Help plan the future of Sand Harbor
Sand Harbor State Park Master Plan
On the scenic east shore of Lake Tahoe, Sand Harbor State Park welcomes more than one million visitors each year. However, recent increases in outdoor recreation have led to crowded beaches and damage to natural resources. The Nevada Division of State Parks has begun the master planning process at Sand Harbor to holistically address the park's issues and opportunities.
Headlines have captured many of the issues faced at Sand Harbor.
The Master Plan
The Sand Harbor State Park Master Plan aims to reimagine the park as a world-class destination that warmly welcomes visitors to Tahoe's sandy shores while protecting the cherished landscape for generations to come.
The online survey was open from July 26–September 17, 2024 and received 2,207 responses. Thank you for sharing your input and ideas for the future of Sand Harbor! Visit the Get Involved section of this page to stay up-to-date on the project.
Project Timeline
Focus Areas
The focus areas described below were developed by the staff from Nevada Division of State Parks and Nevada Division of State Lands in order to align the goals and desired conditions outlined in the master plan.
Visitor Experience: To create an enjoyable experience and accommodate the needs of a wide range of users.
Physical Resources: To ensure the park’s infrastructure and facilities are designed to handle desired visitor capacity.
Natural Resources: To protect the park's scenic and natural landscape with a focus on reducing impacts from recreation on the ecological system.
Cultural Resources: To recognize and protect known cultural resources including human use and cultural significance to the Washoe Tribe.
Interpretation and Education: To update and expand on the park's interpretive messaging and programming opportunities.
Park Operations: To recommend the appropriate staffing, maintenance, operations, and commercial/concession uses at the park to support the desired visitor capacity.
Site Context
Sand Harbor is one piece of the Nevada Division of State Parks' system of public spaces along the east shore of Lake Tahoe. Each park's setting offers distinct recreational experiences for visitors of all interests and abilities, with mountains at Van Sickle Bi-State Park, forest and backcountry access at Spooner Lake, lake access and boat ramp at Cave Rock, and beach and lake activities at Sand Harbor State Park.
The Lake Tahoe Basin has been protected by TRPA's environmental regulations for nearly half a century. The vision for Sand Harbor State Park aligns with the values of many Basin-wide organizations.
Preferred Approach
Sand Harbor Master Plan: Preferred Approach
The preferred approach was developed through collaborative meetings with the State Parks team and stakeholders, aligned with community and visitor feedback received during the summer of 2024.
Four conceptual alternatives were created and analyzed to evaluate the ideas and functionality of each plan. As a result, this preferred approach emerged, addressing improvements in the six focus areas.
Highlights include:
- Longer entry drive within the park to reduce vehicle backups on SR 28
- Expanded beach area and restored "Barrier Beach" to improve visitor experience and reduce crowding
- Lakefront promenade connecting the Main Beach, Divers Cove, and Boaters Beach
- Improved Maintenance Area, Staff Housing, and Park Offices
- Environmental restoration of sensitive lands
- Expanded Visitor Center Welcome Plaza with connections to Shakespeare Theater and new restrooms
Plan implementation will occur pending funding approval.
Please click on the image on the right to enlarge the plan. Keep scrolling to view the plan's key elements.
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1
Entry & Circulation
- Single entry location for all visitors, to accommodate 3 lanes enter, 1 exit
- Turn around lane and exit before the entry station for visitors without a reservation
- Separation of parking for personal vehicles and the transit only drop at the Visitor Center
- Central fee/entry station for all visitors (Vehicles, foot, bike, shuttle, boat)
- Clear Staff and emergency vehicle circulation throughout the park
- East Shore Trail will be located on the East side of the highway with a spur at the entry station
- Robust and taller perimeter fence with gated entries
2
Parking
- Existing boat ramp for motorized boats and trailers only
- Non-motorized boat ramp and associated parking at South Beach
- Gated access to Hwy 28 for staff & emergency responders only at the boat parking lot and South Beach parking lot
- Dedicated employee parking
3
Maintenance
- Improved and reconfigured maintenance area
- Seasonal storage for winter and summer specific items in fenced area across Hwy 28
4
Employees
- Employee housing on the east side of Hwy 28 with a mix of units for full time rangers and separated dorm style units for seasonal staff
- Indoor break areas within the park for staff, away from visitors
- Office space in the maintenance yard and additional offices on the second floor of an expanded visitor center
5
Visitor Amenities (1/2)
- Expansion of the barrier beach to allow more space for picnicking and people within eyesight of the lake, using existing capacity calculations
- Clear pedestrian circulation throughout the park, including a lake front path connecting all beaches
- Expanded Visitor Center area with a direct connection to the Shakespeare Amphitheater, and an orientation plaza
- Updated utilities: sewer, water, electrical. Restrooms, drinking fountains, beach washing stations, etc.
- Two rental group areas with ramadas and picnic tables
6
Visitor Amenities (2/2)
- Addition of second food concession/satellite food and beverage space
- Large, covered pavilion that includes space for recreation providers (kayak, SUP)
We would love your feedback on the preferred approach. Please click in the comment box below to provide feedback or keep scrolling to review what we've heard up to date and the park's existing conditions.
For additional comments, you can provide feedback to NDSP by emailing to planning@parks.nv.gov, or by mail to 901 S. Stewart Street, Suite 5005 Carson City, Nevada 89701.
What We've Heard
During August and September of 2024, both an online survey and intercept surveys were used to collect feedback on visitors' entry experiences, patterns of visitation, comments on the reservation system, park improvement suggestions, and additional topics. More than 2,200 individuals participated in the online survey, and 900 responses were gathered through intercept surveys at Sand Harbor, Memorial Point, and Hidden Beach.
Below is a summary of online and intercept survey takeaways:
Online and intercept survey takeaways
Existing Conditions
Analysis of existing conditions at Sand Harbor State Park reveals the site's opportunities and constraints. Scroll to the right to learn more about the existing conditions at Sand Harbor State Park.
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Get to Know Sand Harbor
Sand Harbor offers a variety of amenities to visitors today. Scroll to explore the park's main features.
Main Entrance & Pay Station
Main Entrance & Pay Station. Click to expand.
The access road leading to the park's pay stations can hold approximately 30 vehicles before traffic extends into the highway, causing safety and access concerns. A series of merging then splitting lanes also creates confusion and slows the entry process.
State Route 28
State Route 28. Click to expand.
During the peak season, it is common for park traffic to completely block State Route 28, preventing traffic from passing the park until it closes at full capacity, often an hour or two after opening. Some bold commuters attempt to pass the congestion by driving into oncoming traffic and around blind corners.
Visitor Center
Visitor Center. Click to expand.
The Sand Harbor Visitor Center and Gift Shop is undersized for the number of visitors it receives. Staff and visitors would benefit from additional interpretive, educational, gift shop, office, and programming space.
Restaurant & Dining Patio
Restaurant & Dining Patio. Click to expand.
The onsite restaurant and bar offers snacks and drinks on a relaxing, shady deck from May to September. Currently, the deck is undersized for the amount of visitation the restaurant receives and the restaurant is difficult to operate in shoulder and winter seasons.
Main Beach
Main Beach. Click to expand.
Located adjacent to the main parking lot, this gently sloping beach with expansive views of the Sierras is popular for swimming and beach activities. The beach is quickly filled by families and sprawling beach setups in the peak season.
Kayak and Paddleboard Rentals
Kayak and Paddleboard Rentals. Click to expand.
Kayaks, sailing kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented during the summer from a concessionaire.
Interpretive Trail
Interpretive Trail. Click to expand.
The Sandy Point Nature Trail is a short, handicap-accessible trail with interpretive signs and breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. Built on a sand dune, the boardwalk has collapsed in several locations as a result of social trails across the dune. In addition to the trail’s structural issues, the language and topics used in some interpretive displays are outdated.
Shakespeare Festival Stage
Shakespeare Festival Stage. Click to expand.
During July and August, the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival presents a series of plays, musicals, and concerts set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of Lake Tahoe. Up to 1,200 patrons enter Sand Harbor on these summer evenings, often overlapping with regular beach visitation and leading to severe traffic congestion and parking lots exceeding capacity. The festival’s temporary structures are built and taken down annually.
Diver's Cove
Diver's Cove. Click to expand.
Granite rock formations in the shallow, protected water of Diver's Cove allow for swimming, diving, and snorkeling. Although jumping from the boulders into the lake is discouraged, many visitors participate in the activity in this cove.
Group Gathering Area/Ramada
Group Gathering Area/Ramada. Click to expand.
A group use area set next to the lake can accommodate groups of up to 200. Due to the existing ramada’s age, repairs and improvements are needed to make it an attractive option for groups. Additional group gathering areas are needed to accommodate the high demand for larger group gatherings at Sand Harbor.
Boater's Beach
Boater's Beach. Click to expand.
Adjacent to the boat launch, this beach is popular for beach activities. This beach is the only section of Sand Harbor which can be used by motorized boats.
Boat Launch
Boat Launch. Click to expand.
The boat launch includes two wave protected double ramps with docks and adjacent parking. Due to shallow water in the harbor, the boat ramp is closed when lake levels drop below 6224.5’.
East Shore Trail
East Shore Trail. Click to expand.
The Tahoe East Shore Trail, dubbed as “America’s Most Beautiful Bikeway” is an accessible shared use path for both pedestrians and cyclists. Currently, the trail ends at the Sand Harbor Boat Ramp.
Maintenance Facilities
Maintenance Facilities. Click to expand.
The park's maintenance facilities are the center of the park's maintenance and operations. Built in the 1970s, these facilities are outdated and undersized for the park’s current operations. There is also a need for solutions to provide various types of employee housing.
Picnic Area
Picnic Area. Click to expand.
Located in the shade of the cedars and Jeffrey pines, the picnic area offers a peaceful retreat. The picnic area is underutilized by visitors, as Sand Harbor’s beaches are the main attraction.
Hidden Beach
Hidden Beach. Click to expand.
Hidden Beach is another popular destination at the northern end of Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park.
Memorial Point
Memorial Point. Click to expand.
A rest area north of Sand Harbor, Memorial Point can only legally be accessed by southbound traffic on Highway 28. Northbound traffic often tries to enter, creating unsafe access.
History of Sand Harbor
Geology
Lake Tahoe is estimated to have formed approximately two million years ago by volcanic, glacial, and fault activity. Sand Harbor's famous granitic boulders scattered throughout the water and shore formed during the Cretaceous epoch, from 146-66 million years ago.
Washoe People
The Washoe are the original inhabitants of Da ow aga (Lake Tahoe) and surrounding areas. This region is where an estimated 3,000 Washoe people lived, fished, hunted, and gathered. Archaeologists track the Washoe way of life in the Tahoe basin back about 2,000 years.
Sierra Nevada Wood & Lumber Company
In 1859, the discovery of silver in Nevada put Lake Tahoe in the center of the lively commerce exchange between silver mines in Virginia City and the Central Pacific Railroad in Truckee. By the 1870s, lumber baron Walter Scott Hobart set up operations for the Sierra Nevada Wood & Lumber Company at what is now Sand Harbor State Park. His company was one of three large contributors supplying lumber and cordwood to the Comstock mines during the 19th century.
George Whittell Jr.
A descendent of founders of the San Francisco Water Company and what would later become Pacific Gas & Electric, George Whittell Jr. used a portion of his inheritance to purchase most of Lake Tahoe's east shore in the early 1930s. Although he initially planned to build resort-casinos at Sand Harbor and Zephyr Cove, Whittell's efforts focused on the construction of his own summer estate, Thunderbird Lodge. Much of Whittell's property has since become public land.
Public Acquisition
While the north, south, and west shores of Lake Tahoe had undergone significant growth throughout the previous century, Whittell's ownership of most of the east shore prevented large developments, leading to scenic views, forests, beaches, and mountains along the east shore. In 1958, the State of Nevada acquired 5,300 acres of the east shore from Whittell for public use. This was a major step toward public access at a time when a majority of Lake Tahoe's shoreline was privately owned.
Sand Harbor Today
Today, Sand Harbor State Park is visited by more than one million people each year. Increases in visitation and crowded beaches have caused safety concerns and put a strain on natural resources.
Get Involved
If you would like to be informed of project updates and future opportunities to participate, please click the below link to sign up with your name and email address.
