Markleeville is a town that time forgot, but anglers never forget that it is a special trout-fishing destination. Tucked in a remote corner of the eastern Sierra Nevada, it is a tiny community, with a mere 210 residents in the 2010 census. It is also the seat of Alpine County, which stretches over 743 square miles and has a total population of 1,200, the smallest number of any county in California. Locals proudly point out that there are plenty of unpeopled places to roam because there are fewer than two people per square mile. Many travelers know Markleeville mostly as the turnoff from State Highway 89 onto Hot Springs Road, which takes them to the popular Grover Hot Springs State Park.
But what Markleeville lacks in people is made up by the trout in the creek that runs through town and in the streams and lakes (more than 60) that dot the surrounding mountains and valleys. Those waters are the centerpiece of the area’s trout-fishing action and identity.
“Fishing is one of the biggest industries. Our biggest money generator is tourism,” said Teresa Burkhauser, executive director of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, which promotes tourism in Markleeville and the county’s other population centers of Woodfords, Hope Valley, Kirkwood, Bear Valley, and Lake Alpine. “It brings in a lot of campers and hikers. We probably have the best fishing in the state,” she said, adding the county also attracts anglers who buy homes for vacationing or retirement.
“The quality of angling around Markleeville has many levels,” said Victor Babbitt, who owns Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters, the oldest fly shop directly serving the area. “Some of the waters are filled with wild trout perfect for the advanced angler, and in others, stocked trout have given some of our clients their first fish on the fly or the biggest trout of their lifetime. And, there are no ugly places to fish in Alpine County. It’s the perfect setting.”
“Alpine County is one of the top flyfishing areas in the Sierra,” added Don Weirauch, of the soon to reopen Angler’s Edge fly shop, which this spring will be located in Minden, Nevada. “While the fish are often not large,” said Weirauch, who guides in the area along with his wife, Liz, “they are usually abundant and in many instances are wild trout.” Here are some of the spots they fish in the area around Markleeville:
Highway 88
The Silver Fork of the American River is a tailwater fishery below the outlet of Silver Lake, and offers angling for rainbows and browns.
Crater Lake is accessible by hiking up a rough road. It holds brook trout.
Burnside Lake holds planted rainbows. Requires a long hike to reach.
Kirkwood Creek is good for fishing with children. Fish this lazy stream north of the Highway 88 crossing.
Woods Lake Creek is the outlet stream of Caples Lake. It contains mostly stocked rainbows, but also browns and brookies and an occasional lake trout.
Pleasant Valley Creek is primarily private water. The Pleasant Valley Fly Fishing Preserve is a pretty pay-to-play area located between Markleeville and Grover Hot Springs. It is managed by Jim Crouse of Alpine Fly Fishing, (530) 5420759; http://www.alpineflyfishing.com; email info@alpine-flyfishing.com.
Red Lake is known for its brookies and rainbows and for cutthroats that are relocated from Heenan Lake. No motorized craft are allowed, but anglers can fish from a float tube or the shore.
Charity Valley Creek is a meadow stream that holds rainbows and brookies. Access to part of the creek is limited by private property.
Willow Creek flows into the West Fork of the Carson and holds rainbows and brook trout. Access is readily available via state-owned land.
Highway 4
Heenan Lake is a popular catch-andrelease lake that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife uses to breed Lahontan cutthroat trout for stocking in other locations, so regulations are very restrictive and fishing is allowed only in September and October.
Wolf Creek is a small tributary to the East Fork of the Carson River.
Silver Creek runs along Highway 4 from the Ebbetts Pass area and holds rainbow trout.
Highway 89
Indian Creek Reservoir is heavily stocked, so fishing is for planted rainbows. There is a campground nearby with a pesky resident bear that likes to hassle campers and visitors (or entertain them, depending on your point of view). There is no fishing in Indian Creek because the land is privately owned.
The East Fork of the Carson River is planted heavily at Horseshoe Bend in Nevada and above the bridge at Pebble Beach in California. The stretch from Hangman’s Bridge to the Nevada state line is open year-round for catch-and-release fishing. Brown trout are in the river near Markleeville, with access at the Markleeville Airport.
The West Fork of the Carson River is well-known and easily accessible. It is heavily planted by the state and Alpine County. There are some wild trout in the lower stretches of the river.
Slinkard Creek was once one of the best brook trout streams in the Sierra. The upper end is now designated as a cutthroat management area.
Alpine County
Alpine County has an aggressive fish stocking program, which is financially supported by the local Chamber of Commerce, the South Lake Tahoe Public Utility District, money collected in donation boxes, and the Alpine County Fish and Game Commission, which manages the program. The combination of wild and hatchery trout populations makes the county very appealing to anglers from the rest of California, and from Nevada and other points to the east.
Besides trout fishing, the Markleeville area is known for its charming rural community and links to colorful California history. It served as a stopover for pioneer wagons journeying through the Sierra. In those days, Jedediah Smith and Joseph Walker were the first to explore the Markleeville area, but John C. Fremont and Kit Carson made the place famous in 1844 when they passed through while scouting routes across the Sierra. John Thompson — better known as Snowshoe Thompson — delivered the mail there for 20 years, using skis in the winter, and died near the town in 1876. Markleeville was named for Jacob Marklee, who founded a toll bridge across the Carson River in 1861. Two years later, he was killed in a gunfight.
The natural landscape around Markleeville and much of Alpine County hasn’t changed much since those colorful pioneering days, and the locals like it that way. “Residents of Alpine County are quite content in their relaxed rural lifestyle,” says the county chamber of commerce’s promotional description of the area, “even boasting of the fact that the county has no traffic light, bank, movie theater, dentist, or supermarket.” While the modern-day county is proud of its timeless heritage, it is increasingly building a reputation as an enjoyable and productive destination for trout fishing.
Alpine County Eats
If fishing makes you hungry, here are places to eat in and near Alpine County.
If you’re interested in sit-down dining at a restaurant, be sure to phone or check its website, because hours vary depending on the season.
Ali’s Café, 14810 State Route 89, Markleeville; (530) 694-2410; e-mail, aliwhitty@yahoo.com. The café serves breakfast, coffee, pastries, and lunch, including tacos and burritos.
The J. Marklee Toll Station, 14856 Highway 89, Markleeville; (530) 694-2507. It’s open for breakfast and lunch, and sack lunches can be ordered for pickup.
Stonefly Restaurant, 14821 Highway 89, Markleeville; (530) 694-9999; Web site, http://www.stoneflyrestaurant.com. Known for its wood-fired pizza.
Wolf Creek Restaurant and Cutthroat Saloon, 14830 Highway 89, Markleeville; (530) 694-2150; Web site, http://www.markleevilleusa.com. This colorful spot with good food is a must-stop destination in Markleeville.
The Deli Company, 14811 Highway 89, Markleeville; (530) 694-9595. Your basic deli sandwich shop.
The Sierra Pines Country Store, 19750 Highway 89, Markleeville; (530) 6941700. Known for giant hamburgers and unusual service.
Caples Lake Resort, 1111 Highway 88, Kirkwood; (209) 258-8888; e-mail, caples@volcano.net; Web site, http://www.capleslakeresort.com. This resort has cabins, lodge rooms, a marina, a store, nearby campgrounds, and a restaurant.
CJ’s Woodfords Station, 290 Old Pony Express Road, Woodfords; (530) 6942930; e-mail, jennifer@cgcelio.com; Web site, http://www.woodfordsstation.com. A market and deli located inside historic Woodfords Station that has improved with new ownership.
Hope Valley Café and Market, 14655 Highway 88, Hope Valley; (530) 6942323. Serves breakfast and lunch: soup, sandwiches, coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, chai, milkshakes, and smoothies. Beer and wine bar in the cafe. Homemade pies, baked goods, monster cookies, and cobbler.
Sorensen’s Resort and Hope Valley Resort, 14255 Highway 88, Hope Valley; (800) 423-9949; e-mail, info@sorensensresort.com; Web site, http://www.sorensensresort.com. Has pet-friendly cabins, some with wood-burning stoves or gas fireplaces. The café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Sauna on site. Offers flyfishing classes.
For complete information on Markleeville and Alpine County, contact the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 265, 3 Webster Street, Markleeville, CA 96120; (530) 694-2475; e-mail, info@alpinecounty.com; Web site, http://alpinecounty.com. Foraging anglers can also find plenty of lodging and dining options a short drive away in South Lake Tahoe.
Tom Martens
Fly Shops
Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters is located approximately 28 miles north of Markleeville, in South Lake Tahoe. This full-service fly shop offers fly patterns suitable for Alpine County waters plus other fly-fishing supplies, as well as guide service. Their Web site provides reports on fishing conditions in the area. Located at 2705 Lake Tahoe Boulevard; phone (530) 541-8208; on the Web at http://www.tahoeflyfishing.com.
The Angler’s Edge,a full-service fly shop, had been located on Highway 395 in Gardnerville, Nevada, but this spring it is moving to 1598 Esmeralda Avenue in the nearby community of Minden. The proprietors are familiar with Alpine County waters large and small and can provide guide service. Phone (775) 781-7112; on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheAnglersEdge, which is where angling reports are posted.
Tom Martens
