Tier 3
Rubicon Point Light
Tahoma · El Dorado County · Inland (Lake Tahoe)
Inland lake lighthouse is the rarity. Almost nobody knows Tahoe ever had navigational beacons; this and Sugar Pine Point are the evidence.
Labels
- Tier 1–3
- Editorial browse cues for prominence and context—not circuits, checklists, or achievements.
- Active aid
- The light currently serves navigation. It does not mean the tower, grounds, or interior are open to visitors.
- Public / restricted access
- Some approved visitor access versus a legal viewpoint, special arrangement, or no ordinary public entry. Always check the official guidance.
- Flagship 12
- The curated statewide circuit. It is separate from the editorial tier labels.
Your lighthouse passport
Stamp my passport
Check in at Rubicon Point Light to collect your digital stamp. Add your name if you like.
Lighthouse Circuit is here to inspire real visits. To collect a location-verified stamp, you’ll need to be at the lighthouse with location access enabled. Need help adding past visits? Email us and we’ll be happy to add them manually.
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From the field
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Photo coming soon
Visit essentials
Access
Current hours
Tours
Fees
The light
Year first lit
Current structure built
Tower height
Focal plane
Optic
Light characteristic
Stewardship & location
Owner
Manager
Coordinates
The story
Built 1919 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a small automated acetylene beacon — one of a short-lived series on Lake Tahoe. Discontinued after just two years, in 1921. The concrete base and remnants sit on a cliff in D.L. Bliss State Park.
The visit
Hike-in via the Rubicon Trail from D.L. Bliss State Park — about 2.5 miles round trip, moderate. Verify trail status with State Parks before going; AllTrails has shown the spur closed in recent years.
Make a day of it
Base yourself in
Food / coffee
Stay nearby
Nearby lighthouses
Help keep this guide accurate: report changed access, a broken link, or a factual correction.
Sources
- Officiallighthousefriends.com/light.asp
- Officialen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubicon_Point_Light
- Officialparks.ca.gov
- Secondarycaliforniathroughmylens.com/rubicon-point-lighthouse
- Secondaryalltrails.com/trail/us/california/rubicon-point-light-lighthouse-trail
- Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubicon_Point_Light.jpg
Image rights: Wikimedia Commons images available. Historic USCG/Army Corps photos are public domain.
Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-05-13