Things to do nearEmerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park occupies one of the most photographed stretches of the Lake Tahoe Basin, a glacially carved inlet on the lake's southwestern shore in El Dorado County, California. The bay's remarkable color comes from the exceptional clarity of Lake Tahoe's water combined with the white granite and pale sand of the shallow cove floor, which together refract sunlight into shades ranging from pale jade near the edges to a deep, cold blue at the center.

At the heart of the bay sits Fannette Island, a small granite outcrop topped by a stone teahouse built in the 1920s as part of the Vikingsholm estate. That estate, constructed in 1929 by heiress Lora Josephine Knight, drew on Norse architectural traditions and remains one of the finest examples of Scandinavian design in the western United States. Docent-led tours of the mansion run through summer and offer a detailed look at its hand-carved details and period furnishings.

Above the water, the Eagle Falls Trail climbs from the highway through old-growth forest to a series of cascades before opening onto high-country views. Backcountry campsites along the shoreline are accessible only by boat or on foot, making them among the more secluded spots in the Tahoe region. The surrounding landscape of pine, fir, and granite puts Emerald Bay State Park firmly in the Sierra Nevada tradition of grand, unhurried scenery that rewards those who take the time to explore it on foot and by water.