Boat Camping

Boat camping on Lake Tahoe is a lot of fun. Fantastic sunsets, magnificent stars at night and beautiful sun rise. Then getting together with some friends and having a cookout can make for an exceptional evening out.

Barbequing on the boat or on the shore is a favorite with locals.

Skunk Harbor is usually a good bet and is sheltered from most weather. The harbor is big enough to for several boats with a very nice beach. Skunk Harbor use to be a china camp in the 1800’s during the logging days. Skunk Harbor is north of Glenbrook on east shore. GPS coordinates are N 39° 7.790 W 119° 56.623

Boat Camp in Emerald Bay is another good spot to camp out. You need to get reservation from California State Parks by going on line. From July through August it is usually booked. September boating on the lake has slowed down and getting a spot at Boat Camp is not a problem. They have buoys to tie up your boat. People will get a campsite or hang out on their boat for the night. Spending a week on the lake and using Boat Camp as their home base work out well. GPS coordinates N 38° 57.550 W 120° 5.762

West of Boat Camp on the same side as Boat Camp to the Vikings Home is where locals spend the night. No reservation, no fees for right now. Free is always good when camping out. A mini porta poddi or a holding tank on the boat is a very big plus.

Whiskey Cove is where just a few boats can spent the night. Go to shore and take the Rubicon trail to Emerald Bay or go the other way to Rubicon Point. Look for the Light House. The Views are spectacular on the trail. Whiskey Cove is just north from Emerald Bay on the west shore. Navigation out of Emerald Bay to Whiskey Cove you need to swing wide. The water is very shallow water with many rocks. During the day keeping a visual on the water depth and rocks is a must. One needs to get their boat anchored before sunset for navigation safety. Navigation at night in this area is not advised. If you do travel in this area at night keep deep water on your deep meter and go slow. GPS coordinates N 38° 58.178 W 120° 5.362

Rubicon Point Bay is a beautiful place to hang for the night. In the morning the sun hits the water and reflects on the sandy bottom back to the surface that gives a turquoise watercolor. You might think you are in the Caribbean with pine trees. The rock face just before Rubicon Point Bay to the south is world famous scuba and free dive spot. It is called Rubicon Wall. The water deep just off shore drops off to over 300 feet. Out just a little further the wall drops to over 1000 feet. The geological granite formations are awesome at the surface. Underwater you can see where there were waterfalls that came down on the rocks over many ice ages ago. Geological history over a millions of years ago is just under the water to see. As you hang just off the cliff and you look down to the abyss. At around noon to a little later the light rays beams shoot through the water heading straight down to as far as on can see. GPS coordinates N 38° 59.967 W° 120 5.856