Scuba Dive in Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay Underwater State Park offers scuba divers the chance to take a self-guided tour of the watercraft, barges, and vessels that still remain underneath Lake Tahoe's surface. This unique trail allows visitors to explore these abandoned historical sites up close.

The Maritime Heritage Underwater Trail at Emerald Bay debuted to the public in 2018. Just off of the shoreline lies several pieces of history that are over 100 years old! 

Scuba divers can discover shipwrecks of boats and barges used to build the Emerald Bay Resort and Vikingsholm Castle back in the 1920s and 30s. These are marked on the water's surface with buoys. Along with abandoned boats, divers may come across other small artifacts.

There are four dive sites along the Emerald Bay State Park Maritime Trail: the Barge Dive Site, Hard Chine Skiff, Florence M. Wooden Fishing Boat, and Passenger Launch. View a map of all of the dive sites here and here.  

Make sure you're prepared before you dive. These sites can go as deep as 60 feet, and at these depths, the water reaches cold temperatures, no matter the time of year.

Divers can access these sites themselves by boat; there aren't any guided tours of the area. You can rent gear from local dive shops. Visitors are allowed to explore these vessels up close but are expected to leave them the way they found them. These sites are part of the State Park and will be protected and preserved.

Explore the depths of Lake Tahoe to discover hidden history!