VISIT OUR PARKS
Our commitment to creating welcoming experiences
When visiting new places, Visitor Centers can be such valuable resources. Get first-hand information from our knowledgeable staff to help plan your experience and fuel up with snacks and discover our collection of souvenirs!
Park Visitor Centers are located at Donner Memorial, Sugar Pine Point, D.L. Bliss, and Emerald Bay State Park.
Lake Tahoe Sector Visitor Information Line: 530-525-9528
VISIT THE PARKS WE SUPPORT
Kings Beach State Recreation Area
Arguably one of the most accessible beaches in Tahoe, enjoy 18 picnic tables, restrooms, a playground, a half-court for basketball, and water sports activities. The family-friendly beach features 979 feet of beautiful frontage property and has a large sandy beach, shaded by Jeffrey pines.
Update 2/4/26: This family-oriented park includes a playground and is open year-round (parking fees apply).
Donner Memorial Visitor Center
The Donner Memorial Visitor Center explores the experiences of crossing the Sierra from the earliest times to the present. The six exhibit areas impart a strong sense of place for these groups that are a part of the Donner region’s heritage: The Washoe Tribe, the Emigrant Trail, and the story of the ill-fated Donner Party stranding in 1846-47, the westward expansion of the railroad, the Chinese workers who built the railroads and changed the west, the influence of the interstate highway system through the Sierra and the erection of the Pioneer Monument and creation of Donner Memorial State Park. The Gift Shop features a notable collection of books on the Donner Party and other topics featured in the exhibits. For school field trips and large group reservations, please visit the park website.
Update 2/4/26: Sign up for the free historical snowshoe tour or cross-country skiing tour (bring your own equipment) every Saturday until the end of March. The gift shop is open year-round and filled with incredible gifts, souvenirs, apparel, books, jewelry, and so much more!
Burton Creek State Park
This park features six miles of unpaved roadway perfect for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and watching wildlife and birds. This is a bare park with no water, restrooms, or other services. Plan accordingly.
Update 2/4/26: When there’s no snow, this is a great mountain biking spot. When there is snow, snowshoeing is a fun option, and Tahoe XC manages cross-country ski trails. Be bear aware as you venture further into the forest.
Tahoe State Recreation Area
Easy, convenient camping right along the shore, this park has 23 campsites with picnic tables, showers, and restrooms. Enjoy an adjacent trail that goes along Tahoe City and the shoreline of Lake Tahoe.
Update 2/4/26: Stroll through the paved lakeside trail and bask in endless views!
Sugar Pine Nature Center
The Sugar Pine Point State Park Visitor Center, located inside the Nature Center, is your one-stop shop for maps, books, and gifts. We also offer small treats, water, and ice cream. Tour tickets can be purchased here on a first-come, first-served basis. There is an excellent bird display, where visitors can view several species of birdlife that occur in the Tahoe Basin. In addition to birds, visitors can see most of the mammals and the four major game fish that occur here. Other exhibits include Biology, Lake Ecology, Wildflowers, Trees, and a “Touchy-feely” table for the kids (adults also)!
Update 2/4/26: Sign up for the free historical snowshoe tour (equipment provided) every Saturday until the end of March. Self-guided historic Olympic cross-country ski and snowshoe trails are open throughout the winter as snow levels allow. Winter camping is available on the first loop in the campground on a first-come, first-served basis.
DL Bliss Visitor Center
The D.L. Bliss Visitor Center contains a wonderful natural history collection of the plants and animals found on the western slope of Lake Tahoe. Open seasonally from the end of May to the end of September, the friendly staff will answer your questions and help you plan a perfect day in the park. The Visitor Center also serves as the park store, where you will find a variety of books, maps, and gifts, as well as snacks, water, and ice cream to enhance your park experience.
Update 2/4/26: The long-awaited water infrastructure improvements are complete, and D.L. Bliss is reopening this summer! While the park is closed for camping and vehicular traffic in the winter (including Visitor Center and other services), the park will reopen for camping and day use on May 21, 2026. Camping reservations can be made at reservecalifornia.com.
Emerald Bay State Park
The Vikingsholm Visitor Center, located at the bottom of the Vikingsholm trail, contains a wonderful historical collection of all things Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm. Open seasonally, the friendly staff will answer your questions and help you plan a perfect day in the park. The Visitor Center also serves as the park store where you will find a variety of books, maps, and gifts, as well as snacks, water, and ice cream to enhance your park experience. Tickets for the Vikingsholm Tour can be purchased there on a first-come, first-served basis.
Update 2/4/26: Though closed for the winter season (camping, Vikingsholm tours, other services), you can catch an incredible view of Emerald Bay from the Vikingsholm parking lot. Just be sure not to park along the road, or you’ll get a citation or your vehicle towed! Emerald Bay may close due to snow removal and avalanche safety closures. Check CalTrans for updates. Check out the Emerald Bay Shuttle Pilot Program in the summertime to catch rides from South Lake Tahoe or the West Shore.
Washoe Meadows State Park
Looking for stillness and no crowds? Washoe Meadows is the place for you. It is completely undeveloped but rich in natural resources. The Upper Truckee River runs through the park and is home to a wide variety of fish and birds, and wildflowers when in season.
Update 2/4/26: A great site for spotting wildflowers in the springtime, make sure to visit around late May to June to spot the many local Sierra wildflowers.