Sugar Pine has much to offer--sandy beaches, trails, skyscraper forests, a mansion, and, most of the year, solitude coupled with views that sooth the mind.

The park, with two miles of lake frontage (Lake Tahoe has 72 miles in total), has a rich history. In 1860, the first permanent settler of record on Lake Tahoe's west shore built a cabin at the mouth of General Creek. This was the trapper and fisherman, William "General" Phipps, and his cabin can still be seen today just north of the park pier.



In 1884, a resort called Bellevue Hotel was constructed just north of what is now the South Boathouse, and the Bellevue remained a popular summer destination for Lake Tahoe visitors for nine years when it burned to the ground.

The Ehrman Mansion was built a few years later for a wealthy San Francisco family. The mansion is open to visitors during the summer, and it has a Nature Center nearby with exhibits of the birds, mammals, and four major game fish in the area.

There is an entrance fee for autos but not for cyclists and pedestrians. The Park also has Wi-Fi service.

The pictures are by Mark McLaughlin and Steve Brandt.