According to our campground hosts we could travel totally around Lake Tahoe in two hours. She also showed us on a map the spots that we should make an effort to see suggesting that we do the east side of the lake first before the Sand Beach filled up. So we set off at 9:00 with plans to "do" the lake and then a couple of other things.
Five hours later we weren't even half way around!!! The views from the road and the few scenic stops were absolutely spectacular and called to us to spend some time. We drove down 267 and entered the loop road around the lake at Kings Beach.
We were told the water temperature is around 60 degrees in the summer. And early in the morning it is still in the high 60s yet people were already out on the lake including this boy on his paddleboard. We just enjoyed watching - forget even wading in some thing that cold!!!!
There we could see kayakers.....
Including this rock with a tunnel through it on the road which we were traveling.
There was a cave rock - sacred to the Indians, but I wasn't able to figure out which of the many beautiful rocks I was seeing wass the one with caves.
So we continued on to Zephyr Cove where we checked out the beach and the volleyball games taking place there as well as the little cafe area and the people out enjoying the water -parasailing and jet skiing.
Since by now it was lunch time we decided to go into the lodge and have lunch out on their deck so we continue to watch the activity on the water.
We found a parking spot in very busy South Tahoe so we could take a gondola ride up to the mountain top (about 10,000 feet up) BUT it was not to be as a storm was coming in up there and we were told they might have to just bring us right back down from the first stop at the Timberline Lodge so we just enjoyed an ice cream at Cold Stone by this fountain and watched the gondolas go up and down
We then continued on around the lake to
where we could get some beautiful views of the only island on Lake Tahoe in Emerald Bay
We could also see in the distance an eagle on its nest on the top of a stump - just too far for the camera to successfully capture what the eye could see.
Also hidden in the trees near the little beach was Vikingsholm - a"castle home" built in 1929 by Lora Knight because the view reminded her of a fjord in Norway. She bought the acreage that included the bay and surrounding land and set out to make her home look Scandanavian. She even traveled there to find ideas and furnishings for the home.
We then traveled around to the parking lot above the home so we could walk the mile down a very steep grade to the lake level and visit it.
We passed several little cascades and could hear the water rushing along among the weeds and flowers along the edge of the path.
and enjoyed lots of views through the trees of Emerald Bay as we got closer and closer to the water
Finally reaching the home just before the final tour of the day
The wood carving around this front window gives just a small idea of the beauty of the place that over 200 craftsmen built in just six months.
This little room off of her bedroom was created without the use of a single nail!
The pictures don't really capture it but every one of the tiny panes of window were different colors. The living room couldn't be totally captured in a single picture but it is possible to see the detail in the ceiling and the beautiful fireplace. One of the long tables in the room came from a 15th century castle in Sweden.
The dining room was just as big as the living room with an interesting ceiling as well
The amount of special detail can be seen in this closet door (the inside part) and the walls were equally as decorated!
I loved this clock on one end wall
We then stepped out what seemed like the back door and yet was really the front door for guests who would come down the steep road and through the gate and around the circular drive to this spot.
The courtyard/circular drive was flanked by wings like this on each side with all of the servant helps quarters along the colonades.
At the far end was the entry way with the head custodians room in the walls inside the arch.
This section had a half log roof while the wings had grass roofs. Those arriving would have seen the home from this side
Not a single tree was cut down to make way for the house. The architect worked around the trees which has to have been a real challenge.
Once in the house guests could go out the lake side door and see this view
Mrs. Knight had a tea room built on the island that she would take guests over to though not very often because of all the logistics of getting there.
Ken and I then had to climb back up the mile long steep road to the top again enjoying the beauty along the path and the gorgeous views of the water. Once on top, we could get a last view of Emerald Bay
Before going to the parking lot where Frank and Bette were waiting for us. From there we could look across to this pretty waterfall
We drove around the curve to the falls and I took a short walk out to see the setting where the water started its tumble down the side.
By the time I returned to the car it was supper time and we'd really only just barely gotten around the bottom of the lake. So we had to bypass everything else there was to see and simply head back toward the campground telling ourselves it was a neat place to return to another time. We would have loved to visit Squaw Valley but simply drove passed the entrance to that.
We returned by way of Donner Pass so we could at least see the monument by the brand new museum that is just now celebrating its grand opening - but of course was closed. This was the statue put up to commemorate the difficult journey the emigrants made over the pass in heavy snow. Over half of them died in the process
We then returned to the campground for a light supper and lots of rest after a wonderful day at Lake Tahoe.
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