Lake Tahoe
D. L. Bliss State Park: Lester Beach and Calawee Cove
Public state park
Not determined here; check park information and Tahoe monitoring
Yes. California State Parks names Lester Beach and Calawee Cove as swimming locations. Since October 1, 2026 the park is in its off-season: closed to vehicles, with a steep, roughly 2-mile hike to the beaches from the Visitor Center lot and no restrooms or water. In season, day use is sunrise to sunset with a $10 vehicle fee. The park does not promise lifeguard coverage on the access page.
Plan the access
- Access status
- State Parks expressly lists swimming at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove
- Who can use it
- Public state park
- Manager
- California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Published hours
- Sunrise to sunset; off-season since October 1, 2026, closed to vehicles (pedestrians walk in from the Visitor Center lot)
- Published fees
- $10 per vehicle per day in season, as published when checked; vehicles cannot enter during the off-season
- Reservation
- No ordinary day-use reservation requirement stated
- Lifeguards
- Not stated on the manager page
- Parking
- Off-season: park at the closed Visitor Center lot near Highway 89 and walk in. In season: day-use parking; availability is not guaranteed
- Water conditions
- Not determined here; check park information and Tahoe monitoring
Confirm before leaving
Open official manager page ↗Check condition source ↗Official pages and signs override this guide.
Off-season access (since October 1, 2026)
California State Parks closes D. L. Bliss to vehicles for the off-season, which began October 1, 2026. Pedestrians may park at the Visitor Center lot near Highway 89 (the Visitor Center itself is closed) and walk in from sunrise to sunset: about 1 mile to the closest Rubicon Trailhead and a steep, mountainous 2 miles to the beaches. There are no restrooms or water; the park names Sugar Pine Day Use Area, 7 miles north, as the closest restrooms. Checked October 25, 2026.
Camping and reservations
Camping is closed until May 2027. Summer 2027 sites can be reserved through ReserveCalifornia up to six months ahead. The manager does not state a day-use reservation rule, and in season that is not a guarantee a parking space will remain available.
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Access facts last checked against the linked manager on 2026-10-25. This date is not a water sample or a promise of present conditions.