Emerald Bay State Park Lookout

05.03.24 Beautiful views of Emerald Bay as well as a lot of Lake Tahoe (too vast to view all in one go). Eagle Falls can be seen to your right at viewing area, trails lead down to the Falls or the Bay but we didn't go being seniors with a service dog! Seemed like a long steep hike. Port-O-Potties available for use located here.

Driving to/from the location via Emerald Bay Rd is very scenic but scary as cliff drops are super far and it's a narrow winding 1 lane Rd in each direction without any shoulder borders for most of the road. There are 180-320 degree turns with mph ranging from 5-15 there.

Less crowded when visiting in April/early May.

Parking lot can get full super fast. BE SURE TO PAY YOUR PARKING TICKET AT THE APM WITH THE SOLAR PANELS ATTACHED! If you know you're going to be there longer than 1hr just pay the 10$ for the all day pass. It's good for all other CA STATE PARKS. Ex: Washoe, Vikingsholm, DL Bliss, (DL Bliss is unfortunately closed this season tho) Burton Creek, Taylor Creek, Donner Lake Memorial, & Kings Beach! Until Sunset the same day.

Emerald Bay State Park Lookout is a highly popular tourist destination for anyone exploring Lake Tahoe's western shore. This scenic overlook not only provides stunning opportunities for photography but also allows visitors to fully experience the natural splendor of Emerald Bay. Views of Fannette Island further enhance the area's scenic charm, making it a captivating stop for those seeking the beauty of Lake Tahoe's landscapes. On the right, visitors can admire Eagle Falls and its surroundings, which are a perfect blend of nature's beauty.

During peak seasons, parking at Emerald Bay State Park Lookout can be quite limited, so it's advisable to arrive early or consider visiting during off-peak times to secure a spot. There is a parking fee of $10.00 to access the lookout area.

From this location, a trailhead leads to Vikingsholm beach, requiring a hike of approximately 15 to 30 minutes downhill, depending on your pace. The beach can only be reached by foot; there is no vehicle access. The trail offers stunning scenic views and is a favored route for visitors to reach the picturesque Vikingsholm Castle and the beach on the shores of Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe.

This destination is not just a place to admire the view; it serves as a gateway to explore more of Emerald Bay State Park's attractions. Whether hiking to Eagle Falls, exploring Vikingsholm, or taking in the panoramic vistas, Emerald Bay State Park Lookout offers a memorable experience for visitors of all ages.

Emerald Bay State Park Look Out

The Look out is an amazing place to take photographs together and of the Lake. Standing at 6300 ft above sea level which is 600 ft higher than the Lake. In a clear day you can see almost the entire Lake.

There is handicap parking and restrooms.
Parking can get cramped but it’s worth the wait.

I’ve added pictures of the Castle, Water Falls, and Trails.

The final destination of our Lake Tahoe visit was Emerald Bay State Park. We parked our car at the lookout, and paid the fee for Emerald Bay state park parking. The parking lot is small and it gets packed easily. We stopped a few moment at the rocky lookout to enjoy the breathtaking view of the sparkling emerald blue lake. Took a lot of photos here. And them we started our hiking towards the lake and Vikingsholm.

Beautiful lookout but it’s pretty hard to get parking there, which it’s paid for. There were people parking by the side of the road and going there on foot.

Amazing views and hiking trail was easy all the way down.

We did sunrise in this place and it was marvelous! There was no queue to enter since it was like 5am, however this parking lot gets pretty full too quickly and then you would have to do the street parking.

Usually people spend here hours at a time because it had the trail to go all the way to the lake and do water activities to go to the island.

I would recommend getting there earlier in the day and kayaking to the island and back.

Nice spot to go for a good view or to park and head down to Vikingsholm. Parking is $10 a day or you can try to find a spot along the road for free.
There are plenty of parking space if you arrive very very early otherwise, it’s hit or miss.
Portable toilets are available too.

I recently visited Lake Tahoe and discovered that beside Sandy Harbor, Emerald Bay is the best place to be! The view from the lookout is absolutely stunning. I couldn't help but be in awe of the beauty that surrounded me. If you're ever in the area, be sure to stop by Emerald Bay and take in the amazing scenery. It's truly a sight to behold!

Intermediate hike down from the top to the lake shore about a mile. A nice little beach at the bottom with kayak rentals. Beautiful views make it worth it. Restrooms at the top and bottom. Parking was a pain.

I went to Lake Tahoe on Oct 5, 2023 to hike at Emerald Bay State Park but the park was closed. The sign said they were doing road repairs due to avalanche damage and would reopen Oct 15. It won't let me post this without providing a rating so even though the park was closed for road repairs, in fairness, I'm going to give it all 5 stars.

Beautiful scenic views of the bay and lake

Best place to park and leisurely stroll and take pictures of the emerald bay and the fannette island. Paths down to Vikingsholm are open only during summer. Parking lot is also pretty large

Beautiful, even if you can't hike down to the bottom. Parking is hard at the large pay lot, but you can see the Bay if you park on the side of the road.

One of the best spots for photography.

Reached here in the evening at around 5.30 pm. There was an excessive heat advisory but the cool breeze was more enjoyable. We drove here from the north part of the lake through the east side and the view from here was the most captivating among all the locations. Felt like we could spend an eternity here!

A great place to stop and take in the amazing views of the lake or Emerald Bay, or park to take a hike down to see Vikingshelm and the beach.
This is a very busy stop, and has limited parking, so go early or expect to wait, especially on weekends or holidays.
There is a $3 per hour parking fee (or $10 for the day) that you must pay at the kiosk, then display the parking pass on your dash.
There are several viewing platforms with amazing panoramic views, and many people choose to climb on the rocks adjacent to the parking area to get that perfect camera shot or selfie.
Put it on your list of “must stops” when you are driving around Lake Tahoe.

Coming down from North Lake Tahoe to South Lake Tahoe and decided to drive around the whole lake. Perfect place to stop and take in the beauty of this part of the world.

Just stop here for 15 minute you wont regret it.