William Kent Beach
Tahoe City, CA
William Kent Beach, two miles south of Tahoe City on the West Shore, is a free Forest Service beach in the pines. The shore is pebbly rather than sandy. There are picnic tables with lake views, grills, and a restroom building, and the Sunnyside resort sits just up the shore if you want a drink on a deck.
Free, shady, and a good launch spot, but the pebbles aren't great for lying out.
How we score beachesBring water shoes and a board. The pebbles make this a better launch than a lounging beach.
Free parking off Highway 89 near the William Kent Campground; it fills on summer weekends.
A short walk through the trees from the lot ends on a pebbly shoreline.
The campground and beach are liveliest from late June through August. Once the campground closes in fall, you'll often have the shoreline to yourself.
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