Duane Leroy Bliss was a nineteenth-century timber baron whose logging operations helped clear-cut much of the Tahoe Basin in the late 1800s.

Bliss grew rich cutting down and selling Tahoe's old growth timber to the silver mines of the Nevada Comstock Lode, but he also valued the basin's natural beauty. Further, he realized that he could make money by developing the Tahoe Region's next economy, namely, summer tourism.

To accelerate re-growth after the loggers finished their jobs, Bliss ordered that no trees less than 15 inches wide at the base be cut on his commercial, Tahoe timberlands. His unusual foresight and commitment to the responsible stewardship of Tahoe's natural resources was virtually unheard of at that time.

Thanks to Bliss's protection of the smaller trees on his vast property holdings (and a 20-year period of above average precipitation that began in1890), a dense forest of young trees ten to twenty feet high soon reestablished a good portion of the lake's scenic beauty.



To entertain, transport, and accommodate the anticipated crowds of tourists, Bliss launched the graceful steamer Tahoe. And he connected the lake at Tahoe City to Truckee with a narrow-gauge railroad. The small railroad, therefore, linked Lake Tahoe to the transcontinental railroad line that was completed in 1869. Bliss also built the luxurious Tahoe Tavern hotel near Tahoe City.

The combination was a successful three-pronged approach that started the world on its way to knowing about, and visiting, Lake Tahoe--today one of the prime destinations on the planet.

In 1929, the children of Duane Bliss donated 744 acres of the lake's most scenic land to the State of California. It is the gift that keeps on giving because the park revitalizes the spirit of virtually all who visit it. The park is about 15 miles south of Tahoe City on Highway 89 along the West Shore.



For many people, D.L. Bliss State Park is the start to the Rubicon Trail, arguably one the most scenic hiking trails in the basin, but the park itself is also a jewel worthy of a short or long visit. From the unique Balancing Rock (the top rock weighs about 130 tons) to the pristine beaches and choice camping grounds, Bliss won't disappoint.

Photos and story by Mark McLaughlin, a weather historian who lives on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. To read more of Mark's writings, visit www.micmacmedia.com.