The Lighthouse Circuit

Access, tours, hours, fees, and closures change often. Always verify with the official source before driving.

Tier 3

Sugar Pine Point Light

Tahoma · El Dorado County · Inland (Lake Tahoe)

Companion entry to Rubicon Point — together they document the only inland lake light system in the California atlas.

InactivedemolishedPublic accesseasy
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

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Check in at Sugar Pine Point Light to collect your digital stamp. Add your name if you like.

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From the field

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Visit essentials

Access

Drive-to (state park)

Current hours

Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park hours

Tours

Self-guided (state park grounds)

Fees

$10 day use fee (California State Parks)

The light

Year first lit

1921

Current structure built

1921

Optic

Acetylene gas light (automated)

Stewardship & location

Owner

California State Parks (Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park)

Manager

California State Parks

Coordinates

39.0667, -120.1167 Map

The story

Built 1921 as a small automated acetylene beacon on Lake Tahoe, paired with Rubicon Point in a short-lived Corps of Engineers navigational series. The tower no longer stands.

The visit

Drive-to within Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. Whether any physical remnant of the lighthouse remains within the park is an open research question. Combine with the historic Hellman-Ehrman Mansion on site.

Make a day of it

Base yourself in

South Lake Tahoe or Tahoe City

Food / coffee

Tahoe City restaurants, Sunnyside Resort

Stay nearby

Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park campground, various Tahoe resorts

Nearby lighthouses

Rubicon Point Light

Tahoma, Inland (Lake Tahoe)

Tier 3InactivePublic accessmoderate

Inland lake lighthouse is the rarity. Almost nobody knows Tahoe ever had navigational beacons; this and Sugar Pine Point are the evidence.

Help keep this guide accurate: report changed access, a broken link, or a factual correction.

Sources

Image rights: No known public domain images of the lighthouse structure itself; park photos available from CA State Parks

Research confidence: medium · Last verified 2026-05-13