Naming Rights Available for New Educational Amphitheater
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nevada (Aug 15, 2019) – An incredibly popular place to hike, mountain bike, ride horses or simply enjoy nature, Spooner Lake sees 150,000 visitors annually. Building on the recent success of the new Tahoe East Shore Trail, the nonprofit Tahoe Fund and Nevada State Parks are pursuing a major renovation project to improve and modernize the over 35 year old facilities at Spooner Lake which will eventually be the bookend of the path when it is extended from Sand Harbor to Spooner Lake.
The Tahoe Fund is actively seeking $300,000 from private donors to name a new amphitheater that will be at the heart of the park renovations. These funds will help to unlock $2 million in public funding to complete significant improvement projects at the park. Designed to serve as a base for natural and cultural history programs, ranger-led hikes and tours, and an outdoor science venue for students, the Spooner Lake Amphitheater will be a key connector between the world-renowned backcountry trail systems and the developed area at Spooner Lake that provides recreation facilities to support backcountry activities.
“Connecting kids to the outdoors, and allowing for that special moment of discovery, is paramount to nurturing a lifelong love for the environment and an understanding of the need to protect important ecological areas,” said Jay Howard, project manager, Nevada State Parks. “Not only is it critical to update the existing facilities that are available at Spooner Lake, our goal is to provide education to visitors and locals so we can encourage more environmental stewardship within the Tahoe Basin.”
“As we experienced with the generosity of donors who contributed to the Tahoe East Shore Trail, private funds can help make significant public funds available to construct projects like this. In addition to being a bookend to the future extension of the Tahoe East Shore Trail itself, there is tremendous value to the community and those who visit Spooner Lake to modernize the area facilities and construct a new amphitheater,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “The Tahoe Fund is committed to helping to ensure this project becomes reality.”
Once complete, the amphitheater will:
- Provide a place for high quality interpretive programming, public outreach and environmental education
- Act as a southern bookend to the planned Incline to Spooner section of the Tahoe East Shore Trail
- Serve as a major portal to 60+ miles of paths and trails in 13,000 acres of spectacular non-motorized primitive wilderness
In addition, construction of the amphitheater will give Nevada State Parks the opportunity to expand its ecology and outdoor education programs with local elementary and middle schoolers through a rotating series of park field trips. The facility will also provide an outdoor study area for high school and college students.
A single gift of $300,000 will provide amphitheater naming recognition, while gifts of $50,000 or more are eligible for other recognition opportunities. Learn more or donate at www.tahoefund.org.
Vista Points: There are 16 vista points along the path that offer beautiful rest stops to get off the path and enjoy the views. While there, take the time to read the inscriptions vista point donors wrote on their Tahoe-shaped plaques.
All donations of $100 or more are featured on the donor wall at the start of the trail. Donations are still being accepted. If you would like your name added to the path on a bear, trout or the next donor wall, visit 
With 99.994% purity, Tahoe tap water was voted the best tasting water in the country by the National Rural Water Association. The Tahoe Fund is partnering with the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association to encourage more people to DRINK TAHOE TAP to reduce the use of single-use plastics. Grants are now available to organizations in the Tahoe Basin to install water bottle refill stations. To apply for a grant, organizations can visit 