Tahoe Truckee Region Parks & Recreation Digest

Lake Tahoe has endured many different eras of history, and all are woven into the fabric of its unique landscape. One way to take a trip back in time is to visit the iconic mansions and rustic cabin museums around the lake’s shores.

The Tahoe Fund has partnered with the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science for the Nature for All program, which will provide immersive experiences to hundreds of people who do not have access to the outdoors.

All over California, wildfires have ravaged iconic landscapes. Places that once seemed permanent are disappearing—and researchers are having to rethink how best to protect them.

A ribbon-cutting event Aug. 16 marks the opening of the Martis Valley Trail, a 4.6-mile paved pathway connecting Truckee to Northstar Drive. The project is a collaboration between Placer County and Northstar Community Services District in partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Truckee Donner Land Trust, and Northstar California/Vail Resorts.

In the wake of the Incline Village General Improvement District Board of Trustees adopting policies to combat beach overcrowding, results have been positive, staffer say. The situation is “more manageable and it makes the experience better for everyone.”

Officials from the city of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County gathered to break ground on the new Recreation and Aquatics Center, to be built near the El Dorado County library. Phase 1 will be finished in November, and Phase 2 will begin in summer 2023.

As human life has evolved, so have trail networks, with game trails to access hunting grounds giving way to trade routes, and then to roads. In modern times, trails provide an equally essential purpose: a place to exercise and experience the outdoors.

Community members were given the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed Cascade to Meeks Trail, which would run from Cascade Lake to Meeks Bay. As a part of a feasibility study, several trail alignments were presented during three different Zoom workshops.

As temperatures climb and drought-stricken vegetation gets baked in the summer heat, TNF has implemented restrictions limiting smoking and campfires.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is reaching out to both the general community and fellow agencies to seek input on the environmental review of the Meeks Bay Restoration Project. The goal is to return the area into a more natural state while still accommodating recreation.

The Incline Village General Improvement District passed Ordinance 7, which goes into effect June 1. The ordinance updates rates, rules and regulations for recreation privileges in an attempt to prevent Incline Village beach crowding and environmental abuse.

Crews have been getting recreation sites in Eldorado National Forest prepared for the public to enjoy this summer. Opening dates for facilities depend on elevation, winter damage and staffing availability.

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking nominations for positions on its California Desert District Advisory Council, Central California Resource Advisory Council, and Northern California District RAC.

The Sierra Tahoe region is rich in history, and it is about to become more accessible as the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship comes closer to the goal of connecting 15 northern Sierra towns through a trail system.

Truckee Town Council unanimously voiced support for Measure U, which will be on the ballot on June 7. The measure would generate roughly $3 million annually for building and maintaining the area’s trails.

The fourth phase of the Truckee River Legacy Trail is moving ahead after the town of Truckee and the Truckee Donner Land Trust, bridged a $3.3 million gap in funding. The project consists of a trailhead parking lot, trails, wetland restoration, and a bridge over the Truckee River.

Due to continued low water levels, the Sand Harbor boat ramp will remain closed for the summer. Beginning on May 27, the parking lot will be opened to provide limited parking for vehicles with kayaks and paddleboards.

With area ski resorts starting to close for the season, and backcountry skiers finding less and less snow on their favorite lines, outdoor recreation trends have begun the annual shift to warmer weather activities like hiking and mountain biking.

After 16-year-old Scotty Lapp died tragically in a ski accident on Feb. 13, his idea of a local skateboard park began to take on momentum. Scotty’s mother has been working with a group of his North Tahoe High School friends to make the skateboard park a reality.

For the past 20 years, Ed Heneveld has been one of the many locals and visitors who have accessed the Truckee River from the Hirschdale community. Jennifer Freeman, meanwhile, is a Hirschdale resident on the receiving end of such recreators.

Residents can now use their library cards to check out day passes for free access to more than 200 state parks. The move is part of a collaboration between California State Parks and the California State Library to provide more equitable outdoor access for all Californians.

The California Tahoe Conservancy has announced $1,005,800 in grants to government agencies in Placer and El Dorado counties. The grants will support projects to expand public access to Lake Tahoe, improve water quality, and increase resilience to climate change.

As part of its Reexamining Our Past Initiative, California State Parks is seeking input on a proposal to change the way history is interpreted at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. The effort will provide visitors with more inclusive and historically accurate information.

According to a Placer County news release, a newly introduced ordinance—Camping and Personal Property Storage on County Property and Public Areas—aims to regulate camping and storage on county property where signage is posted and allows camping by necessity when shelter is not available.

Over the summer, students worked as ambassadors in city parks and beaches. Now the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to make the pilot program permanent. The council also approved the first reading of the Movable Tiny Homes code amendments.

Placer County hosted a virtual town hall to inform residents about the final draft of the Parks and Trails Master Plan. According to a county news release, the plan is a culmination of a five-year process to reflect the recreational needs of Placer communities.

The Resort Triangle trail network, Martis Valley Trail and a scenic overlook were among 12 projects approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors for approximately $3.2 million in transient occupancy tax funding.

Winter Wonderland, which was slated to open in South Lake Tahoe in 2022, has been canceled after the involved parties could not come to an agreement.

The Incline Village General Improvement District recently submitted a special permit request to the U.S. Forest Service for a dog park on land owned by the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The 13-acre parcel is across the street from Pet Network Humane Society in Incline Village.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has begun the annual process of closing recreational facilities for the winter season. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and beach facilities will close at the end of the day on Oct. 17.

After a century of private ownership, Johnson Meadow is now public land. The Tahoe Resource Conservation District will host a webinar about the restoration project and would like to hear from South Lake Tahoe residents in particular.

Over the past year, various “keep out” signs have appeared near the Hirschdale Bridge, causing concerns for Truckee River users. Those concerns led to a meeting last week attended by Nevada County Community Development Director Trisha Tillotson.