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Emerald Bay State Park, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Photo: Eric Philbin, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicOutdoor Adventure

Emerald Bay State Park

Highway 89, 12 miles north of South Lake Tahoe · South Lake Tahoe, CA

Why you should go…

Emerald Bay State Park wraps around a bay on Lake Tahoe's southwest shore, a National Natural Landmark since 1969. A steep trail, 2 miles out and back with a 400-foot elevation change, leads down to Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion built in Scandinavian style. Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe, sits in the bay, and the Rubicon Trail follows the shoreline. Dogs are not allowed on trails or beaches, and parking is limited to vehicles 18 feet or shorter.

  • #state park
  • #lake tahoe
  • #hiking
  • #vikingsholm
  • #scenic overlook

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Emerald Bay State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Anderson's Bicycle Rental

    $25–$50

    Family-owned South Lake Tahoe shop renting bikes right at the start of the paved National Forest Bike Trail.

    4.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Tahoe WakeBusters

    $50+

    Family run boat rental company on Lake Tahoe offering wakeboarding, tubing, and sunset pontoon cruises.

    5.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Cruise Tahoe

    $50+

    Small-group sailing cruises to Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm Castle on a classic wooden boat.

    5.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Boat Tahoe

    $50+

    Private, captain-included boat charters out of South Lake Tahoe for sightseeing and watersports.

    5.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Tahoe Tastings

    $50+

    Two-hour wine tasting cruise aboard a vintage 1953 Chris-Craft water taxi past Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm.

    5.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    SUP Tahoe

    $25–$50

    Stand-up paddleboard and kayak rental shop on Lake Tahoe's south shore, renting boards, kayaks and gear since 2012.

    5.3 mi awayMore like this