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156 2 0 1 5 T R A V E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A RODENBERG PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK ; NATALIEJEAN/SHUTTERSTOCK . OPPOSITE: VICTORIA LIPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK The range is home to three national parks, 15 state parks, two national monu- ments and 20 officially designated wilderness areas. Hikers get itchy feet at the mere mention of its celebrated walking paths: the John Muir Trail; the Tahoe Rim Trail; the Pacific Crest Trail; the Tahoe- Yosemite Trail. At the drop of winter's first snowflake, skiers begin making plans for the three premier ski resorts on America's West Coast: Squaw Valley (site of the 1960 Winter Olympics), Heavenly and Mam- moth Mountain. Streams rushing down the range's sheer east slope into the Owens Valley are renowned for their fly fishing. Geologically speaking, the mountain range is pretty much one big chunk of granite tilted like a badly placed brick in a cobblestone street: It's gently sloped on the west side and quite steep on the east, lower in the north and higher in the south. Keep that in mind when choosing a hiking trail: for an easier amble, look to the north and west; for a challenging ascent, head south and east. City & Town Now connected by gondola to the Heav- enly ski resort, the bustling town of South Lake Tahoe, located on the lakeshore and the Nevada border, has seen an injection of energy and interest in recent years, with new restaurants, shops and galleries. With a large inventory of hotel rooms and a cluster of hotel-casinos just a few steps over the border, it's a good bet for inexpen- sive lodging. In Truckee, a handsome old railroad and lumber town between Donner Pass and Squaw Valley, a collection of Old West historic buildings along Commercial Row now houses busy restaurants and bars, some adorned with portraits of gun- slingers and desperadoes. Farther south, sprawling Bishop sports the Owens Valley's most extensive collection of lodging, dining and resupply outlets.