Sandwiched Between California And Nevada Is A Jewel-Like Desert Lake With Camping And A Casino

Follow the mind-blowingly gorgeous route of Highway 395 through the high desert and mountains of eastern California, past the trendy adventure hub of Bishop, alongside the ancient waters of Mono Lake, and you'll soon, inevitably, come to the Nevada state line. It shoots diagonally across the country, bisecting the glowing surface of Topaz Lake, a shimmering body of water that marks the border between these two western territories in grand style. It's a fine, fine place to rest the gas pedal foot, if you will, offering a taste of the great outdoors with a side of classic "Battle Born" casino fun.

The lake itself is quite a biggie. It covers just over 2,400 acres between the scrub lands of the Nevada desert, the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and the peaks and troughs of the pine-dotted Sweetwater Mountains. It wasn't always there, though, glittering away beneath the sometimes snow-dusted summits. It was actually formed in the early 1920s with the construction of a dam on the West Walker River. The aim? To water the fields and agricultural land of the upcoming rancher barons.

Fast forward to the 2020s, and it's less about ranching, more about lakeshore RV parks and camping sites, epic trophy trout fishing, endless watersports opportunities, and — if you like — hitting the 24-hour roulette and poker tables at the eponymous Topaz Lodge. The nearest major airport is in Reno, a little over an hour's drive to the north. Alternatively, you could drive north up Highway 395 from Mammoth Lakes, or take the ultra-scenic, high-altitude Monitor Pass to get over from the west, though that often closes when the snow falls in winter.

There's no denying just how gorgeous Topaz Lake looks in its bowl beneath the great Sierra Nevada. It sparkles like a gemstone of teal blue, while tundra-topped plateaus and peaks clamber up the edges of summits like Leviathan Peak just to the west. First and foremost, this is a destination for lovers of the great outdoors — everything from ATV rides to waterskiing to hiking is on the menu!

The resplendent waters are particularly alluring for fishers. Unlike virtually all the other spots in the Eastern Sierra, Topaz Lake enjoys a year-round fishing season, and a fishing license from either California or Nevada is valid across the entire lake. It's all about the trout — rainbow trout, bowcutt trout, and tiger trout are all stocked here. You can sling a line from the shoreline if you like, or hire a boat and head out for a spot of trolling.

Topaz also has ways to get the heart pumping and the adrenaline glands a-going. The boat launches at Topaz Lake Park are a great jumping-off point for high-octane water skiing sessions, for example, while it's also worth remembering that there's not just one, but two national forests in attendance: Eldorado National Forest and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. That means world-class hiking abounds, whether it's the moderate 8.8-miler up Leviathan Peak or the tough-going 12-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail to Highland Peak, a little deeper into the mountains to the southwest.

Topaz Lake isn't like the remote, primeval shoreline of the Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park in northern California, say. There are hints of civilization here. For one, there are managed campgrounds right on the side of the water, with space for RVs and tents on both sides of the state line.

In Nevada, on the northern banks, the Topaz Lake Recreation Area has 15 spaces with hookups, and 26 without. On the Golden State side, meanwhile, Topaz Lake RV Park sits along Highway 395 on the west shoreline, offering its own full-hookup RV sites, a boat dock, fish cleaning stations, and shaded lazing spots along the edge of the water. Well-behaved pooches are welcome, and reservations can be made in advance via phone or SMS — booking ahead is wise for the peak summer season.

Then there's the Topaz Lodge Resort Casino. It awaits a mere 0.5 of a mile past the California state line — literally the first right after the "welcome to Nevada" sign. A beacon for those in search of more creature comforts, the lodge has air-conditioned rooms with mountain views, not to mention countless slots, and an on-site diner where you can breakfast on eggs and hash browns while gazing at the Sierra Nevada.