POPULAR RUBICON TRAILHEAD IN NORTH LAKE TAHOE TO UNDERGO EXPANSION

Published on May 27, 2025

Rubicon Trailhead in North Lake Tahoe to Undergo Expansion

Community Meeting Scheduled for Wednesday, May 28th at 5:00 p.m.

(TAHOMA, CA) - El Dorado County, Placer County and NCE, a local engineering firm, have scheduled a community meeting for Wednesday, May 28, to discuss improvements to the Rubicon Trail staging area in Tahoma.

The Rubicon Trail is a highly valued off-highway vehicle recreational trail that passes through both El Dorado and Placer counties. It is located on land managed by El Dorado National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, and includes private properties.

The Rubicon Trail has three major trailheads. El Dorado County maintains the Loon Lake and Wentworth Springs trailheads, while the Tahoma staging area is within Placer County.

“Currently, when the parking lot is full at the Tahoma staging area, parking will spill along the access road, which can lead to overcrowding and resource damage to the adjacent lands,” NCE Associate Scientist David Rios said. “Overflow parking further encroaches into nearby residential areas when the lot and road are full, so this project is designed to prevent those issues and help us create an experience we can all enjoy.”

The Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion project aims to improve safety, reduce neighborhood impacts and enhance access to this popular destination. 

The project is slated to include 32 - 34 additional trailer parking spaces at the Tahoma staging area on the Lake Tahoe Basin side of the trail by adding 35,140 square feet of new pavement. Following the expansion, shoulder parking would be prohibited to reduce the spillover.

“These trailhead improvements not only contribute to better recreational access, they help mitigate soil erosion and parking overflow as well,” Placer County’s Tahoe Engineering Manager Seth Warren said. “This trailhead is one of several being improved in the county over the next few years, including the Lower Sawtooth and Ward Creek trailheads.”

The project may also include a natural surface trail, parallel to the roadway, to provide alternative pedestrian access from the nearby Tahoma neighborhood, provided there is enough public interest.

Members of the public can provide their input on the project by:

• Attending the public meeting on May 28, 2025, at Granlibakken Resort (725 Granlibakken Road, Tahoe City). The meeting will take place from 5-7 p.m.

• Click here to take an online survey about the project

• Or call the El Dorado County Parks & Trails Division at (530) 621-5360 and leave your input with staff

The NCE project team will complete technical studies to evaluate the environmental effects of the proposed project and those studies will be made available for public review. A second public meeting will be held to solicit feedback on the project and potential environmental effects at a later date.

Learn more by visiting El Dorado County’s website at: https://www.eldoradocounty.ca.gov/Land-Use/Parks-Trails/Rubicon-Trail

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