Nevada City, Calif. May 20, 2020 – The Tahoe National Forest is increasing access to the public by providing additional developed recreational opportunities. We encourage visitors to check our website and social media pages for the most up-to-date information on what is open so that you can plan your visit. You can also call your local ranger station during normal business hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We continue to recommend that you recreate locally. All visitors should practice self-sufficiency during your visits to national forests. Recreating responsibly will help ensure that expanded access to recreational facilities, services, and opportunities continues. Responsible recreation practices should be maintained at all times, including:

• Maintaining at least six feet distancing from others

• Do not gather in groups and please follow the latest guidance from officials

• Communicate with others as you pass. Alert trail users of your presence and step aside to let others pass

• Pack out your trash and leave with everything you bring in and use.

• All services may not be available, so please plan accordingly.

The Tahoe National Forest will continue to phase in opening of facilities and services as county policies and facility preparations allow. For complete list of current updates, please see below:    

Campgrounds

The following campgrounds are scheduled to open beginning Friday, May 22, 2020:

  • Highway 89, South
    • Goose Meadow Campground
    • Granite Flat Campground
  • Foresthill Divide Road
    • Giant Gap Campground
    • Shirttail Campground
  • Marysville Road
    • Dark Day Campground (no group sites)
    • Garden Point Campground (boat in)
    • Madrone Cove Campground (boat in)
    • Schoolhouse Campground

Day Use Sites, Trailheads, Boat Ramps, and Staging Areas

All developed recreation sites on the Tahoe National Forest are now open. Trash removal services remain limited – please pack out all trash and waste. Toilet facilities remain limited, please plan accordingly.

  • Gold Lake Road
    • Sierra Buttes Trailhead – Inaccessible, snow just passed Packer Lake
  • Highway 20
    • Gold Country Equestrian Trailhead -open
    • Golden Quartz -open
  • Highway 49
    • Oregon Creek Day Use Area -open
  • Highway 89, North
    • Pass Creek -open
    • Woodcamp Boat Ramp – Inaccessible due to snow
    • Donner Picnic Area – Open
  • Interstate 80
    • Castle Valley – Inaccessible due to snow
  • Boca-Stampede Road
    • Prosser Boat Ramp -open
    • Boca Boat Ramp – closed due to water level
    • Stampede Boat Ramp -open
    • Boca Town Site – open
    • Prosser OHV – open
    • Vista Overlook – open
  • Marysville Road
    • Dark Day Boat ramp/picnic area -open
  • Mosquito Ridge Road
    • French Meadow Boat Ramp – open
    • Big Trees Nature Trail – Accessible, windfall on access road and trail
  • Foresthill Divide Road
    • Manzanita – opening Friday, May 22 (day use only). Fees apply May 22.
    • Parker Flat OHV staging area -open
    • Sugar Pine OHV staging area-open

Motorized Routes and Trails

All motorized roads and trails across the Tahoe National Forest opened May 1, 2020.  Trash removal services remain limited – please pack out all trash and waste. Toilet facilities remain limited, please plan accordingly. Remember to tread lightly on north-facing trails and in higher elevations. Thank you for helping to keep the Tahoe National Forest safe and clean, and for preventing further restrictions by recreating responsibly. Happy riding!

Please be aware that conditions are subject to change due to weather. Snow at higher elevations may be possible and not always reflected in updates.

Westside of the Tahoe National Forest

  • Diamond Creek – Patchy snow and muddy conditions.
  • Sugar Pine OHV system has favorable soil moisture conditions and is actively being cleared of down winter trees.
  • The Downieville multiple-use trail system will still have moderate to heavy snow in higher elevations (much like every year) and connection routes to higher elevations will be impassable
  • Fordyce Jeep Trail – Passable from Eagle up to Committee Crossing and back, not possible to get out from Committee to Fordyce Lake Rd
  • Burlington Motorcycle Trail system – Westside Open
  • Gold Valley OHV system  –  inaccessible due to snow
  • Excelsior – Snow remains in shady areas, muddy in spots
  • Pendola – Open
  • Chalk Bluff – Muddy conditions
  • Omega – Muddy conditions
  • Alpha  – Some muddy conditions
  • Burlington – Some muddy conditions
  • Bowman  – Clear to Bowman Lake
  • Cal-Ida – Open to mile post 4
  • Fiddle Creek – Open to mile post 8.5
  • Texas Hill – Onion Valley accessible, windfall on road. Snow and muddy conditions exist
  • Eureka  – Snow conditions may exist past mile post 15
  • Long Point Access – Muddy conditions
  • Jouberts  – Poor road condition, snow and tree limbs in road
  • Madrone Spring – Good condition
  • Washington Ridge – Good condition
  • Packer Lake Road – Clear to Packer Lake, then blocked by snow

Eastside of the Tahoe National Forest

  • Fiberboard (07 Road) – Passable to 41 road, then conditions unclear.. 
  • Prosser Hill Moto (Animal/Animal Crackers) – open, mostly clear of snow, reported snow patches and downed trees on upper section
  • Bald Mountain Moto (Happy Face) – clear of snow, trees from Big Jack East Vegetation Management across northernmost section of trail, veg management work continues in area, advise alternate route
  • Lloyd’s Moto – open, clear of snow
  • Meadow Lake -impassable
  • The Bear Valley OHV system – Open, actively being cleared of down winter trees
  • Yuba Weber  – Snow covered and not accessible
  • Carmen Valley – Road is snow free and in good condition and passable
  • Nichols Mill – Road is snow free and in good condition until ridgeline/elevation gain.
  • Verdi Peak – close to passable, patchy snow
  • Haskel Peak – Passable
  • Babbit – Passable to Jones Valley; not much further
  • Sawtooth (06 Road) – Passable to Second Gate
  • Bear Valley Road – Snow free, good condition and passable
  • Sardine Road- Snow Free, clear to Sardine Lake

Local County Roads within the Tahoe National Forest

  • Boca/Stampede – Clear
  • Mosquito Ridge – Clear to Hell Hole
  • Foresthill Road – Clear to Sailor Flat, patches of snow on road possible after Sailor Flat
  • Indian Springs Road – Clear to OHV Trail Head
  • Gold Lake Highway – Open

Non-motorized Trails

Please be aware that conditions are subject to change due to weather. Snow at higher elevations may be possible and not always reflected in updates.

Generally non-motorized trails are open, but may be inaccessible due to late season snow and other factors:

Below 5000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and muddy conditions on trails below in this elevation. This applies to:

  • Pioneer Trail
  • Bullards Bar Trail Complex
  • Joshua M. Hardt Memorial Trail
  • North and South Yuba Trail
  • Dascombe Trail Complex
  • Western States Trail

5,000’ -6,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and muddy conditions on trails below in this elevation. This applies to:

  • The Lone Grave area trail system has been cleared.
  • Blue Lake Trail
  • Spaulding Lake Trail
  • Forest City Trail Complex

6,000’ to 7,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees, muddy conditions, and patches of moderate to heavy snow on trails in this elevation. This applies to:

  • Hole in the Ground Trail
  • Western States – section east of Hwy 89 clear for first 1.5/2 miles, then snow patches
  • Commemorative Overland Emigrant – open, clear of snow, heavy use
  • Sawtooth – open, clear of snow
  • Western States – section east of Hwy 89 clear for first 1.5/2 miles, then snow patches
  • Big Chief – northern 2.5 miles clear, then snow covered to southern trailhead/Fiberboard road 73; second gate on 06 road still closed as of 5/10 due to impassable road section (snow)
  • A1 (Jackass Ridge) – open, clear of snow, heavy use
  • 5 Lakes – snow patches for first 1.5 miles, then continuous snow to 5 Lakes Basin, heavy use
  • Loch Leven Trail
  • Castle Valley Loop Trail
  • Commemorative Overland Emigrant Trail
  • Loyalton/Boca Railroad Trail
  • Deer Creek Trail

Above 7,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and heavy snow in this elevation. This applies to:

  • Mt. Lola Trail
  • Mount Judah Loop
  • Granite Chief Trail
  • Pacific Crest Trail
  • French Lake Trail

Tahoe National Forest and Virtual Services

The Tahoe National Forest has closed all offices to in-person visits and is implementing virtual services to protect the health and safety of employees and members of the public during the COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with guidance from federal and state authorities.  

Many services traditionally offered in our public offices are available online. To access these virtual services, please visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe/.  We will continue to update our website with current virtual service information as conditions change. To email the Tahoe National Forest, please use the ‘Contact Us’ function on our website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/contactus/tahoe/about-forest/contactus.

Firewood Cutting Permits

The Tahoe National Forest Firewood Cutting permit process has changed. Please refer to our ‘permits’ page for more information:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tahoe/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5212195