gorgeous, but also result in these amazing blues and purples in the sky. And the still water reflects the colors. The sunset is behind the photographer in this photo, and there are always many photographers in this spot trying to capture the beauty of the moment.
• Bonsai Rock At Sunset

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  Of course, if you're on the other side of the lake, you get this view at sunset. The warm colors of the sun going behind the mountains. The rock in the water is Bonsai Rock. A popular spot for people to jump off of into the water. Not for the faint of heart because it's a bit higher than it seems from this angle.

• Alpine Village At Lake Tahoe

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  The people who visit Lake Tahoe for a vacation have an amazing experience. Surrounded by crisp cool air, pine trees and crystal waters. But can you imagine living in that every day? The residents of Alpine Village get to see that outside their window every morning. Hey jealousy.

• Milky Way Over Lake Tahoe

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  If you have a bucket list, take it out and add "night paddling at Lake Tahoe" to it. The Lake offers a stargazing tour during the summer months. Visitors get to go out on a paddleboard or kayak and see this amazing view while being surrounded by the gorgeous waters of the lake. It's seriously one of the coolest things you'll do.
• Tahoe In Winter

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  Lake Tahoe is a hot spot during the summer. But it's got plenty to offer during the winter months as well. Not only is the lake gorgeous when the shores are covered in snow, but skiers also get to see this amazing view. Tahoe is home to six ski resorts, so there's always a new slope to explore.

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