California Tahoe Conservancy: Progress Report - Public Access And Recreation

Lake Tahoe's majestic beauty, close proximity to urban areas, and the opportunities the basin offers for hiking, skiing, camping, boating and a host of other recreational activities draw millions of visitors to the area every year.

The lake is within easy reach -- a four-hour drive at most -- for eight million people in the San Francisco Bay area and the several more millions in Sacramento and the other growing Central Valley cities and from burgeoning Western Nevada. It's only an eight-to-twelve hour drive for the 16 million people of Southern California. Such is the lake's attraction that many more come by air, tour bus and private auto from all over America and the world.

Opportunities Limited
In spite of this demand, public access and recreation opportunities are limited in many areas around the lake. Private development, most of which occurred in the years before the need to reserve areas for public access was recognized, has left only a third of the shoreline and scarcely half the suitable beach sites in public ownership.

As a result, the major beach areas and other popular recreation facilities are often badly overcrowded.

At the same time, other sites go virtually unused because access is difficult or there is a lack of facilities such as parking and public restrooms. Signing and other means of calling visitors' attention to the area may also be inadequate.

Another problem is that few facilities are connected by trails, making it more difficult to move from one to another. Limited public access and the shortage of recreational facilities also cause increased traffic congestion as more and more people use their cars to search for a place to get to the lakeshore, or to travel from one site to another.

All of this, of course, contributes to the basin's air quality problem -- and the aerial pollutants ultimately find their way into the lake.

Congestion and related factors also contribute to soil erosion and other impacts by forcing people to parking in unpaved overflow areas. It can also cause friction by interfering with adjoining private uses.

To help meet this need for greater public access and more recreational opportunities, while recognizing the paramount necessity to protect and enhance the natural resources of the basin, the Conservancy has established a public access and recreation program.

The program's objectives are to provide new access to the lake and other natural areas in the basin; to expand access opportunities by providing parking and restroom facilities and other improvements at existing sites; to connect existing facilities with hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails; and to provide visitor information services.

These programs also help to spread out usage and reduce the problems of overcrowding, overflow parking, and traffic congestion at the more popular existing sites.

The program also creates an opportunity to reduce reliance on the automobile in the basin, and a chance to do a better job of controlling soil erosion and other resource damage at heavily used recreation areas. It also creates an opportunity to enhance community identity and spur private investment to rejuvenate rundown commercial areas.

Since 1985, the Conservancy has authorized the expenditure of $22.9 million to carry out 35 public access and recreation projects in the Tahoe Basin -- some funded directly, and some through grants to other agencies. More than 355 acres of land has been acquired for recreation and public access purposes, including a mile and a quarter of lake or beach frontage -- a priority because opportunities to increase access to the lake are so rare.

Parking areas with a total of more than 250 parking spaces have been constructed or improved. Trailheads have been constructed or improved at several locations, including access to the newly constructed Tahoe Rim Trail. In addition, the program is resulting in the construction or enhancement of some 29 miles of hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails through funding of the acquisition of rights-of-way, construction, or both. Planning is also underway for interpretive centers at two important gateways to the basin.

Expansion of Existing Facilities
During the past years, the Conservancy has undertaken a consultative and participatory planning process for its larger projects in order to enhance the integration of the projects with the surrounding communities and to meet both visitor-serving and community needs. These processes involve extensive community workshops and consultation with other public agencies.

The Conservancy has approved the expenditure of funds to expand or improve a number of existing facilities around the lake, including projects at Kings Beach State Recreation Area, North Tahoe Regional Park, Tahoe Vista, Highlands Park, Skylandia Park, the Tahoe City "Y" Quail Creek, William B. Layton State Park (the "Gatekeeper's Cabin") and Sugar Pine Point State Park in Placer County; and at Regan Beach, El Dorado Beach, the El Dorado Boat Ramp, the Taylor Creek Stream Profile Chamber, along the Upper Truckee River and at Ski Run Marina in the City of South Lake Tahoe, and at Washoe Meadows State Park, all in El Dorado County.

These projects will add about 342 acres to these recreational areas, including more than 470 feet of lake or beach frontage, and provide an additional 180 parking spaces.

New Access
To provide new public access opportunities to the lake and meet other recreational needs, the Conservancy has acquired a four-building complex and 540 feet of lakefront at the North Tahoe Beach Center in Kings Beach. The facility is operated in partnership with the North Tahoe Public Utility District.

On the south shore, the Conservancy has funded the conversion of an existing building into the Tallac Vista Conference Center, which is operated in partnership with the City of South Lake Tahoe and the nonprofit Tahoe Tallac Association.

Projects to provide new public access are also being implemented for the Carnelian Bay, Tahoe Vista, and Upper Truckee River areas. These projects will make more than a half mile of lakefront available for public recreation.

Connecting Facilities
The Conservancy has also approved the acquisition of rights-of-way and/or the construction of more than 29 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing which will help connect recreational facilities or other trails throughout the California side of the Tahoe Basin. Included are the North Tahoe Bike Trail in Placer County; the Pat Lowe Memorial Bike Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail and its Big Meadow Trailhead in El Dorado County; and the Pioneer Trail/ Al Tahoe Boulevard, the Highway 50/Lakeview Avenue, and the Ski Run/Redevelopment bike trails in the City of South Lake Tahoe.

To enhance the visitor's recreational experience, help distribute visitor use, and reduce the environmental impacts of that use, the Conservancy has provided funds for a variety of visitor orientation and interpretive facilities. Information centers are being planning for both of California's primary entry points to the basin.

At the South Shore near Meyers, the Conservancy is working with several public and private agencies in a unique example of public/private partnership: The land was contributed by the U.S. Forest Service, funding for planning and construction was contributed by the Conservancy; the interpretive program was developed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation; and visitor information staffing is provided by the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce.

At the North Shore near Tahoe City, the Conservancy has contributed funds toward the planning of another multi-agency visitor center. This facility would be constructed on U.S. Forest Service land near the junction of State Routes 89 and 28. Staffing and operations are to be shared between the U.S. Forest Service and local private entities.

Information centers at these gateways to the basin will help inform visitors of recreational opportunities and help direct them to facilities that meet their needs, so they will not waste time and fuel roaming about in their cars. The visitor centers will also provide an opportunity to increase public understanding of the resources of the Tahoe Basin and of the need to preserve and protect them.

Conservancy funding is also being utilized to establish interpretive and directional programs for heavily used segments of the basin's bike trail network, and for trailheads serving the Tahoe Rim Trail.