Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park
5
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
With photo opportunities at every turn, this idyllic bay in Lake Tahoe is a must-see. Designated as a National Natural Landmark, Emerald Bay State Park is known for its large granite peaks and hiking trails. The best way to soak in the awe-inspiring landscapes is along the Eagle Falls Vista Point Loop or Rubicon Trail. Be sure to tour the Vikingsholm Castle in the summer months—this landmark boasts fine Scandinavian architecture and has an interesting history. Those who prefer jumping into the cool waters can go kayaking or scuba diving too. Parking at Emerald Bay is limited, so arrive early to snag a spot. – Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

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  • Krishnan R
    Hayward, California230 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful views of the lake & water fall.
    Got here on Memorial Day afternoon, just after 2PM and was able to enjoy the views of Lake Tahoe, in pristine blue. There's also a waterfall, but that involves a hike down, so wasn't comfortable with that, but maybe next time. Great to visit after 2 long years.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 30, 2024
  • phvi2617
    Anaheim, California647 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful state park at Lake Tahoe
    I arrived to the Vikingsholm parking lot just after 9:00 AM, and it was full, so I went down to Eagle Point Campground, where there was plenty of parking. Either way, it's about a 1-1.5 mile hike down to the lake, and it's probably best to arrive early. However you get there, the park is definitely worth the $10 parking fee. I took a hike on the Rubicon trail around the shoreline, and it was absolutely beautiful. There is a nice little visitor center with some refreshments, and the Vikingsholm house open for tours. Overall, this is a must-visit park when in Lake Tahoe!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written June 23, 2024
  • 1991KEB
    Navarre, Florida1,643 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Drive where the lake and the mountains meet.
    This was an outstanding drive up the mountains were pine, and the lake intersected. The area is full of bike baths and camping sites, horses, and even deer. The drive does the best of nature. Just one word, BEAUTIFUL!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 24, 2024
  • leahavas
    20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Emerald State Park
    This is a stunning place. The beauty of the park and lake are breathtaking. The trail is long and steep on the way back. We also took the walking through Vikingsholm Castle. Highly recommended, it has a very interesting history and it’s very beautiful.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 27, 2024
  • roy v
    Traralgon, Australia6,021 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of natures most lovely places
    While staying at Lake Tahoe we drove early one morning to Emerald Bay. Lucky we went early as we got the last carpark spot so best to make it a early start The views from the road are stunning, it is a nice walk down to the water/ beach on a good surface track. It is steep so as the sign says if you maybe can’t walk back up don’t walk down. At the little beach area we had a snack and the Grandson went in for a swim, water was very cold. You can hire kayaks/ boats there which looked very popular, by the time we left there were a lot of boats out. The little island just out from the beach area must be one of the most photographed places in the country. It was great to look at the beautifully built old mansion there called VIKINGSHOLM and read the history of the home and Emerald Bay, very interesting that takes you back to a very different gracefull era of the early 1900s. We enjoyed our time there and it is a must place to visit when your in the Lake Tahoe area .
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 29, 2024
  • gl0baltr0tter
    Shanghai, China1,372 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful far and close views of the bay, accented with the Fannette Island and the Vikingsholm manse
    Did the Vikingsholm followed by the Eagle Falls trail to experience this beautiful bay up close. Saw many blooming wildflowers, including the Alphine Lily, Pine Lupine, Wild Columbine, and Woods's Rose. There was also a patch of beach for boaters and walkers with some shaded picnic tables near by. One advice - get there before 8 am to secure a safe parking spot.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles936 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
133
Average
15
Poor
4
Terrible
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terryprod
Palm Desert, CA105 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Emerald Bay State Park is a must see if you go to Lake Tahoe. From the parking lot you walk down a dirt road 1 mile to the beach. It is a fairly easy walk going down, but you will have to stop several times going back up. Usually they are renting kayaks down on the beach, but with CV19 the company isn't there right now. We brought an inflatable kayak from Big 5 to paddle around in the bay. If you have small kids, there is a swimming beach that has sand roped off on the shore. The water is in the 50's in July though. If you feel like to can kayak a mile to the island in the bay , that would make your day. The tours of the Viking house on the beach are cancelled for now, but you can still walk around it and venture into the gift shop there.
Written July 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott Griest
Manhattan Beach, CA563 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
Absolutely beautiful park with hiking and beaches. Best to visit by boat that you can rent from the local marinas, but that's pricey.

Tip: Go early in the day (before 9am) if you can before the wind picks up. Most likely the water will be glassy smooth and the visibility is incredible (plus lots of parking available then!)
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shanelle
Santa Monica, CA8,075 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
Picturesque park with hiking, water sports, and even a castle. There’s very limited parking at the Emerald Bay Beach lot ($10 to park) so either get here early or park along the highway and walk. When we got there at 9:30am on a Saturday, the lot there as well as at the Eagle falls trailhead were already full, so we had to park about a mile up and walk down. It’s a mile long walk downhill to get to the beach / Rubicon Trail / Vikingsholm Castle. There’s a visitor center where you can buy tickets for a tour of the Vikingsholm Castle or use the public restrooms. There are picnic tables at the beach.

There is a kayak rental place that’s first-come, first serve (they offer single and double kayaks for an hour or all-day basis). The water was super cold and there weren’t a lot of people swimming when we went. We also went down the rubicon trail for a short while, which was paved and flat. There was a good amount of shade at that trail but you should wear sunglasses because the sun was very strong. It’s an extremely short walk to check out the lower falls from the parking lot. There are benches along the emerald bay beach trail for you to rest should you need to. Overall, the park is great for a variety of activities, for all ages.
Written June 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JCastello85
South Lake Tahoe, CA9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020 • Couples
Such a beautiful sight. Absolutely breathtaking.
The drive up the mountains can be a little nerve racking because the cliff is on both sides of the road at some points but definitely worth the drive.
Parking is pretty hard to find, we went at noon on a Saturday and the street was lined with vehicles.
Written June 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maria del Carme... Z
Quito, Ecuador193 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
This is an amazing place! The views are spectacular, there are lots of trails, walking paths, and places to just see and admire the views. I am short of words to describe the place. You have to see it to appreciate the beauty of Lake Tahoe and Emerald waters so clear and transparent you cannot believe it.
Written October 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rommel L
chino hills, United States25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
Emerald Bay State Park was just about 30 minutes from Tahoe City. Parking is limited. But if you do find parking, it is $10 parking fee. The hike down the lake is an easy 1 mile winding path. At the end is a sand beach access to the lake with a pier for a platform swim cannon ball.

Just a little further from the parking to the right is also an easy lower and upper eagle falls hike. The falls was small. Probably bigger after the winter months.
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alacrout
Los Angeles, CA182 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Family
You really can’t go wrong with any part of Lake Tahoe, as the whole thing is surrounded by stunning mountain views.

The views can get a little hazy during bad fire seasons, but still a beautiful area.

Hard to pick a definitive “best” part of the Lake, but Emerald Bay is certainly up there as one of the best parts.

The color of the water lives up to the name of “Emerald.” In the middle of the Bay, there’s a cute little island that is the ONLY island in Lake Tahoe. You can kayak, canoe, or boat to the island (NOT swim) and see the ruins of “Tea House,” where a quirky captain lived in the 1800s.

Inspiration Point is a necessary stop on your way through the park—it gives you one of the best views of the entire Bay.

Be sure to check out Vikingsholm too! :)
Written October 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SLKspingirl
Texas530 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Beautiful spot! We took the advice to arrive early and enjoyed the sunrise over the lake from one of the roadside stops along Hwy 89. It’s a long walk down to the beach and even longer going back up, always fun at 6,000 feet elevation. We also hiked to upper and lower Eagle Falls. Both flowing very well for early August! We did not have a chance to tour Vikingsholm as we had to leave before the first tour at 10:30. But the beauty of this bay is beyond words.
Written August 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joseph Robba
Charlotte, NC2,273 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
Emerald Bay is one of my new favorite places on Planet Earth. The water from Lake Tahoe is so beautiful, and Emerald Bay itself has lots of ways to enjoy the lake. We hiked down to Vikingsholm, which I'm not going to lie, is challenging getting back up the hill for those not in the greatest shape, or those dragging young ones with them. Inspiration Point is an awesome vista to be able to take in the majesty of Emerald Bay, but the best way to see the area is simply to get on a boat and drive around the bay. The water is much calmer in the bay than out on the lake, and it's a great place to hang out.
Written October 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

In79days
Las Vegas, NV44 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
The natural beauty of the area is undeniable. But the park is so poorly organized, and there are so many equally beautiful parks around Tahoe, we'll never go again. For example, as an alternative, Sand Harbor on the Nevada side is as beautiful, and so much better run.

The parking at Emerald Bay is a nightmare, even on quiet days. We paid for parking, supposedly valid for all lots in the park, and displayed as instructed. But we were given a parking ticket because we were 'in the wrong lot'. Different lots within the park are run by different agencies, but that is poorly communicated, and unless you know the system, you are quite likely to get caught like we did. When we hiked down to the beach, kayak rentals were all closed, although the Ranger at the top of the trail didn't know this, and simply referred us to the website. The reason given was that the 'air was too dangerous to breath', although it was't too dangerous to allow tourists to hike, pay for parking, or for the Rangers to patrol and hand out tickets. Sand Harbor by comparison has a simple parking system with a gate, flashing signs that warn if parking is full several miles from the pro, and fully staffed kayak rentals
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Emerald Bay State Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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