The boulder-strewn East Shore remains largely undeveloped today thanks to an eccentric millionaire that once owned more than 24 miles of shoreline, most of which was on the East Shore.
If you want to spend the day exploring the East Shore, plan ahead. The only East Shore launch open is at Cave Rock and the closest on the North Shore is a Lake Forest outside Tahoe City. As well, if you launch from Cave Rock, there are no services heading north up the shore. On the North Shore, Sierra Boat Company in Carnelian Bay or North Tahoe Marina in Tahoe Vista are you closest source of supplies. Remember, the only location to dock in Incline Village is the Hyatt Regency, where you can grab a bite to eat, but with no gas services.
There are many large, underwater boulders along the East Shore and the depth of the lake can be deceiving. As well, this year we are experiencing low water levels, so use caution when going ashore.
Leaving Incline Village, the last few homes built into the boulder-strewn hillside will suddenly stop, replaced by undeveloped shorelines at Hidden Beach, a nude beach.
One note of warning for families, the East Shore is home to several nude beaches, so stick to the large, sandy beaches and you’ll likely avoid the nude sunbathers. For the rest of you, stop drooling, it’s rude.
You’ll continue along the expanse of boulder-strewn shoreline until you see the vast sand beaches of Sand Harbor State Park.
Sand Harbor is one of Lake’s Tahoe best beaches. There are beaches rimming the entire point, with shallow waters that are among the warmest on the lake. It’s also a popular spot of kayakers, so keep your eyes open.
Unfortunately, the boat launch at Sand Harbor closed on Aug. 5 due to low water level, so it’s not accessible. However, there are many great spots to anchor and enjoy the swimming spots (which are roped off, so keep your boat out of these areas). Sand Harbor has picnic areas and a visitor’s center, and is home to the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, playing through Aug. 23.
Leaving Sand Harbor, on the next small point you’ll see the Thunderbird Lodge, one of the grandest estates on Lake Tahoe, built by George Whittell Jr.
Whittell was an odd man with exotic tastes from the lions and elephants he kept as pets to the many mistresses he was rumored to have. Whittell bought 24 acres of pristine wilderness along Lake Tahoe in 1936. Stretching from Kings Beach in California to Zephyr Cove in Nevada, Whittell had grand plans of developing casinos and housing projects.
Whittell sold off parcels in Crystal Bay and Incline Village to developers, while the land for Kings Beach he is rumored to have lost in a poker game to Joe King. However, as he grew older his desire for privacy, mixed with a bit of the paranoia (he hid listening devices throughout most of his own home), led him to abandon plans for development. Although, in his later years, the state of Nevada persuaded him to donate the land that is now Sand Harbor State Park.
Whittell’s former estate is now preserved and maintained by the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society.
From the shore, you can see the Main Lodge, Card House, the Boathouse, which houses the “Thunderbird,” with the Caretaker’s Cottage and an elephant garage on the hillside above. You can cruise past the estate, but you cannot go ashore. Tours of the estate are open to the public only through Tahoe Adventure Company with kayak tours, Tahoe Boat Cruises with boat tours and by shuttle; see Sightseeing for contact information.
Leaving the Thunderbird Lodge, there is a succession of public beaches heading down the East Shore. With the exception of the Thunderbird Lodge, most of the shoreline from Incline Village to Skunk Harbor is state or federal land and is open to the public. There are a few scant pockets of private land, so if you spot a home, pick another spot to come ashore.
The first beach you’ll come to is Chimney Beach, so named for the chimney that is the sole survivor of a former beach house, making it easy to spot from the Lake. Followed by Secret Cove, a nude beach, and Secret Harbor, rounding out the south end of this small bay. Chimney Beach is a wide, sandy beach, while Secret Cove is sheltered by boulders and trees along the shoreline. Despite it’s name, however, Secret Harbor is rather popular with beach-goers, kayakers and boaters. And, dogs are allowed on all of the beaches.
The next harbor will be Skunk Harbor a great spot for swimming or boat camping. On shore, you’ll see the remnants of a guest house and cook house once owned by George Newhall, who also owned an elaborate summer estate on the West Shore. The home was built in 1923 as a retreat from Tahoe’s busy social scene and later sold to Whittell, who lived there during the construction of the Thunderbird Lodge and used it as a guest house and retreat.
Leaving Skunk Harbor and continuing south, you’ll round Deadman’s Point and began to see some homes along the shoreline before entering Glenbrook Bay, one of the Lake’s oldest communities. Glenbrook was once an epicenter of industry in Lake Tahoe. After the discovering of silver at the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, vast amounts of timber were cut around Tahoe, brought across the lake to Glenbrook then loaded on rail cars and carried to the top of Spooner Summit where they rode the flumes to the Carson Valley. The remnants of the three railroad piers that once meet the log booms can still be seen jutting out of the lake. Glenbrook, however, is now a private community and is not open to the public.
You’ll start to see vast estates along the East Shore after leaving Glenbrook Bay. As you head south to Cave Rock, a large volcanic plug noticeable from most of Lake Tahoe, you’ll spot Logan Shoals Marina. The marina, however, is private and provides no services. There’s a boat launch, picnic area and restrooms at Cave Rock. I’ll talk about Cave Rock, a sacred site to the Washoe, in a later column.
