Rubicon Survey About Planned Parking Expansion

Posted: May 15, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

I just got an email from El Dorado County (EDC) about a planned parking area expansion on the Tahoe side. Going to their website, you can get the same info. From the EDC website:

Take this Rubicon Trail Survey to let us know what you think about the proposed Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion Project at the Tahoma staging area in the Tahoe Basin. The deadline for the survey is Friday, June 13, 2025, and will take less than 5 minutes to complete. Click here to learn more about the Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion Project.(PDF, 173KB)

Here is the project description from NCE from the “learn more” link. NCE is an engineering firm with seven offices including Reno and Lake Tahoe.

Title: Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion Project
Preliminary Project Description:
The Rubicon Trail is a highly valued off-highway vehicle recreational trail that passes through both El Dorado and Placer counties. It is located on land managed by El Dorado National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, and includes private properties. El Dorado County has easements from the El Dorado National Forest and private property owners; however, no easements exist for the portion of the project in Placer County.
The Rubicon Trail has three major trailheads or access points. El Dorado County maintains the Loon Lake and Wentworth Springs trailheads. The Tahoma staging area, or access point, is within Placer County. Currently, when the parking lot is full at the Tahoma staging area, vehicle parking will occur along the road shoulder, which can lead to overcrowding and resource damage to the adjacent lands. Overflow parking further encroaches into nearby residential areas when the lot and road are full.
To address this issue, the Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion Project would provide expanded parking at the Tahoma staging area on the Tahoe basin side of the trail. Disturbance would occur on approximately 0.91 acres and include 35,140 square feet of new paving. This will provide an additional 32-34 trailer parking spaces. There is also a desire to decommission and restore the existing small staging area along Rubicon Trail (1.25 miles northeast of the parking lot expansion area). Shoulder areas would be closed to parking. Additionally, the project team would like public input on the community’s interest in and/or concerns about a natural surface trail, parallel to the roadway, to provide alternative pedestrian access from the neighborhood to the Tahoma staging area.
The project team will complete technical studies to evaluate the environmental effects of the proposed project. The technical studies will be made available for public review, and a public meeting will be held to solicit feedback on the project and potential environmental effects prior to completion of required environmental documentation.

I’m assuming that the expansion would be behind the current kiosk, further up the trail. But again, I am only guessing as no map has been distributed yet.

The other portion of this proposal is to eliminate the lower dirt parking area once used by the ATV rental company. At the moment, I am opposed to eliminating this area. Once gone, it will never come back. A much further and deeper conversation needs to take place before I let that area go. Those visitors wanting to walk dogs or skate the paved section use this section without having to drive all the way to the staging area. It would also allow an option to parking in the residential area.

The last item is the construction of a natural surface trail parallel to the current paved section of McKinney Rubicon Springs Road. This is something I have suggested before. It would (should) eliminate any conflict between motorized and non-motorized users of the area. Think of it like a sidewalk on any road in the country. Hopefully, it would be designed, constructed and maintained for year-round use.

Here is a copy of the actual survey:

The Rubicon Trail is a highly valued off-highway vehicle recreational trail that passes through both El Dorado and Placer counties. It is located on land managed by El Dorado National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, and includes private properties.

The Rubicon Trail has three major trailheads or access points. El Dorado County maintains the Loon Lake and Wentworth Springs trailheads. The Tahoma staging, or access point, is within Placer County. Currently when the parking lot is full at the Tahoma staging area, vehicle parking will occur along the access road shoulder, which can lead to overcrowding and resource damage to the adjacent lands. Overflow parking further encroaches into nearby residential areas when the lot and road are full. To address this issue, the Rubicon Trail Parking Lot Expansion Project would provide expanded parking at the Tahoma staging area on the Tahoe Basin side of the trail.

Please answer the following survey questions to help us understand what thoughts you may have, if any, about this proposed project:

Which option below best describes your living status:

Full-time Tahoe Basin resident, Part-time Tahoe Basin resident, Visitor, Other

Do you live within 3 miles of the Tahoe staging area?

Yes, No

How frequently do you visit the Rubicon Trail?

Weekly, Monthly, A few times per summer, Annually, Other

What season do you visit the Rubicon Trail?

Summer, Winter, Fall, Spring

What means of travel have you used to access the Rubicon Trail?

Off-highway-vehicle, Walking, running, or hiking, Biking, Other

Is a natural surface trail, parallel to the roadway, to provide alternative pedestrian access from the neighborhood to the parking area, an improvement you would like to include in the project?

Yes, No

Do you have any concerns about the project? Please select the option that best fits:

Emergency Access/Response, Private Property Concerns, Environmental, Other

Please provide any additional comments to expand on the previous question

(1000 words or less)

The survey takes no time at all. I’m questioning the local aspect. Does it matter where you live or for how long you’re there?

I took the survey and here’s why, if you don’t voice your opinion when it matters, you should complain later if it doesn’t go your way.

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Rubicon Ronin