No trail hugs Lake Tahoe like the Rubicon. From Calawee Cove in D.L. Bliss State Park it traces the shoreline south — sometimes on beaches you could swim from, sometimes on ledges carved into cliffs a hundred feet above water so clear you can watch boulders fade into the deep. Along the way you'll pass the squat little Rubicon Point Lighthouse, one of the highest-elevation lighthouses ever operated in the United States.
Most hikers go one way to Vikingsholm at the head of Emerald Bay (about 4.5–5 miles), then either retrace their steps, or climb the steep mile up to the Emerald Bay overlook where a second car — or a very kind friend — is waiting.
| Distance | ~4.5–5 miles one-way, D.L. Bliss (Calawee Cove) to Vikingsholm; ~9–10 miles out-and-back. Short option: the ~2-mile Lighthouse loop at the Bliss end |
|---|---|
| Elevation gain | Rolling, gentle overall; add ~500 ft for the climb from Vikingsholm up to the Emerald Bay overlook parking |
| Difficulty | Moderate — long but never steep, with some exposed cliffside stretches (kids close at hand) |
| Trailhead | D.L. Bliss State Park on CA-89, ~17 mi south of Tahoe City; also reachable from the Vikingsholm lot at Emerald Bay |
| Fee / permits | State-park day-use fee at both ends; no hiking permit |
| Dogs | Not allowed (state-park trail) |
| Season | Late spring through fall — the D.L. Bliss park road closes for winter |