Road Trips: South Lake Tahoe (redo)

I’ve touched on South Lake Tahoe (and Tahoe/Reno in general) a few times in this feature, but I had a whole new experience last time I visited Tahoe and I wanted to share with you all! I went for a summer hike in South Lake that was about 3.5 miles one way and had some of the most beautiful views ever!  I was with another friend and heading back home and they were staying, so we had two cars.  We parked one at DL Bliss and one at Emerald Bay.  Then we proceeded to walk down to Vikingsholm and follow the trail back to DL Bliss.

Vikingsholm was closed for the season, so unfortunately I have still never been inside.  It was one of the first summer homes at Lake Tahoe. Ben Holiday, stagecoach magnate and early-day transportation king, constructed a home there in the late 1860s. His land was eventually sold to Paul Kirby in 1880. The Kirbys built a number of cabins, intended for resort use. The William Henry Armstrong family acquired the property in 1892 and they used the cabins as their summer residence for over 32 years. In 1928, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight bought the Armstrong’s land with the desire to build a summer home that would complement the magnificent natural surroundings.

Emerald Bay reminded her of fjords she had seen on numerous travels to Scandinavia. She commissioned her nephew by marriage, Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design the home. Vikingsholm was completed in the fall of 1929. In 1945, the estate was sold to Lawrence Holland, a rancher from Nevada. He subsequently sold it to Harvey West, a lumberman from Placerville, California. In the early 1950s, Mr. West, a noted philanthropist, negotiated with the State of California and said he would donate one-half of the appraised value of the land and the Vikingsholm outright, if the State would pay him the other half of the land value. These terms were agreed upon, and in 1953 the house and property were acquired by the state.  This landmark home is now a park and can be enjoyed by all and not developed.

This trail is part of the famed Tahoe Rim Trail, which is exactly as epic as it sounds. We came across a small waterfall still flowing in October and the views were truly spectacular. It is an easy hike, even if you do it round trip, as long as you have good weather, it could be a fun date idea or family adventure.  When we were parking one car at DL Bliss, two guys were running down the hill at a good pace.  As we started on the trail at Emerald Bay, here came the same two runners, making great time, but they still had a big hill to climb up.

This hike is mesmerizing! It is called the Rubicon Trail, primarily running along the water’s edge and afforded breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe, the pictures say more than a thousand words. On my way home I stopped at  Camp Davidson for some food. They are known for their rum runners and summer parties on the beach with live bands – but that will have to be another blog. Next time you head up to Tahoe, definitely give this hike a try; in summer months the parking is tough. October is the perfect month: not too crowded and before the snow hits and 89 closes.