Smokey Bear turns 80 - Birthday party in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – August 9, 2024, marks the 80th birthday of the beloved icon of the USDA Forest Service, Smokey Bear! To celebrate, the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit in coordination with Great Basin Institute and Heavenly Mountain Resort, will host two events in celebration of Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday.

A birthday celebration will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 8, at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. The celebration will include a meet and greet with Smokey Bear, children’s activities, and fire education information. The visitor center is located on Highway 89, approximately three miles northwest of the city of South Lake Tahoe.

On Friday, August 9, a celebration will take place at Heavenly Mountain Resort Gondola beginning at 11 a.m. Smokey Bear will be available for photo opportunities at the bottom of the gondola, then he will board the gondola and ride up to the top. Smokey Bear will arrive at the top of the gondola around 12:30 p.m., where he will be available for more meet-and-greet photo opportunities. The Heavenly Mountain Resort Gondola is located at the Heavenly Village, 4080 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe.

Afterward, the public is encouraged to join the free Hike with a Ranger tour, which meets the top of the gondola at 1 p.m. These guided hikes last approximately one hour and continue every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. through September 29, weather permitting.

Since 1944, Smokey Bear has worked to protect America’s forests from unwanted, human-caused wildfires. Smokey Bear is one of the most-loved ambassadors of our time and his signature phrase, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” is truly iconic. Smokey Bear’s message of wildfire prevention is the center of the longest-running PSA campaign in our nation’s history.