Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park is a California state park on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe, noted for a deep, scenic inlet and steep forested slopes. It is one of the lake’s best-known scenic bays and includes shoreline, a historic house and a small island.

Prominent features include the Vikingsholm house, a 38-room Scandinavian-inspired mansion built in 1929, and Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe located near the middle of the bay. The bay’s shoreline and viewpoints are served by steep walking trails and limited parking areas; boat access is also used for viewing the island and shoreline.

The site was developed in the early 20th century around private estates and later incorporated into the state park system; the Vikingsholm property was preserved as a historic house museum. The park is managed for day-use recreation, historic interpretation and shoreline conservation.

Emerald Bay sits on Lake Tahoe’s southwestern shore near the town of South Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, California. The bay opens to the lake and is surrounded by steep wooded terrain and seasonal creek drainages.

• Fannette Island: The bay contains the only island in Lake Tahoe, Fannette Island, which sits near the centre of the inlet.
• Vikingsholm: A historic house called Vikingsholm was constructed in 1929 and is a major architectural attraction within the park.

What to See #

• Vikingsholm: A 38-room Scandinavian-style mansion built for Lora Knight in 1929 and noted for its detailed timber and stone construction and Scandinavian design influences, open to the public by guided tour in summer months.
• Fannette Island: A small island near the centre of the bay and the only island in Lake Tahoe, containing stone foundations and a small ruin often reached by boat or visible from the shore.
• Shoreline trail and overlooks: A steep trail and shoreline area providing access to the bay, viewpoints and the Vikingsholm site; falls and overlooks lie along nearby creek drainages on the uphill side of the park.