Lake Tahoe

Tahoe's Emerald Bay is one of the most magnificent areas on the Lake. The bay and the spectacular, sheer cliffs around it are the remains of a glacial valley that developed during the last ice age thousands of years ago. Giant cedars and pines, sheer granite cliffs and the beauty of Lake Tahoe make this one of the most beautiful and scenic areas in the U.S.

It is a National Natural Landmark. One of the first underwater parks of its kind in California, the bay's bottom and the wrecks that lie there are protected by this classification. The park is also home to Eagle Falls, Vikingsholm (a 38-room mansion regarded as the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in the west), and Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe.

I'm not a big hiker, but I am an outdoor photographer, so I'm repeatedly drawn to Lake Tahoe's beauty. This summer, my husband and I took a drive around the lake. We stopped at one of our favorite restaurants, GarWoods, in Carnelian Bay. We then drove around the lake to Emerald Bay, which is a nice half-day trip and destination from any point around the lake's perimeter.

Fortified by our lunch, we decided to hike down to the Vikingsholm Castle.

The hike down to the Castle is steep and goes fast, as walking downhill often will. But save a bit of energy for the trip back up; that's the part that will test those not in shape. The hike is about a 2.5 mile roundtrip.

There is another less steep trail in the 'day use' area from the parking lot off Highway 89, and if you're not up for a steep walk, then you might find this route easier going.

Tours  of the castle are conducted daily in the summer from mid-June through the end of September: 10am to 4pm. It's advisable to come early as there is limited parking in the lot. If you are not interested in taking the tour, you can take the hike down to Vikingsholm most anytime during the day.

Hand made, Vikingsholm was one of the first summer homes built in Lake Tahoe. In 1929, Mrs. Lora J. Knight, purchased 239 acres to build this summer retreat. In addition to the land on which Vikingsholm is situated, the property, now a California State Park, includes the lake's only island, Fannette Island, and the only waterfall that flows directly into the lake, Eagle Falls.

Mrs. Knight was inspired by the architecture of Scandinavia and commissioned her nephew, a Swedish architect, to design the plans for her summer home. In the Spring of 1929, 200 skilled craftsmen were brought to the area to build Vikingsholm.

Hand-hewn timbers, hand-planed wood, intricate carvings, hand-forged metal latches, hinges, fireplace screens and all of the building's exquisite details were all created on site. Mrs. Knight admired many antique furnishings that were exclusive to museums in Norway and Sweden. Because these were not available to her, she hired craftsmen to make copies and to reproduce them in exacting detail.

Only accessible by boat, Fannette Island sits in the center of Emerald Bay. The island's only sructure, the 'Tea House', was built at the same time Vikingsholm was constructed. Mrs. Knight would transport her guests to the island to enjoy afternoon tea. The original stone structure was very rustic, only 16' by 16', the room had a small fireplace in one corner with a table and four chairs.

The Tea House has been vandalized over the years and only the stone shell of the building remains.

Everything Tahoe! Here you will find a list of the various year-round activities and lists of the places you can go for each.
I've also included links for you to explore for additional information.

Downhill Ski Resorts
Kirkwood
Heavenly
Alpine Meadows
Squaw Valley
Homewood
Northstar at Tahoe
Mt. Rose Ski Resort
Boreal Mountain
Sierra at Tahoe
Soda Springs
Donner Ski Ranch
Sugar Bowl
Diamond Peak
Tahoe Donner

Cross County Ski Resorts
Royal Gorge
Kirkwood Cross Country
Heavenly Lake Tahoe
Tahoe Cross Country
Hope Valley Outdoors
Spooner Lake
Camp Richardson
Squaw Creek Cross Country
Northstar at Tahoe Nordic Ski Center
Sugar Pine Point State Park
Tahoe Donner Cross Country
For more info on skiing and snowboarding

Snowmobiling, Sleigh Rides & more
Link to locations and information

Public Beaches
Round Hill Pines Beach
Sand Harbor
Skunk Harbor
Lester Beach
Angora Lakes
Lakeside Beach and Marina
Zephyr Cove
Regan Beach
Pope Beach
Kiva Beach
Baldwin Beach
Emerald Bay
Meeks Bay
Nevada Beach
Tahoe City Commons Beach Park
Kings Beach Recreation Area
Sugar Pine Point

Nude Beaches
Along the east shore of Tahoe there are six nude (clothing optional) beaches:
Hidden Beach, Secret Cove, Secret Creek Beach, Black Sand Beach, Chimney Beach, and Whale Beach
For more info about beach locations and directions

Hiking
There are dozens of hiking trails around Lake Tahoe from short hikes at all difficulty levels to longer hikes with varying difficulty. The longest hike, the Tahoe Rim Trail, passes through two states and is a 165 miles of single track, multi-use trail.
For more information on Hiking Tahoe

Ladies Hiking-A City Girl's Guide to Walking in the Woods

Golfing
Edgewood Tahoe
Championship course-Rated one of America's top Golf Courses by Golf Digest

Resort at Squaw Creek
18 holes, 7001 yards, Par 71- Course rating 72.9, Slope 143

The Golf Courses at Incline Village
18 holes - 7106 yards - Par72 - Course rating 74.1, Slope 144

Tahoe Donner Golf Course
18 hole Championship course.

Lake Tahoe Golf Course

Northstar at Tahoe
For more information on Golfing Tahoe

Bicycling
Bicycles can be rented at more than 15 locations around the lake
Paved Bike Paths
South Lake Tahoe Bike Path
Pope-Baldwin Bike Path
Tahoe Trailways Bike Path
Incline Village/Lakeshore Drive Bike Path

Mountain Biking Trails
Fountain Place
Angora Ridge
Twin Peaks
Meiss Trail
Rim Trail
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Genoa Park
Brockway Summit to Martis Peak
McKinney-Rubicon Road
Marlette Lake/Flume Trail
For more information about bicycling

Fishing
Fishing Charters

Fishing Spots