Beaches and Picnic Areas

Most National Forest beaches and picnic areas charge a parking fee per vehicle. Parking area hours of operation are 8 a.m. until sunset from Memorial Day through mid-October, conditions and weather permitting. 

Please keep in mind, National Forest beaches and picnic areas are open for walk-ins even when the parking lots are closed. However, services like restrooms and trash receptacles are not available when the parking areas are closed for the season, so plan ahead.

Season passes for National Forest beaches may be purchased at the following beach kiosks and campgrounds: Baldwin Beach, Fallen Leaf Campground, Nevada Beach Campground, and Pope Beach.

Campfires (wood, charcoal or any other solid fuels) are not permitted on beaches or in picnic areas. Portable stoves are allowed with a valid permit.

Tahoe Beach App

Search and discover Lake Tahoe public beaches using the Tahoe Beach App developed and funded by our partners at the Tahoe Fund and the California Tahoe Conservancy through the Lake Tahoe License Plate Program. Eight public agencies collaborated to develop the site, seamlessly integrating public beach information across their organizations to get information to their users. The partners include: California Tahoe Conservancy, California State Parks, City of South Lake Tahoe, North Tahoe Public Utility District, Nevada Division of State Parks, Tahoe City Public Utility District, Tahoe Transportation District and the USDA Forest Service.

East Shore

• Chimney Beach
  (USFS)
• Nevada Beach
  (USFS/Tahoe Recreation)
• Round Hill Pines Beach Resort
  (USFS/SUP)
• Secret Cove
  (USFS)
• Zephyr Cove Resort
  (USFS/SUP)

South Shore

• Baldwin Beach
  (USFS/Tahoe Recreation)
• Camp Richardson Resort
  (USFS/SUP)
• Emerald Bay State Park
  (CSP)
• Kiva Picnic Area
  (USFS)
• Pope Beach
  (USFS/Tahoe Recreation)

West Shore

• D.L. Bliss State Park
  (CSP)
• Kaspian Picnic Area
  (USFS/Tahoe Recreation)
• Meeks Bay
  (USFS/SUP)
• Sugar Pine Point State Park
  (CSP)
• William Kent Picnic Area
  (USFS/Tahoe Recreation)

Operated By

CSP: Beach is on State of California land and is managed by California State Parks.
USFS: Beach is on National Forest land and managed by the USDA Forest Service.
USFS/Tahoe Recreation: Beach is on National Forest land and is managed by Tahoe Recreation under a special use permit.
USFS/SUP: Beach is on National Forest land and is managed by a concessionaire under a special use permit.