Stay up to date on project plans with newly launched East Shore StoryMap Website

As the summer construction season winds down, the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) today announced progress updates for improvements along Tahoe’s East Shore. This project includes extending the iconic East Shore Trail and providing off-highway parking options to relocate unsafe roadside parking along the Nevada State Route 28 (SR 28) Scenic Byway south of Incline Village, Nev.

SR 28 is a narrow two-lane road that provides access to some of Lake Tahoe’s most desired public lands along the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. With limited formal parking areas or trail connections, hundreds of vehicles park along the corridor’s steep road shoulders on peak summer days, creating major safety hazards and environmental impacts to Lake Tahoe. Public and private investments in the SR 28 corridor are improving safety, expanding transportation options, improving Lake clarity, and enhancing the recreation experience for residents and visitors.

“This season, we’ve made major progress on several pieces of the SR 28 corridor improvements, with the goal of reducing congestion, enhancing safety, improving lake clarity, and supporting sustainable access to Lake Tahoe,” said Jim Marino, Executive Director of the Tahoe Transportation District. “These upgrades are necessary steps on the path to constructing new sections of the East Shore Trail.”

TTD is working with numerous partners, including the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Nevada Department of Transportation, Tahoe Fund, Nevada Division of State Lands, Nevada State Parks, and local jurisdictions to build upon many recent transportation improvements along SR 28. In addition to safety upgrades, these coordinated efforts will replace roadside parking spaces, help prevent water quality impacts from compacted road shoulders, and encourage the use of transit, biking, and other alternative transportation options along SR 28.

• North Parking – 38 new spaces have been added immediately north of the existing 90-space paid parking area at the East Shore Trailhead in Incline Village. Construction is underway on a new public transit shelter on SR 28 just north of Lakeshore Drive for southbound transit passengers. Additionally, environmental restoration is now complete at Rocky Point, an eroded shoulder area along the west side of SR 28. The project helps protect the clarity of Lake Tahoe by restoring and stabilizing the area. 

• Chimney Beach – There are now 130 parking spaces at the Chimney Beach Trailhead, with a new transit stop for the East Shore Express and a lighted crosswalk to guide pedestrians safely across the highway. Improvements include reduction in roadside parking capacity, bear boxes for trash, and public restrooms. 

• Secret Harbor – The Secret Harbor Trailhead currently has approximately 30 spaces, but is undergoing an expansion to 120 spaces with additional restrooms, a transit stop, a vista point, and stormwater improvements to protect the Lake. This project is currently in design, with the final design expected in early 2027. 

• Spooner Mobility Hub and Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Inspection Station – Significant progress was made this season on a new, dedicated transit hub, park-and-ride, and permanent watercraft inspection station. Site preparation, water quality infrastructure, and paving for the 250-space parking area was completed this season. Construction will continue next season on the restrooms, transit shelter, boat inspection facility, and crosswalk to Spooner Lake State Park. 

• East Shore Trail Extension – Design is underway for the next section of the East Shore Trail. The existing three-mile section of path from Incline Village to Sand Harbor State Park is providing thousands of people safer access to the East Shore every year. Next up is a nearly two-mile segment of shared-use path from Sand Harbor towards Chimney Beach, which will further connect the corridor, add emergency pullouts, reduce environmental impacts, and provide scenic vistas. 

• Seasonal Paid Parking – This summer, seasonal paid parking began at Chimney Beach and Secret Harbor parking areas. All revenues are returned to the corridor to pay for operations and maintenance. In addition, parking enforcement and removal of roadside parking spaces helped to improve safety along the SR 28 corridor. 

To make it easier for the public to explore the East Shore Trail and stay up to date on the many improvements underway, the Tahoe Fund worked with Design Workshop to create a new StoryMap. This interactive, online resource guides the public through the experience of visiting the East Shore Trail and provides key information about the many improvements underway along the corridor. Check out the StoryMap here. 

“The first few miles of the East Shore Trail created tremendous safety and water quality improvements, in addition to being one of the most beloved recreational experiences in Lake Tahoe,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We know the community is just as excited as we are about the next sections of the trail, and hope that this new StoryMap will make it easy for people to explore what’s happening and see how all of these improvements fit together to help transform the East Shore.”

The Tahoe Fund is offering customized trout plaques for purchase and the opportunity to add a name to the East Shore Trail Donor Wall. Funds raised directly support the next phase of the trail. Scenic vista points will also be available for purchase. Join the waiting list by emailing info@tahoefund.org. 

To sign up for SR 28 project updates direct to your inbox, please email: SR28projects@tahoetransportation.org. 

Photo by Brandon Huttenlocher / Design Workshop, Inc.

Tahoe Fund donors who contribute $100 or more will receive an annual Watch Duty subscription

As fire personnel work to fully contain another new wildfire just outside the Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Fund is launching a new fundraising campaign to help reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire in Tahoe. Anyone who contributes $100 or more to the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund will receive a basic level annual subscription to Watch Duty, providing access to the app’s verified, real-time wildfire alerts.

“Catastrophic wildfires continue to explode throughout the West, and we know the Tahoe Basin is not immune to the threat wildfire poses,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We established the Smartest Forest Fund in 2019 and since then, have actively pursued innovative forest health projects that are increasing the pace and scale of fixing our forests. By contributing to this effort, donors can help us pursue solutions to our forest health challenges.”

Forest density has increased over the past several decades in the Tahoe Basin, causing trees to compete for precious resources, including water. The Tahoe Fund intends to grow the Smartest Forest Fund to $5 million to drive forest health innovation through seed funding of pilot projects and technologies. The Fund has been used to invest in promising new ideas and pilot projects to find and scale meaningful solutions.

To date, the Smartest Forest Fund has supported 23 projects across categories that include innovation and technology, workforce and education, wood utilization, community preparedness and advocacy, and the Fire Smart Community Pilots

Watch Duty is a nonprofit that delivers real-time alerts and situational intelligence for wildfires and floods across all 50 U.S. states. Their network of active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, and emergency responders monitor radio traffic and verified sources around the clock to deliver easy-to-understand disaster intelligence in real time. The basic level annual subscription includes unlimited alerts for wildfires, air quality, weather, and more as well as advanced features like a real-time firefighting aircraft tracker. Learn more at www.watchduty.org. 

Donate to the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund here.

Tahoe Fund will represent the Tahoe/Sierra Region through innovative SPARK Program

The Tahoe Fund announced today that it has received a $750,000 grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to lead a science-driven effort to increase wildfire resilience for communities and forest ecosystems in the Tahoe/Sierra Region.  

“The Moore Foundation is leading the charge in philanthropic wildfire work on a global scale,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “It’s an honor to be part of their Wildfire Resilience Initiative. With their support, we will be able to expand our impact in the Tahoe/Sierra region and better prepare our communities for potential fire.” 

The partnership includes funding to support work on forested landscapes and within communities, including the Fire Smart Community Pilots now underway in six neighborhoods in the Tahoe Region, and plans for forest stewardship on Tahoe’s West Shore. By bringing together new technologies, local fire districts, residents, and researchers, these pilots are creating a whole new approach to preparing communities for wildfire and demonstrating how comprehensive stewardship actions can support forest health, community preparedness, and wildfire resilience.

“The Tahoe Fund is co-developing these Fire Smart Community Pilots with fire agencies, land managers, and property owners,” said Genny Biggs, program director, Wildfire Resilience Initiative, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “They test the parcel- and community-level ‘mitigations that matter,’ to prioritize and implement place-based interventions that measurably reduce vulnerability to extreme wildfire events—and, ultimately, to scale durable public-private partnerships that turn wildfire risk into resilience.”

This grant is part of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Wildfire Resilience Initiative, enabling beneficial fire and reducing vulnerability to extreme wildfire, to safeguard healthy fire-adapted ecosystems and resilient fire-prone communities. To learn more, visit https://www.moore.org/wildfire.

To learn more about the Fire Smart Community Pilots, visit www.tahoefund.org/firesmartpilots.

Tara Schoedinger, vice president and general manager of Northstar California Resort, has joined the Tahoe Fund Board of Directors. Schoedinger’s extensive leadership experience spans technology, public service, and mountain resort operations, and will help advance the nonprofit’s efforts to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.

“Tara brings a unique perspective and diverse experience to our Board of Directors that is sure to be a tremendous asset to our efforts,” said John Jones, Tahoe Fund board chair. “As we continue to pursue new opportunities to improve the Tahoe environment, her contributions will be invaluable.”

A graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Business Information Systems, Schoedinger spent the first two decades of her career in IT, including with Vail Resorts. In 2010, she was elected Mayor of Jamestown, Colorado, and led the town’s recovery following the devastating 2013 Colorado floods. She returned to Vail Resorts in 2016 in a Chief of Staff capacity before being named Vice President and General Manager of Crested Butte Mountain Resort in 2021. During her tenure, she served on the board of the Crested Butte Land Trust, supporting conservation and public access efforts in the Gunnison Valley, as well as the board of the Crested Butte Center for the Arts.

Schoedinger was appointed Vice President and General Manager of Northstar California Resort in 2024, and currently serves on the Ski California executive committee. In her free time, Schoedinger and her husband ski, bike, camp, and enjoy spending time on the lake.

“I look forward to contributing to the Tahoe Fund’s efforts to improve Lake Tahoe for all to enjoy—both now and in the future,” said Schoedinger.

Learn more about our Board of Directors here.