Emerald Bay State Park is Lake Tahoe Jewel

Emerald Bay State Park lures many visitors to its magnificent beauty.

Located along Lake Tahoe’s west shore, Emerald Bay State Park offers spectacular views of the blue-green water and features many activities such as camping, hiking, boating and swimming. The park was designated a National Natural Landmark for its brilliant panorama of mountain-building processes and glacier carved granite. The natural beauty, geology and history of this unique island make it one of the highlights of any visit to the Lake Tahoe area.

Another exciting feature of the park is the Vikingsholm Castle, which is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the Western hemisphere. The castle sits at the head of Emerald Bay and served as the summer home for Mrs. Lora Knight, who had the house built in the late 1920s.One of the interesting architectural designs, is the sod roof which covers both the north and south wings of the complex. The interior of the home has paintings on some of the ceilings and walls and two intricately carved dragon beams. The six fireplaces are of Scandinavian design with unusual fireplace screens. Most of the furnishings in the home were originally selected by Mrs. Knight and reflect typical pieces used in Scandinavian homes of the period. A number of original antiques were purchased and others were reproduced to exact detail, even to the aging of the wood and duplication of scratches. The castle offers tours daily during summer months.

Vikingsholm Castle is considered one of the finest examples
of Scandinavian architecture in the Western Hemisphere.

Summer temperatures range from about 75 degrees during the day to the low 40s at night, and winter temperatures average from a high of 40 to a low of 20 degrees; during extremely cold winters Emerald Bay freezes over. It is always best to have layered clothing as temperatures can change.

So if you are looking for beauty and recreation, Emerald Bay State Park can definitely accommodate.