Vikingsholm Beach (Emerald Bay)
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Vikingsholm Beach sits at the head of Emerald Bay, below the 1929 Scandinavian-style mansion of the same name. You reach it by a one-mile trail that drops steeply from the Vikingsholm lot on Highway 89. From the sand you look straight out at Fannette Island and its tiny stone teahouse.
The most iconic view on the lake, but the steep hike back up is real.
How we score beachesThe walk down takes 20 minutes; the walk back up takes longer than people expect. Carry water and pace yourself.
A paid lot at the Vikingsholm trailhead on Highway 89 fills early in summer.
Only reached by a steep one-mile trail with a big elevation change; not suited to strollers or wheelchairs.
Mansion tours run in summer. In winter, Highway 89 above Emerald Bay often closes for snow and avalanche risk, so check road status before you go.
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