Emerald Bay is the postcard that sells Lake Tahoe: a narrow, glacier-carved inlet of brilliant green-blue water wrapped in granite, holding Fannette Island —” the only island in the entire lake —” with the ruins of a stone tea house at its summit.
At the head of the bay sits Vikingsholm, a 1929 mansion built in the style of a Scandinavian castle and considered one of the finest examples of Nordic architecture in the U.S. A steep one-mile trail leads down to it from the highway, passing knockout viewpoints the whole way.
| Location | West Shore, Emerald Bay State Park on CA-89 |
|---|---|
| Vikingsholm trail | ~1 mile each way, steep (~400 ft) on the return climb |
| Parking | Small lots that fill by mid-morning in summer; do not park illegally on Hwy 89 |
| Fees | Paid parking; separate fee for guided Vikingsholm house tours (seasonal) |
| Best for | Photography, the mansion tour, kayaking the bay |
| Season | House tours run summer into early fall; the overlooks are open year-round |