Stateline bike path opens up another world
Users of all ages enjoy the trail at Rabe Meadow. Photos/Kathryn Reed
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – It’s being called a game changer. And it just might challenge the Camp Richardson trail as the go-to path for pedestrians and cyclists on the South Shore.
The 2.2-mile section of the Stateline-to-Stateline bike path that goes from Rabe Meadow to Round Hill Pines beach officially opened this week.
One day this path will link the actual state line on the South Shore to the state line on the North Shore.
Not one tree had to be removed on the Rabe Meadow section. The route meanders through a large tract of U.S. Forest Service land. For the most part it follows trails that already existed. The difference now is there is pavement.
But there are still trails that are dirt, so it has not ruined what has always been a popular access point to Nevada Beach. It has opened up the area to other types of users and now goes farther.
Curves in the trail make it more interesting than if it were a linear path.
By the end of the month signs are expected to be in. Some are directional signs, others will be interpretive. A larger sign will be at Rabe Meadow showing the trail and the distances to different points of interest.
Without signs, as was the case last weekend, one can get slightly off course. Once at Elks Point Road there is a sign toward Nevada Beach – the correct route. Going right leads to the commercial area. (Don’t stop in at the Wyndham resort, they don’t know anything about the trail – even though it’s been talked about for years, written about a ton and the first phase completed a year ago.)
The point to cross the road is slightly down toward Nevada Beach. Once across the street it’s a clear shot to Round Hill Pines.
For those who are adverse to hills, just keep looking at the scenery. This new section of trail swerves around Round Hill. The climb isn’t so noticeable until it’s time to descend to Round Hill beach.
Along the way are benches that offer views and a chance to rest if need be.
Added late was the trail to that beach. It was going to drop people onto the road. This addition, which is to the right and above where vehicles drive, is a pleasant, safe way to get to the sand.
(Any day the U.S. Forest Service will release who will be running the concession at Round Hill Pines. Local USFS officials are citing the National Defense Authorization Act of 1997 as to why they can’t ever release the names of the people/businesses that bid on the proposal except for the winner.)
A short spur leads to Highway 50 just west of the Bourne Meadow.
This bike path is a collaborative project spearheaded by the Tahoe Transportation District.
A cost savings on the project of $800,000 will allow for Laura Drive behind Lakeside Inn casino to be worked on next summer. Still to be determined is if it will be a separated bikeway or a bike lane.
“Concurrently, we are working with Edgewood on the right-of-way to do final design of the section of (Highway) 50 in front Edgewood and Lake Parkway,” Alfred Knotts, planner with TTD, told Lake Tahoe News. Building it is a few years out.
(One day the Greenway Bike Path in California will be built and connect with what will be the true starting point of the Stateline-to-Stateline trail.)
Construction on the Incline to Sand Harbor section of the Stateline-to-Stateline trail, which is just more than 3 miles, is expected to start in 2015. It’s in the environmental phase. Lakeside and mountainside routes are being studied. It goes mostly through Nevada State Parks and Nevada Department of Transportation rights-of-way.
“There is no fatal flaw with either one. It depends on how the document shakes out and the public comments we get,” Knotts said.
A feasibility study was done that came up with three possible routes for the path from Round Hill to Sand Harbor. No money is in the coffers right now to continue with designing that main link. But planners are looking at options.
Douglas County will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the trail on the South Shore.
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Getting there:
From South Lake Tahoe, go east on Highway 50. Turn left on Kahle Drive in Stateline. Park immediately to the right. Bike trail starts at far end of the lot. At the first Y, stay to the right. At the T, follow the sign toward Nevada Beach. Cross Elks Point Road to continue to Round Hill Pines. Once at Round Hill Pines, cross the road and follow the path toward the beach. At the next intersection, left goes to the beach; right goes to Highway 50 where the trail ends.
I attended all meetings on this bike path and use the portion along Elks Point road daily. We objected to the portion from Elks Point road to Roundhill Pines on several grounds, environmental, planning, etc. I watched it being built as “good for the community and the environment.” What a joke. The mountain was clear cut and left with several bulldozed cuts to Elks Point road, uphill from Nevada beach. To say no trees were cut is false. The year before any hearings the entire forest on both sides of Elks Point road was “thinned” for “fire danger” and come see the hundreds of stumps. Do not tell me the USFS did not plan this route before any hearings. A huge culvert was installed to direct the drainage from this bulldozed bare hill to the only access road to the Elks Point subdivision where 86 families live, leaving them vulnerable to being cut off from their homes by mudslides and drainage, by the bulldozed hillside. The “bike path” is large enough for trucks and quads have already used it, with no one checking from the numerous govt entities so proud of this “bike” path. If Douglas County is maintaining it, there is not one single trash can and there is already trash strewn in the forest, broken bottles, you name it. They installed one of the benches above Nevada Beach facing the mountain, not the lake. The den of coyotes that had been above the path and kept the rodents in check, fled and the entire area is full of every kind of rodent. I saw my first rat this year. The nesting bald eagles left. Our resident bear family left. Why? I asked that all through the planning process. Why not go along Hwy 50 where it is more level for bikers? Why cut the mountain, practically clear cut the forest, and make it so bikers will have serious elevation gains up and down, making it very hard for families on bikes? Why build this path so it is risking cutting off an entire subdivision by its bad drainage plan? It simply made no sense. I finally got my answer. The USFS is trying to get someone new to lease Roundhill Pines Beach and invest money into this pay beach area owned by the USFS. Ahhhhh. I should have known. Always follow the money!!!!
Deborah, I don’t know if the forest thinning a year earlier (something that goes on regularly in the basin to help prevent fires) was really part of the building the bikeway early without public knowledge, but I have my doubts that’s the way it went down.
But, to your other point, does riding along side the only major highway make sense? This is a beautiful bikeway that takes visitors and locals though some incredibly scenic terrain. Do you think a path along 50 would have that same feel? Would a patth along 50 help attract tourists looking to bring their families up and participate in outdoor activities in nature? I think breathing car exhaust while hearing the noise of traffic is a far worse option and I’m glad they didn’t go that route.
I think the most telling thing is the path leads to a profit making beach owned by the USFS with no funds to take it further…. I objected to the statement that no trees were cut to build this trail. I watched them build it and 100’s of trees were cut. Also, Round Hill was cut and terraced. If you go along the “bike” path from Elks Point road back towards
Rabe, you can still see the truck/ bulldozer staging area as huge scars, where the forest was clear cut for construction…. Lovely!
Please Hey Now, come to Elks Point road and walk or bike the path. Going towards Round Hill, at entrance to Nevada Beach and look uphill. You can see how Round Hill was clear cut, bulldozed and terraced. Lovely view. Going from Elks Point Road towards Casinos, you can still see scars of clear cut area which was truck, bulldozer staging area. Actually Camp Rich bike path is adjacent to road and is lovely. My big Complaint is portion from Elks Point road to Round Hill Pines. Come see the environmental damage yourself!
How many trees were removed to build your home Deborah? What about the road that leads to your home? Your neighbors houses? The places you shop?
Trees are removed and land leveled for nearly every project in the Basin.
Camp Rich bike path and Al Tahoe Bikeway have no shortage of bear and coyote traffic. Maybe when you raised that point at the planning meetings you so generously attended for the public good, the agencies looked at each other and thought, “She’s not making any sense. No other bike trails have these problems, why would this one?” What is different about this path, Deborah? It had to be built to meet ADA requirements for grading, no? Is that too steep?
Good and great projects come up and people fight and claw to find every way possible to stop them because they bring change or because they are too close to their property. The process gets bogged down with myopic points of view while four of five vocal stakeholders hold progress for all of us hostage.
I have to give a shout out to the agencies and individuals who forged ahead to give Tahoe another world-class bikeway.
The story has been changed to reflect there was no tree removal in Rabe Meadow. We apologize for the confusion.
LTN staff
The point is that most of Tahoe is federal or state lands, to preserve its natural beauty. Now as a “pet project” to look “environmentally sensitive” a “bike path” has been built large enough for truck traffic, in a sensitive area, that terraced a portion of Round Hill, took out 100’s of trees, cleared out the wildlife and is adding bike and pedestrian traffic on an already packed Elks Point Road. Have you ever tried to bike or park that road in the summer? Good Luck! I don’t think it is environmentally sensitive. I think keeping parts of South Tahoe wild and roadless is not a bad thing. Do you think our visitors and guests come to see the new construction?
No Deborah, they don’t come to see the construction but they will love the new bike path. The portion that was open this summer was busier with families (locals and tourists) than the trails there had ever been. That’s great to see people getting out there and enjoying the beauty we have to offer.
Had that path been built along a major highway per your suggestion and not through a meadow and a forest, people would not be enjoying it nearly as much.
I know this may sound crazy, but when my wife and I take our daughter out for walks and rides, we prefer to not hear busy traffic and inhale car exhaust.
I agree. The path from the Casinos to Nevada beach makes sense, it’s the one from Nevada beach to Roundhill that’s a problem. You will enjoy walking there when Elks Point road is backed up with traffic to the light most summer weekends and risking your child’s life trying to cross the street!!!
^^^ Someone is salted no one cared nor shares her same view on the bike path. Clearly the city council looked past her crazy rants too.
I for one agree that this bike path is in the place it should be. The land this is built on is forest service land and is ours to use and enjoy. I do not mind a few trees cut down to provide this benefit for the entire public and I would not use this bike trail if it were alongside a four lane highway. I drove down Elks Point about a week ago and the terrace work was of little issue to me. If anyone sees illegal use of the bike trail, please call the sheriff’s office. I would much rather deal with the traffic of Elks Point than the Highway 50 traffic any day!
Deborah if you really truly like to see the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe preserved in its natural state. You should be more concerned with the boat marina that was bulldozed and gouged into the shoreline and numerous water breaks that the 86 homeowners of the Elks Point Country Club have created for themselves. Lovely to look at, isn’t it? Since you are such the passionate steward for these lands, what are you doing to have these returned to their natural state? As you say, “Ahhhhh. I should have known. Always follow the money!!!!”
Dear Rid: There is a flaw in your logic. TRPA has inspected and approved the Elk Point Marina and the BMPs installed at great private expense. Also, the public had access to this public land to walk or bike prior to construction of this road on unspoiled land. Deb
As for the courage of my convictions, I have been a land use attorney here at the lake on both sides of the Stateline since 1987, and I published my name. You?
Haha, I am crazy like a fox! I am talking about Douglas County, not the City. Deb
I also came out publicly and on the record about the fire hazard from the Marriott Village gondola, specifically if someone threw a cigarette from it. I was called crazy then, too, but I had to evacuate my office because of the Gondola fire within a year of my statements. I am waiting for the mud in Elks Point road because of the excavation and culvert design. It is a Class C Felony to block a public road. We will see who is crazy!
” We will see who is crazy!”
You made a strong case and are a favorite to win the title.