Parking on highway at closed Zephyr Cove Resort resembles summer weekend

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The USFS Forest Service closed all of their recreation sites in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep in alignment with federal, state, and local guidance for social distancing, and to ensure the health and safety of its employees, visitors, and volunteers.

The original order expired on April 30, and a new one was issued for May 1-15 that affects sites around Lake Tahoe including the Baldwin-Pope bike trail, Kiva, Pope and Baldwin Beaches, Eagles Falls, Nevada Beach, and Zephyr Cove Resort (see list here).

With nice weather around Lake Tahoe, people from outside the area have been flocking to a stretch of sand at Zephyr Cove (as well as areas along SR 28 near Incline Village). On both Friday and Saturday this week, cars lined the highway at every available opening, up Warrior Way and filling Zephyr Cove Elementary's parking lot.

The typical mad dash across the highway, U-turns across all four lanes, and beachgoers with ice chests and beach chairs are typical in the summer when the resort is in full operation, but aren't expected when closure orders are in place.

Although Zephyr Cove Resort and beach are temporarily closed, the strip of sand north of the resort at neighboring Zephyr Shoals (the old Dreyfus Estate) is not part of the USFS closure.

Restrooms and trash removal are not available in any of the closure areas or at Zephyr Shoals.

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the USFS will have its firefighters and law enforcement patrolling closed areas. A fine of up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per group is possible for disobeying USFS closure orders.

"Areas outside of developed recreation sites are open along with the majority of the 154,000 acres of National Forest lands in the Tahoe Basin," said Lisa Herron of LTBMU. "We encourage the public to use this opportunity to explore other areas and to exercise proper social distancing while recreating."

"We also encourage the public to practice Leave No Trace principles and pack out their garbage to help keep our National Forest lands litter-free," Herron added.