West Shore trail completion makes views of Tahoe easier to access

With the completion of the Eagle Rock trail, it means the summit is about a 20-minute hike. The popular West Shore trail offers panoramic views of Lake Tahoe.

Until now, severely eroded user-created trails had been the only means of accessing Eagle Rock. Gullies were trapping water and depositing fine sediment into Lake Tahoe via Blackwood Creek.

The Eagle Rock trail construction involved a collaborative effort between the California Tahoe Conservancy and California Conservation Corps. AmeriCorps interns assisted with post-construction refinements. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association and the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit provided training and field assistance.

AmeriCorps volunteers work on the Eagle Rock trail.

Views from Eagle Rock. Photos/CTC

The project was funded by $77,310 in Proposition 84 money and Conservancy staff time equivalent to $25,000.

The Conservancy purchased Eagle Rock and the surrounding 54.5-acre parcel in 1987 to provide public access, recreation, and opportunities for restoration of environmentally sensitive lands. In the summer 2012, the Conservancy will begin construction of the adjacent Blackwood Creek project.

Parking is available on the south side of Eagle Rock adjacent to the new trailhead kiosk.