One of Lake Tahoe’s most beloved state parks is coming back, just in time for summer. D.L. Bliss State Park will reopen for camping and day use on May 21, 2026, following a multi-year infrastructure project that kept it closed to vehicles.
Located on the western shore of Lake Tahoe just north of Emerald Bay State Park, D.L. Bliss State Park is known for the Rubicon Trail, its beaches, and the Rubicon Point lighthouse, known for being the highest-elevation lighthouse in the United States.
Lester Beach, also known locally as “Bliss Beach,” sits at the northern entry portal to the Rubicon Trail and the Rubicon Wall, one of the deepest stretches of Lake Tahoe.
The park has 168 campsites, including the coveted beach camp sites right on Lester Beach. The beach areas are integrated with the camping sites, making it one of the few places on the lake where you can fall asleep within steps of the shoreline. Spots on the beach are limited, with the most coveted spots going fast.
The park has been closed since June 2023, shuttered for nearly three full summers while crews worked through the project. In November 2025, the California Department of Parks and Recreation announced that D.L. Bliss State Park would fully reopen in May 2026.
The reopening follows the completion of a $5 million waterline replacement project that added a new water main, 25 fire hydrants, and road improvements across nearly three miles of park roadways.
What to know before you visit:
The park is about 200 miles east of San Francisco via I-80 and Highway 89, roughly a 3.5-hour drive.
- The parking lot fills fast, often before noon, and once it reaches the maximum capacity, visitors must walk roughly two miles from the highway to the beach. Planning ahead makes a difference!
- Day-use entry is $10 per vehicle. Hours are sunrise to sunset.
- Camping reservations can be made at ReserveCalifornia.com.
- Dogs are allowed in developed areas including campsites and paved paths, but not on the beach or trails.
- Lake Tahoe is a designated Outstanding Natural Resource Water. Pick up after yourself, and don’t feed the wildlife.
You can learn more about the state park’s current restrictions and more at the official California State Parks website. For more information on Lester Beach, you can head to the official Tahoe Public Beaches website.
