Tahoe and Vicinity October 10, 2020

I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE

Can you imagine bicycling from Incline Village to Spooner Lake comfortably, without worrying about heavy summer traffic as you navigate curve filled Highway 28? No? Now imagine a beautiful summer’s day with you on your bike and a safe, sensational 22 mile round trip ride in front of you. That day will come, but be patient. The Spooner Lake extension of the popular Eastside Trail won’t be completed until 2026, but when it is — wow!

The new section will be 8 miles long, extending the length of the trail to 11 beautiful miles.

The plan is to build the new section on the Lake side of Highway 28, following the highway’s route instead of the shoreline.

If the popularity of the existing 3 miles of the Eastside Trail gives us any hints, we can be sure that the completed trail will be well used. That leads to the question of parking. Currently there are 91 parking spaces at the Incline Village trailhead. However, The Tahoe Transportation District has applied for a grant to complete another 90 parking spaces along Highway 28 in Incline Village. If the grant is approved, construction will begin in 2021.

At the other end of the trail, plans for a 250 vehicle parking lot across from the Spooner Lake State Park entrance. Skunk Harbor will gain about 40 new parking spaces, with Secret Harbor and Chimney Beach getting 105 and 140 new parking spaces respectively. In total, over 535

new parking spaces are included in the planned extension. Also, planned are transit stops at each location. The Tahoe Fund points out that the expanded parking and transit stops are “to meet exiting visitor recreation access and not to encourage greater access to the beaches and coves.”

There is a goal larger than the trail from Incline Village to Spooner Lake. Eventually, the Tahoe Trail will circumnavigate Lake Tahoe. Right now, there are 35 completed miles just waiting for the hum of your bicycle wheels.

With so much to be done, construction continues. On the south end of the Lake, Tahoe Transportation District is completing a ½ mile connection from the casinos to the Rabe Meadow trail. There is also work on a 3 mile extension from the U.S. Forest Service’s Round Hill Pines Historic Resort to the Zephyr Cove Resort & Beach.

Additionally, the Tahoe Transportation District is seeking grant funding to complete the 3 mile segment from Crystal Bay to Incline Village.

Maybe the best part of all is that you can get involved. The Tahoe Fund is giving the opportunity to leave a legacy by having your name engraved on a donor wall for as little as a $100.00 donation. Or, for a larger donation, you can have your name engraved on a bear shaped paver, or a trout-shaped plaque.

To learn more about the plans and progress of the Lake Tahoe Trail, click on either of the links below:

tahoefund.org

tahoetransportation.org