Where is Emerald Bay Road?
Usa, north-america
29.93 km
2,084 m
hard
Year-round
Emerald Bay Road is a must-do scenic drive hugging the western shore of Lake Tahoe in California. Get ready for some thrills because this road can be a bit of a nail-biter, clinging to steep cliffs with, at times, no guardrails!
Located on the eastern edge of California, near the Nevada border, this fully paved section of Highway 89 is not for the faint of heart. Imagine yourself perched on a mountain ridge with massive drop-offs on either side. It's a little scary, sure, but the views are SO worth it. Trust me, you'll be high above not one, but two dazzling mountain lakes!
This incredible stretch of road is just under 30km (18.6 miles) long, winding from Lake Valley to Tahoma in the Sierra Nevada's Carson Range. The highest point is Inspiration Point, sitting pretty at 2,084m (6,837ft) above sea level, a full 600 feet above Lake Tahoe. From up there, you'll get the picture-perfect panorama of Emerald Bay, boats bobbing on the water, Vikingsholm, and Fanette Island. Tip: parking can get tricky in the summer, especially between 10 am and 4 pm, so plan accordingly!
Emerald Bay Road does throw in some steep sections, with gradients hitting up to 9%. There’s a particularly memorable quarter-mile stretch where you're riding a ridge separating Emerald Bay from Cascade Lake, with a stomach-dropping 600-foot plunge on both sides – sans guardrails! So, if you're not a fan of heights or the wind is howling, maybe save this one for a calmer day. It’s breathtaking, but definitely precipitous!
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 29.93 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,084 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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