Sustainable Access on Tahoe’s East and West Shores
April 3, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the TRPA ENewsletter
What happens on our roads and trails can affect lake clarity, which is why transportation, recreation planning, and environmental protection are inseparable in protecting the lake.
Across the basin, partners are working to better connect transportation systems with recreation areas to protect the environment, improve safety, and reduce congestion. Major improvements are underway along Nevada State Route 28 (East Shore) and California State Route 89 (South and West Shore) corridors.
On the East Shore, the two-lane State Route 28 Scenic Byway from Incline Village to U.S. Highway 50 at Spooner Summit routes over 1 million recreators and over 4 million vehicles annually.
The Tahoe East Shore Trail and East Shore Express are already providing safer, more sustainable ways to reach Sand Harbor Nevada State Park, and required day-use reservations reduce traffic congestion and alleviate overcrowding at the park. Building on this momentum, partners are working on additional improvements along State Route 28, including new and better-managed parking at Chimney Beach and Spooner Summit, as well as new transit connections south of Sand Harbor to reduce dangerous roadside parking and erosion that comes from it.
On the West Shore, partners are focused on reducing the environmental and safety impacts of traffic, parking, and year-round public recreation access on State Route 89, which stretches from Camp Richardson to Tahoma and around Emerald Bay. The corridor is home to many of Tahoe’s most popular recreation sites and backcountry areas and sees almost 1.8 million visitors annually.
Last year, nonprofits, county and state agencies, and law enforcement launched the Emerald Bay Shuttle pilot program, which carried nearly 5,000 riders and helped remove 50 unsafe roadside parking spaces. It returns this summer, thanks to the Tahoe Transportation District and partners, to improve access while reducing congestion and safety risks.
Looking ahead, plans for a separate bike and pedestrian trail from Meeks Bay to D.L. Bliss State Park, just north of Emerald Bay, would move Tahoe closer to a continuous path around the lake. Stay tuned as agencies share plans and opportunities to provide input on the next segment of the West Shore Tahoe Trail.
These projects reflect progress toward sustainable recreation where access, transportation, and environmental protection work together.
Guiding Sustainable Experiences Around Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, framed by steep mountain terrain and famously clear blue water. It’s a landscape that draws people from around the world, and in the era of social media, visits to Tahoe’s most scenic places are sought after.
Outdoor recreation fuels Lake Tahoe’s $5 billion annual economy, but peak-season crowding can strain the very environment people come here to enjoy, impacting natural areas, increasing traffic, and diminishing the Tahoe experience.
With more than 15 million people living within a day’s drive, improving how people access Tahoe is critical. Through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), partners are coming together around the principles of destination stewardship to protect the basin’s natural resources while guiding sustainable experiences. In large part, that means investing in parking management, transit, and trail connections.
Photos by: Drone Promotions (right) and TRPA (left)