D. L. BLISS& EMERALD BAY

STATE PARKS

Printed on Recycled Paper© 2001 California State Parks (Rev. 10/04)

D.L. Bliss & Emerald Bay State ParksP. O. Box 266, Tahoma, CA 96142

D. L. Bliss (530) 525-7277Emerald Bay (530) 541-3030 (summer only)Lake Sector Headquarters (530) 525-3345

For information call:800-777-0369916-653-6995, outside the U.S.888-877-5378, TTY888-877-5379, without TTY

www.parks.ca.gov

CALIFORNIASTATE PARKS

P. O. Box 942896Sacramento, CA

94296-0001

California State Parks does not discriminate againstindividuals with disabilities. Prior to arrival, visitorswith disabilities who need assistance should contactthe park at the phone number below. To receive thispublication in an alternate format, write to theCommunications Office at the following address.

OUR MISSIONThe mission of the California Department ofParks and Recreation is to provide for thehealth, inspiration and education of the peopleof California by helping to preserve the state’sextraordinary biological diversity, protectingits most valued natural and cultural resources,and creating opportunities for high-qualityoutdoor recreation.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGERGovernor

MIKE CHRISMANSecretary for Resources

RUTH COLEMANDirector, California State Parks

D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parksinclude some six miles of magnificent LakeTahoe shoreline and cover 1,830 acres inCalifornia’s Sierra Nevada. From the scenicoverlook on Highway 89, you can see abrilliant panorama of Emerald Bay, FannetteIsland, Lake Tahoe and the distant Nevadashore. Nearby Eagle Creek cascades overthree falls and disappears into the lake.

The grandeur of the parks and theirsetting is a product of successive upheavalsof the mountain-building processes thatraised the Sierra Nevada. Lake Tahoe, froman Indian word interpreted to mean “Lakeof the Sky,” lies east of the main Sierra crestat an elevation of over 6,200 feet. After themountains rose to the east and west, thelake’s basin was completed by glaciers andlava seeping from volcanic vents, especiallyto the north. The lake is over 22 miles long,12 miles wide and more than 1,600 feetdeep. You can see approximately 70 feetinto its depths from promontories such asRubicon Point. The lake level is controlledby a small dam on the Truckee River at

Tahoe City. More than 50 streams feedwater into the lake. The Truckee river is theonly outflow.

The Lake Tahoe area has a wide variety oftrees and plants. Tall and majestic sugarpines grow on the thin granitic soil in thecenter of D.L. Bliss. The parks also containponderosa and jeffrey pines, white and redfirs, incense cedar, Sierra juniper and blackcottonwood. Along the streams grow a lushcombination of alders, quaking aspen,mountain dogwood, service berry, Sierramaple, bitter cherry and willow. As forwildflowers, there are columbine, leopardlily, lupine, bleeding heart, mint, yellowmonkey flower and nightshade. Brush areasare composed of ceanothus, chinquapin,currant, gooseberry, huckleberry oak,manzanita and other shrubs that provide

colorful blooms and fra-grances in season.

Summer temperatureshere range from about

75 degrees during theday to the low 40s at

night. Wintertemperaturesaverage from ahigh of 40 to alow of 20degrees.

During ex-tremely cold

winters EmeraldBay freezes over.

Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay

Lester Beach, D. L. Bliss

The parks are closed during the winter.Depending on the weather, they are openfrom late May until the end of September.

D. L. Bliss State Park is named for apioneering lumberman, railroad owner andbanker of the region. His family donated744 acres to the California State Park Systemin 1929. The nucleus of Emerald Bay StatePark, including Vikingsholm, was sold forhalf the appraised value to the State byPlacerville lumberman Harvey West in 1953.The Save the Redwoods League was instru-mental in this acquisition.

VIKINGSHOLMIn 1928, Mrs. Lora J. Knight ofSanta Barbara purchased thisisolated site at the head ofEmerald Bay. She instructedLennart Palme, a Swedish-bornarchitect and nephew by mar-riage, to design a home withoutdisturbing a single one of thesite’s magnificent trees. After a

trip to Scandinavia, they decided to repro-duce Norwegian farmsteads, wooden stavechurches and a castle.

Vikingsholm was completed in September1929. Mrs. Knight also had guest housesand the tea house on Fannette Island built.She spent her summers at the home untilher death in 1945.

The methods and materials used in theconstruction of Vikingsholm, including thegranite boulders of the foundations andwalls, are those used in ancientScandinavia. Towers, intricate carvings andhand-hewn timbers were used to create thehome. The sod roofs with their living grassand flowers are reproduced from actualsites in Norway. Many of the furnishingsthat Mrs. Knight wanted for Vikingsholmwere so historically significant that theirexport was forbidden by the Norwegian andSwedish governments. Therefore, she hadthe furnishings copied in detail, down to themeasurements, colorations and aging of the

Lester Beach, D.L. Bliss

Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay

DLBliss Brochure PDF layout 9/23/04, 1:59 PM1

D. L. BLISS& EMERALD BAY

STATE PARKS

Printed on Recycled Paper© 2001 California State Parks (Rev. 10/04)

D.L. Bliss & Emerald Bay State ParksP. O. Box 266, Tahoma, CA 96142

D. L. Bliss (530) 525-7277Emerald Bay (530) 541-3030 (summer only)Lake Sector Headquarters (530) 525-3345

For information call:800-777-0369916-653-6995, outside the U.S.888-877-5378, TTY888-877-5379, without TTY

www.parks.ca.gov

CALIFORNIASTATE PARKS

P. O. Box 942896Sacramento, CA

94296-0001

California State Parks does not discriminate againstindividuals with disabilities. Prior to arrival, visitorswith disabilities who need assistance should contactthe park at the phone number below. To receive thispublication in an alternate format, write to theCommunications Office at the following address.

OUR MISSIONThe mission of the California Department ofParks and Recreation is to provide for thehealth, inspiration and education of the peopleof California by helping to preserve the state’sextraordinary biological diversity, protectingits most valued natural and cultural resources,and creating opportunities for high-qualityoutdoor recreation.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGERGovernor

MIKE CHRISMANSecretary for Resources

RUTH COLEMANDirector, California State Parks

D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parksinclude some six miles of magnificent LakeTahoe shoreline and cover 1,830 acres inCalifornia’s Sierra Nevada. From the scenicoverlook on Highway 89, you can see abrilliant panorama of Emerald Bay, FannetteIsland, Lake Tahoe and the distant Nevadashore. Nearby Eagle Creek cascades overthree falls and disappears into the lake.

The grandeur of the parks and theirsetting is a product of successive upheavalsof the mountain-building processes thatraised the Sierra Nevada. Lake Tahoe, froman Indian word interpreted to mean “Lakeof the Sky,” lies east of the main Sierra crestat an elevation of over 6,200 feet. After themountains rose to the east and west, thelake’s basin was completed by glaciers andlava seeping from volcanic vents, especiallyto the north. The lake is over 22 miles long,12 miles wide and more than 1,600 feetdeep. You can see approximately 70 feetinto its depths from promontories such asRubicon Point. The lake level is controlledby a small dam on the Truckee River at

Tahoe City. More than 50 streams feedwater into the lake. The Truckee river is theonly outflow.

The Lake Tahoe area has a wide variety oftrees and plants. Tall and majestic sugarpines grow on the thin granitic soil in thecenter of D.L. Bliss. The parks also containponderosa and jeffrey pines, white and redfirs, incense cedar, Sierra juniper and blackcottonwood. Along the streams grow a lushcombination of alders, quaking aspen,mountain dogwood, service berry, Sierramaple, bitter cherry and willow. As forwildflowers, there are columbine, leopardlily, lupine, bleeding heart, mint, yellowmonkey flower and nightshade. Brush areasare composed of ceanothus, chinquapin,currant, gooseberry, huckleberry oak,manzanita and other shrubs that provide

colorful blooms and fra-grances in season.

Summer temperatureshere range from about

75 degrees during theday to the low 40s at

night. Wintertemperaturesaverage from ahigh of 40 to alow of 20degrees.

During ex-tremely cold

winters EmeraldBay freezes over.

Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay

Lester Beach, D. L. Bliss

The parks are closed during the winter.Depending on the weather, they are openfrom late May until the end of September.

D. L. Bliss State Park is named for apioneering lumberman, railroad owner andbanker of the region. His family donated744 acres to the California State Park Systemin 1929. The nucleus of Emerald Bay StatePark, including Vikingsholm, was sold forhalf the appraised value to the State byPlacerville lumberman Harvey West in 1953.The Save the Redwoods League was instru-mental in this acquisition.

VIKINGSHOLMIn 1928, Mrs. Lora J. Knight ofSanta Barbara purchased thisisolated site at the head ofEmerald Bay. She instructedLennart Palme, a Swedish-bornarchitect and nephew by mar-riage, to design a home withoutdisturbing a single one of thesite’s magnificent trees. After a

trip to Scandinavia, they decided to repro-duce Norwegian farmsteads, wooden stavechurches and a castle.

Vikingsholm was completed in September1929. Mrs. Knight also had guest housesand the tea house on Fannette Island built.She spent her summers at the home untilher death in 1945.

The methods and materials used in theconstruction of Vikingsholm, including thegranite boulders of the foundations andwalls, are those used in ancientScandinavia. Towers, intricate carvings andhand-hewn timbers were used to create thehome. The sod roofs with their living grassand flowers are reproduced from actualsites in Norway. Many of the furnishingsthat Mrs. Knight wanted for Vikingsholmwere so historically significant that theirexport was forbidden by the Norwegian andSwedish governments. Therefore, she hadthe furnishings copied in detail, down to themeasurements, colorations and aging of the

Lester Beach, D.L. Bliss

Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay

DLBliss Brochure PDF layout 9/23/04, 1:59 PM1

wood. Vikingsholm is a National HistoricRegister Site.

You can take a guided tour of Vikingsholmfor a nominal fee from mid-June throughSeptember. The building is about a miledown by trail from the parking lot at theEmerald Bay Overlook. Call the park forinformation about accessibility atVikingsholm.

CAMPING

The parks have 268 family campsites (someaccessible), each with a table, cupboard andstove, plus nearby restrooms and hotshowers. Although there are no hookups,some sites at D.L. Bliss will accommodatetrailers up to 15 feet long or motor homesup to 18 feet. Emerald Bay can accommo-date trailers up to 18 feet long ormotorhomes up to 21 feet. The groupcampground will accommodate up to 50people, with a limit of 10 cars. Reservecampsites by calling 1-800-444-PARK (7275)and charging reservations to your Visa®,Discover®Card or MasterCard®.

There are also 20 primitive campsites thatare accessible by boat. While the parksthemselves have no launching facilities,boats can be launched from private facili-ties about 6 miles to the north or south.

Campers can enjoy swimming, sunbathingand fishing for rainbow, brown and Macki-naw trout and Kokanee salmon (a land-

locked form of the Pacific sockeye), allsuccessfully introduced into the lake.During the summer, interpretiveprograms are scheduled. Hiking isalso popular. Hikers must stayon the trails. Smoking isprohibited on the trails sincefire is an ever-present danger.

Parking and restrooms at D.L.Bliss are barrier free, andvideotapes and scriptedvideos of the tours are avail-able at Emerald Bay. Call theparks for specific accessibilityinformation.

Dogs are allowed in the parks.However, they must be kepton a leash during the day andin an enclosed vehicle ortent at night. Due to thepossible danger to wildlife and other parkvisitors, dogs are not permitted on thetrails, beaches or in the Vikingsholm area.

PLEASE HELP

The unspoiled beauty of the Emerald Bayarea was recognized in September 1969,when it was designated as a National Natu-ral Landmark by the U.S. Department ofInterior. Please help us to keep it that wayso your children and their children will beable to enjoy it as well.

DLBliss Brochure PDF layout 9/23/04, 1:59 PM2

LESTER BEACH

CALAWEE COVE BEACH

Parking

Parking

ToTahoe City(15 miles) Parking

BALANCINGROCK

OLD LIGHTHOUSE

CampfireCenter

ParkResidences

Campsites141-168

Campsites91-114

Group Campground

Campsites115-140

RUBICON POINT

Rubi

Creek

Balancing RockNature Trail(self-guided)

Campsites 1-90

Check-inStation

con

Creek

Rubi con

Rubi

con

Trai

l

Trai

l

Ligh

thou

se

Fire

Road

ParkResidence

ServiceYard

Park Headquartersand

Visitor Center

Entrance

Rub

icon

Trai

l

Trail

Rubico

n

Road

Service

Beach

EMERALD POINT

EAGLE POINT

Note: 15 MPH throughoutthe entire bay

Shallow Water

Boat Camp (20 units)

Pier

Mooring Buoys

Underwater Bargeand Buoy

PARSON ROCK

FANNETTE ISLAND

TEA HOUSE

Sightseeing OnlyNo Picnicking or CampingPier

VIKINGSHOLM

Trail

Viki

ngsholm

Eagle Falls Tr.

5 MPH

Zo

ne

VISITORCENTER

Parking

Emerald BayOverlook

Eagle FallsPicnic Area(U.S. Forest Service)

Fire

Roa

d

Lower Eagle PointCampground

(campsites 35-100)Accessible campsites:

#59, 60, 62, 64, 68,and 72 thru 76

Upper Eagle PointCampground

(campsites 1-34)

CampfireCenter

Entrance

To South Lake Tahoe(8 miles)Bayview Campground (U.S. Forest Service)

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay State Park

D. L. BlissState Park

Vikingsholm Area openfor day use only

Eagle Falls Eagle

Creek

PAVED ROADSTRAILSCAMPING (one vehicle per site)PICNICKINGSWIMMINGTELEPHONEFISHING (fair to good)RESTROOMSRESTROOMS WITH SHOWERSBUOYSLOCKED GATESACCESSIBLE

1955 Landslide

1980 Landslide

1982 Avalanche Path

1982Avalanche

Path

LakeTahoe

0 1/4 1/2

SCALE IN MILES

D.L. Bliss & Emerald BayState Parks Trail System• Balancing Rock Nature Trail (self-guided) 0.5 mi.• Rubicon/Emerald Bay Trail (Calawee Cove to Eagle Point) 5.5 mi.• Calawee Cove to Vikingsholm 4.5 mi.• Calawee Cove to Emerald Point 3.0 mi.• Lighthouse Trail .75 mi.

89

89

Emerald Bay SP

D. L. Bliss SP

Sugar Pin ePoint S P

Burton Creek SP(undeveloped)

Tahoe SR A

KingsBeachSR A

KINGS BEACH

TAHOECITY

Carnelian Bay

TRUCKEE

Gatekeeper'sMuseum

Sunnyside

Homewood

Tahoma

MeeksBay

SOUTHLAKE

TAHOE

Cal

ifo

rnia

Nev

ada

Ag ate B ay

Mc Kinne yB ay

M eeksBay

RubiconBay

EmeraldBay

GlenbrookCove

Cascade Lake

FallenLeafLake

Upper Echo Lake

Lower Echo Lake

Meyers

L a k eTa h o e

ZephyrCove

28

27

80

89

267

89

89

27

50

50

MILES

0 2 4

© 2001 California State Parks

D. L. BlissCampgrounds

Campsites #75, 76, 77and 79 thru 86

are barrier free.The five shower/restroom

combo buildingsare barrier free.

Trai

lR

ubic

on

Trail

Rubicon