Lake Tahoe Meeks Bay

The short answer: Meeks Bay is a long, sandy, shallow beach on Lake Tahoe's West Shore, about 2 miles south of Tahoma on Highway 89. It is on National Forest land, and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California runs it as Meeks Bay Resort under a Forest Service permit. The beach is gated and charges a day-use entry fee. It is open about Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, and the resort rents kayaks and paddleboards and has campsites, cabins and lodges. There are no pets, no lifeguards, no marina and no boat launch. Get there before 10 am on summer weekends.

We manage five homes on this part of the West Shore, three in Homewood and two in Tahoma. From Tahoma, Meeks Bay is the closest big beach. Below is what you need to know for a visit in the 2026 season and beyond, including the status of the Meeks Bay Restoration Project and the Highway 89 bridge work planned for 2027–2028. We checked everything against Recreation.gov, the U.S. Forest Service, Caltrans and the Lake Tahoe public beach listings in September 2026.

Meeks Bay quick facts

Sources: Meeks Bay Resort on Recreation.gov, the Lake Tahoe Public Beaches listing and the Forest Service Meeks Bay picnic area page. Fees and dates change each year, so check before you go.

Where is Meeks Bay and how do you get there?

Meeks Bay sits on the West Shore between Tahoma to the north and D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay state parks to the south. The Washoe name for it is máyala wáťa. Highway 89 runs right past the entrance.

• From Tahoma: about 2 miles south, a few minutes' drive.
• From Homewood: about 10 minutes south, past Chambers Landing and Tahoma.
• From Tahoe City: about 11 miles south along the lake. Sugar Pine Point State Park, just north of Meeks Bay, is about 10 miles from Tahoe City according to California State Parks.
• From South Lake Tahoe: north on Highway 89 over the Emerald Bay stretch, which Caltrans closes after some winter storms. Check Caltrans QuickMap.

Look for the Meeks Bay Resort signs on the lake side of the highway. The resort's main building, where campers check in, is on the north side of Meeks Creek. The south side of the creek holds the tent-only campground. The Meeks Bay Trailhead into Desolation Wilderness is on the other side of the highway.

Parking and fees

Meeks Bay is gated, and day visitors pay an entry fee. The Forest Service picnic area page lists a parking fee and a 20-foot vehicle length limit. We could not find the 2026 fee amount on an official page, and third-party sites disagree, so bring a card and check at the gate. For current rates, call the resort at (530) 214-9422.

• Arrive early. On July and August weekends, the lot is often full by late morning.
• Don't park on Highway 89. The shoulder is narrow and busy.
• Campers: Recreation.gov says campsite vehicles must be parked with all four wheels on pavement, and extra vehicles go to the overflow lot. Campsites are for overnight guests only, so day visitors use the day-use areas.
• Trailhead parking: the Meeks Bay Trailhead has no fee, but also no restrooms and no water, and it fills early.

The Meeks Bay Restoration Project: what is changing

The biggest change at Meeks Bay is the long-planned Forest Service restoration. Here is where it stands in fall 2026.

The marina is closed and will be removed

The old Meeks Bay Marina divided the beach into two halves. Its operator ended the lease and stopped running it in 2015, according to TRPA project documents, and it has stayed closed. Meeks Bay Resort now states plainly that it has no marina and no boat launching. If you bring a kayak or paddleboard, it must be clean, drained and dry, and all watercraft are screened for invasive species.

The restoration plan

The Forest Service signed the final Record of Decision for the Meeks Bay Restoration Project on August 12, 2024. The plan covers about 74 acres of shoreline and upland around Meeks Creek:

• removing the marina;
• restoring Meeks Creek and its wetland and lagoon;
• continuing to manage aquatic invasive species;
• rebuilding the campgrounds, parking, paths and trail bridges; and
• replacing the Highway 89 bridge over Meeks Creek.

The Forest Service has not published a construction calendar that closes the beach or resort, and the resort ran a normal 2026 season. When the heavy work on the marina and lagoon starts, parts of the beach, parking or campground could be closed or moved. Check Recreation.gov and the Forest Service project page before you plan a 2027 or 2028 trip around Meeks Bay.

Highway 89 bridge replacement: 2027–2028

Caltrans will replace the box culverts that carry Meeks Creek under Highway 89 with a single-span bridge, restore the creek channel, and add bike and pedestrian improvements. According to the Caltrans project page, construction is scheduled to begin in May 2027 and finish in October 2028, and the project will be advertised to contractors in November 2026. Expect traffic control on Highway 89 at Meeks Bay during those summers, and allow extra time driving between Tahoma and Emerald Bay.

Meeks Meadow tree thinning (2025–2026)

Behind the beach, the Washoe Tribe and the Forest Service are restoring Meeks Meadow (Mayála Wàťa), about 283 acres that lodgepole pines had overgrown. Tree removal started in fall 2025 and resumed June 22, 2026, running through the end of October as conditions allow. Visitors on the Meeks Meadow trail are asked to stay out of the thinning areas on the north side of the meadow, and access may be briefly disrupted. The meadow is already much more open, with views toward Rubicon Peak.

Why families like Meeks Bay

Meeks Bay is one of the easiest West Shore beaches with young kids:

• Shallow water. The bottom slopes gently for a long way, so small children can wade. The water is still Tahoe-cold, and there are no lifeguards.
• A sandy beach. It is long and sandy, with room to spread out even on busy days.
• Restrooms and showers. Unlike small beaches such as Chambers Landing, Meeks Bay has restrooms and showers, picnic tables and a snack bar.
• Rentals on site. You can rent a kayak or paddleboard without hauling your own.
• No motorboats in the bay. Motorized craft aren't allowed in the bay, so the water near shore stays calmer.

Things to do at Meeks Bay

Swim and float

The shallow, sandy entry makes this one of the gentler swimming spots on the lake. Mornings are usually calmest, and afternoon wind often builds chop. The lake is cold enough to cause cold shock even in summer, so keep kids in life jackets if they are not strong swimmers.

Kayak and paddleboard

Meeks Bay Resort rents kayaks and paddleboards on site. Paddle out early for glassy water and views of Cave Rock (De ek Wadapush) across the lake. Stay close to shore, and head in when the wind picks up.

Hike into Desolation Wilderness

The Meeks Bay Trailhead, across the highway, is one of the gentler routes into Desolation Wilderness. The first mile is a nearly flat old road through the meadow, then the trail climbs gradually to a chain of lakes. Lake Genevieve is roughly 4 to 5 miles in, with Crag Lake about half a mile past it, according to hiking guides such as AllTrails. Day hikers fill out a free self-issue wilderness permit at the trailhead. Overnight trips need a permit reserved in advance on Recreation.gov. No campfires are allowed at the trailhead or in Desolation Wilderness. The trailhead has no restrooms or water, according to the Forest Service.

Fish

According to Meeks Bay Resort, anglers catch kokanee salmon and mackinaw, rainbow, Lahontan cutthroat and brown trout in the area. Anyone 16 or older needs a valid California or Nevada fishing license. The Washoe Tribe has worked to bring back Lahontan cutthroat trout, a native fish, to the area.

Picnic and photograph

Bring a cooler and use the picnic tables, which are first come, first served. Wood and charcoal fires are not allowed on the beach, and portable gas grills need a valid permit. Early morning, before the wind, is the best light for photos across the bay.

Staying overnight at Meeks Bay Resort

All reservations go through Recreation.gov. The Forest Service's separate Meeks Bay Campground listing now says it has merged into the resort.

• Campsites: 14 non-electric sites north of Meeks Creek, 40 tent-only sites south of the creek, and 23 full-hookup RV sites. No trailers are allowed in tent sites, and there is a maximum of 6 people per site.
• Buildings: the historic Kehlet Mansion (seven bedrooms), the Washoe House (three bedrooms plus a studio cabin), 12 lodges and 7 standalone cabins. The lodges and cabins have kitchens with cookware, and the Kehlet Mansion has a full kitchen.
• Rules: quiet hours 10 pm to 6 am, campsite checkout 11 am, and all food and scented items go in bear boxes day and night. Campfires in fire rings only, subject to fire restrictions. No pets. The historic lodging is rustic and not ADA compliant.
• Check-in: at the main building on the north side of the resort. Call ahead if you'll arrive after 8 pm.

If you'd rather have a full house with real beds and a kitchen, and some with hot tubs, one of our Tahoma or Homewood homes puts you a few minutes from the beach. More on that below.

Best time to visit

• Late June to August: the warmest water and every service open. It is busiest on weekends, so arrive before 10 am.
• September to mid-October: quieter and often calm and sunny. The gates close for the season around mid-October, and services wind down before that.
• Winter: the resort and gated day-use area are closed, and the Forest Service picnic area has no restroom or trash service in winter. Sugar Pine Point State Park next door grooms more than 20 km of marked cross-country ski trails and allows snowshoeing. See our winter guide.

For more on timing, see our best time to visit Lake Tahoe guide.

What to bring

• A card for the entry fee and rentals
• Sunscreen, hats and an umbrella; shade on the sand is limited
• Water shoes and life jackets for kids
• A cooler with lunch (or pick up sandwiches at Tahoma Market & Deli on the way)
• Warm layers for the evening
• Trash bags to pack out what you bring
• For the trailhead: water, a map, and a pen for the wilderness permit

Leave the dog at home (Meeks Bay allows no pets) and leave the charcoal behind.

Safety notes

• No lifeguards. Watch children at all times.
• Cold water. Tahoe stays cold even in August, so limit time in the water for small kids.
• Bears. This is active bear country. Use the bear boxes and never leave food in a car or tent.
• Plague advisory. The Forest Service posts a plague advisory for the Tahoe basin, where plague occurs naturally in rodents. Stay on trails, don't feed or handle squirrels or chipmunks, and keep away from burrows.
• Fire restrictions. Campfire rules can tighten at any time in dry weather. The Forest Service Supervisor's Office is at (530) 543-2600.

How Meeks Bay compares to other Tahoe beaches

Meeks Bay is the easiest of these with small children. Sand Harbor is the most dramatic, and Chambers is the quietest but has no facilities. Our Lake Tahoe beaches guide covers the rest of the lake.

A sample Meeks Bay day

1. 8 am: coffee at Where We Met in Tahoma, and sandwiches from Tahoma Market & Deli.
2. 8:30 am: drive 2 miles south, pay at the gate, and claim a spot on the sand.
3. 9 am to noon: paddle while the water is calm, then swim and picnic.
4. 1 pm: as the wind builds, walk the flat first mile of the Meeks Bay trail into the meadow (stay out of the posted thinning areas), or drive 15–20 minutes south to Emerald Bay State Park for the overlook.
5. Evening: dinner at the Dog & Bear Tavern in Tahoma or Swiss Lakewood in Homewood. See our Tahoma restaurants guide.

Vacation rentals near Meeks Bay

If Meeks Bay is the main beach on your list, stay on the West Shore. MG manages two Tahoma vacation rentals, a few minutes from the Meeks Bay gate, and three Homewood vacation rentals, about 10 minutes away. None of them is lakefront or comes with private beach access, but being this close means you can be first in line at the gate. Some MG homes have hot tubs (see which), and if you are bringing a big family, see our large-group rentals. Our homes do not accept pets.

Book direct on our site rather than on Airbnb or Vrbo. Our nightly prices on Airbnb are set 28% higher than on our own site (17% higher on Vrbo), and every home page shows the dollar saving for your dates. See booking direct vs. Airbnb at Lake Tahoe, search your dates, or call us at (530) 317-0291.

Take away

Meeks Bay is a long, sandy, shallow beach that suits families. The Washoe Tribe runs it from about Memorial Day to mid-October, with rentals, restrooms, camping and cabins, and with no pets, no lifeguards and no marina. Arrive early, bring a card for the gate, and check Recreation.gov and Caltrans before a 2027 or 2028 trip, when the restoration and Highway 89 bridge work may change access.