Watson Creek (California)

Watson Creek
Watson Creek above Carnelian Bay, California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionPlacer County
Physical characteristics
Sourcea meadow north of Watson Lake and Mount Watson
 • locationTahoe National Forest
 • coordinates39°13′39″N 120°08′22″W / 39.22750°N 120.13944°W / 39.22750; -120.13944[1]
 • elevation7,760 ft (2,370 m)
MouthLake Tahoe
 • location
Carnelian Bay, California
 • coordinates
39°13′07″N 120°05′11″W / 39.21861°N 120.08639°W / 39.21861; -120.08639[1]
 • elevation
6,230 ft (1,900 m)[1]

Watson Creek is a stream in northern California. It runs about 3 miles, from its source near Watson Lake, below Mount Watson, draining into Lake Tahoe. The Tahoe Rim Trail runs across the creek in its headwaters meadow, and along the eastern shore of the lake.

The creek and lake and peak are named for Robert Montgomery Watson, who came to Lake Tahoe in 1875.[2] Watson built the Watson Log Cabin, the only historic log cabin in Tahoe City, California.[3]

The Tahoe Rim Trail crosses the headwaters meadow.
  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Watson Creek
  2. ^ Lekisch, Barbara (1988). Tahoe Place Names: The Origin and History of Names in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Great West Books. p. 151. ISBN 9780944220016. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  3. ^ Bruce Shindler (June 13, 1979). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Watson Log Cabin". National Park Service.