TAHOMA, Calif.— California State Parks today announced that D.L. Bliss State Park in the Lake Tahoe Basin will remain temporarily closed through summer 2024. Contract work to replace aging waterlines at the park is ongoing and expected to be completed next year. Work will resume after the snow melts in the spring and is anticipated to continue through summer 2024.

Closed areas in the park include:

• Vehicle access to Lester Beach
• Calawee Cove
• Balancing Rock trailhead
• Rubicon trailhead north
• All campsites and day-use area
• Visitor Center

Construction will disrupt the roads throughout the park and therefore, there is no vehicle access in the park during the project.

The public is invited to visit nearby campgrounds and day-use access areas at Emerald Bay State Park and Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, which are expected to be fully open next summer.

Access to the Rubicon Trail will also be affected during the project. Trail users may access the trail from Eagle Point and Vikingsholm trailhead in Emerald Bay State Park, but only for out-and-back hiking. Hikers may access Lester Beach and Calawee Cove from the trail or by boat from the lake. No restrooms or other services will be available. The public is advised to pack out their trash.

Progress was made on water system improvements in other areas of D.L. Bliss State Park and nearby Tahoe state parks this year. New water storage tanks that provide drinking water for visitors and park staff at D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parks were replaced this summer. At Tahoe State Recreation Area, old waterlines serving the campground were completely replaced recently. 

State Parks thanks the public for their patience and understanding as it works to improve the park’s infrastructure. The D.L. Bliss State Park website will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available.