Lake Tahoe - California - page 921

Emerald Bay State Park
Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved USFS Emerald Bay (
MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 530-541-6498; www.parks.ca.gov ; per car $10; late May-Sep) , a teardrop
cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most captivating aspect is the water,
which changes from cloverleaf green to light jade depending on the angle of the sun.
Sights
You'll spy panoramic pullouts all along Hwy 89, including at Inspiration Point ( MAP
GOOGLE MAP ) , opposite Bayview Campground. Just south, the road shoulder evaporates on
both sides of a steep drop-off, revealing a postcard-perfect view of Emerald Bay to the
north and Cascade Lake to the south.
The mesmerizing blue-green waters of the bay frame Fannette Island . This uninhabited
granite speck, Lake Tahoe's only island, holds the vandalized remains of a tiny 1920s tea-
house belonging to heiress Lora Knight, who would occasionally motorboat guests to the is-
land from Vikingsholm Castle ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; tour adult/child $10/8; 11am-4pm late
May-Sep) , her Scandinavian-style mansion on the bay. The focal point of the state park, Vik-
ingsholm Castle is a rare example of ancient Scandinavian-style architecture. Completed in
1929, it has trippy design elements aplenty, including sod-covered roofs that sprout wild-
flowers in late spring. The mansion is reached by a steep 1-mile trail, which also leads to a
visitors center.
Activities & Tours
Hiking
Vikingsholm Castle is the southern terminus of the famous Rubicon Trail .
Two popular trailheads lead into the Desolation Wilderness. From the Eagle Falls parking
lot ($5), the Eagle Falls Trail travels one steep mile to Eagle Lake, crossing by Eagle Falls
along the way. This scenic short hike often gets choked with visitors, but crowds disappear
quickly as the trail continues up to the Tahoe Rim Trail and Velma, Dicks and Fontanillis
Lakes (up to 10 miles round-trip).