UPDATE 4/30/2020: In compliance with a Regional Closure Order, the Tahoe National Forest is extending the closure of all developed recreation sites, excluding: trails, trailheads and specific picnic areas, boat launches, and staging areas that function as trailheads for dispersed recreation activities. All toilet facilities have been closed and all trash removal has been suspended, even if the trailhead remains open. These closures will remain in place through May 15, 2020 or until rescinded. Please see the Background information below for specific TRAIL information on this Closure.

Closing any site for any reason is not an action we take lightly, but protecting our visitors and employees remains our highest priority. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopen closed sites.

Outdoor recreation can be beneficial to mental and physical health but must be practiced safely. In light of the statewide shelter-in-place order issued by the Governor of California, we continue to ask visitors to recreate locally.
If you do plan on visiting the Tahoe National Forest please be aware that:

• No trash removal is currently offered – please pack out all trash and waste
• All toilet facilities are currently closed – please plan accordingly
• Avoid high-risk activities – law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited
• If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location.

Background: The Tahoe National Forest is part of the Pacific Southwest Region of the US Forest Service which includes most National Forests within California. On March 25, 2020, Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Randy Moore issued a Closure Order for all developed recreation sites, excluding trailheads, across all National Forests within the Pacific Southwest Region including the Tahoe National Forest. This Order has been extended through May 15, 2020.

Non-motorized Trails
Generally non-motorized trails are open, but may be inaccessible due to late season snow and other factors. Snow has now melted out below 6,000’.
The Tahoe National Forest has received reports of beautiful wildflower blooms on the South Yuba Trail!
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Below 5000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and muddy conditions on trails below in this elevation. This applies to:
• Pioneer Trail
• Bullards Bar Trail Complex
• Joshua M. Hardt Memorial Trail
• North and South Yuba Trail
• Dascombe Trail Complex
• Western States Trail
5,000’ -6,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and muddy conditions on trails below in this elevation. This applies to:
• The Lone Grave area trail system has been cleared.
• Blue Lake Trail
• Spaulding Lake Trail
• Forest City Trail Complex
6,000’ to 7,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees, muddy conditions, and patches of moderate to heavy snow on trails in this elevation. This applies to:
• Hole in the Ground Trail
• Loch Leven Trail
• Castle Valley Loop Trail
• Commemorative Overland Emigrant Trail
• Loyalton/Boca Railroad Trail
• Deer Creek Trail
Above 7,000’: Trails have not been cleared. Expect down trees and heavy snow in this elevation. This applies to:
• Mt. Lola Trail
• Mount Judah Loop
• Granite Chief Trail
• Pacific Crest Trail
• French Lake Trail

For updates, visit the TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST FACEBOOK PAGE HERE.

"State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and social distancing at all state park units and if the safety measures implemented to date are not sufficient to protect public health and slow the spread of COVID-19, additional measures may be taken such as increased enforcement and fully closing parks including trails, restrooms, and other amenities."
--ADELINE YEE, CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS INFORMATION OFFICER

FOLSOM, Calif. (KTXL) – Bicyclist Rick Russo was almost giddy that the trails along Folsom Lake can still be used for some exercise. On Monday, he had plenty of space to roam, an activity he told FOX40 would not be possible if it was not for California’s stay-at-home order.
“There would be a ton more people. The triathletes would be practicing. There would just be a ton of people here, a lot more excitement, a lot more joy,” explained Russo.
But it was more crowded at the lake this past weekend.
While some state parks are currently closed, Folsom Lake remains open. Yet, it only can be accessed by walking or biking. There is no parking. “I’m guessing that people will just keep coming out because it’s just, you know, it’s so beautiful,” said Gwen, a Folsom Lake visitor.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation said officers have been issuing citations for people illegally parking at parks. When asking about what measures are being taken to assure social distancing at Folsom Lake, FOX40 received the following statement that reads in part:
State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and social distancing at all state park units and if the safety measures implemented to date are not sufficient to protect public health and slow the spread of COVID-19, additional measures may be taken such as increased enforcement and fully closing parks including trails, restrooms, and other amenities.
ADELINE YEE, CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS INFORMATION OFFICERWith the weather only getting hotter this week, Folsom Lake could once again see bigger crowds looking to cool off. “But I’m a little worried that then they’ll pull back the restrictions, so I’m hoping people keep their space,” said Gwen.
And while Folsom Lake State Recreation Area does remain open, assuming you can walk or ride your bike toward the lake, places in the vicinity do not remain open. The campground at Beals Point is temporarily closed until further notice.

CLICK HERE to read complete article https://fox40.com/news/local-news/crowds-swarm-folsom-lake-as-weather-warms/

Letter from the Gold Country Trails Council to its members:
"As you know, we participated in a lawsuit with The Wilderness Society and Back Country Horsemen opposing the reclassification of Class 1 E-bikes as non-motorized vehicles and allowing them on non-motorized trails in Tahoe National Forest.

The lawsuit was successful, and Tahoe National Forest currently does not allow E-bikes on non-motorized trails in Tahoe National Forest.

Due to COVID-19, press releases with the result of the lawsuit have been postponed. However, text has been placed on the Tahoe National Forest website stating that E-bikes are not legal on non-motorized trails. To access that text, CLICK HERE.

The full Tahoe National Forest statement is available at:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tahoe/recreation/?cid=FSEPRD719803 

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Text from the Tahoe National Forest website:
E-bike Use on the Tahoe NF
The Tahoe National Forest has removed its earlier statement, first published on this website July 9, 2019, which extended opportunities for class 1 e-bike riders to use recommended non-motorized trails in the Forest.

E-bike use on National Forest System (NFS) roads and trails is governed by existing Forest Service regulations, directives, and policies, as reflected on the website for the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service, available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/recreation/?cid=fseprd557285.

E-bike use is currently not allowed on National Forest Service (NFS) roads and trails unless they are designated for motor vehicle use. E-bike use in the Tahoe National Forest is currently allowed only on NFS roads, on NFS trails, and in areas on NFS lands that are designated for motor vehicle use, as reflected on a motor vehicle use map.

The Forest Service strives to provide a broad range of recreational experiences on NFS roads and trails, including hiking and horseback riding, mountain biking, and motor vehicle use.

The Forest Service is considering options that would expand e-bike access, including options for allowing e-bike use on NFS roads and trails where that use is not currently allowed. The Forest Service will continue to update the public on these efforts and any associated opportunities for public involvement.

Forest Service regulations, directives, and policies
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/recreation/?cid=fseprd557285
Electric Bicycles (E-bikes)
E-bikes are classified as motorized bicycles under the TMR. E-bikes may be ridden on designated motorized routes shown on Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs), including on National Forest System (NFS) roads open to all vehicles; NFS trails open to all vehicles; NFS trails open to vehicles 50 inches or less; NFS trails open to motorcycles only; and NFS trails open to e-bikes as a special designation.
The Forest Service is monitoring new technologies, visitor access and safety, social and sustainability issues, and natural resource effects associated with e-bike use on NFS roads and NFS trails. We will use the information obtained from monitoring to reassess and, if needed, adjust guidance for designating the use of e-bikes on NFS roads and NFS trails.
Trails open to bicycles may be considered for e-bike use in the future. Those trails would be analyzed in a NEPA process with public comment to determine if specific trails would allow for e-bikes to be designated as a special vehicle class. If trails are selected to manage for e-bike use, those trails would be shown on the Forest's MVUM as designed for e-bike use.

Photo credits: Tahoe National Forest

According to the hard working trails crews from Gold Country Trails Council:
So far we have cleared Dascombe, intersection of the Harmony and the "easy" switchbacks and around to the where the Dascombe goes down across the creek.  On to the Dascombe/Meyer and then took a tie trail that connects to the section of the Dascombe that crosses the head waters of Rock Creek, cleared. Then cleared Pfeiffer trail and then on to Harmony. 

Worked up the old Rock Creek Rd clearing larger logs and leaning trees into bottom of Zig Zag and half way up.  Some work had been done, but needs higher clearance. The section from Zigzag to Rock Creek Road is passable, but definitely needs more work. Possibly will get to it on Sunday.

The forest service is working on Rock Creek Road with large equipment, grading and enlarging run off ditches. One of the run off ditches has slightly damaged a piece of the Dascombe next to the road, but we will fix that.

The Gold Country Equestrian Trail Head is open and in good shape. The road going in has some large dips/holes, but no standing water at this time. We will get some gravel in there later. The main trails are clear and dry except for a few places. Hikers, bicyclists and equestrians have been using the trails.
Because this is not an improved staging area, at this time the forest service has not restricted use of the area.

 As BLM seeks comments to add E-bikes to non-motorized trails, other agencies are balking. 
"Last Fall, the Department of the Interior issued a call to expand the use of e-bikes on public lands. Last week, the Bureau of Land Management announced a 60-day public comment period on the proposed regulations for e-bikes on public land trails that now only allow non-motorized bikes. But National Forests, under the Department of Agriculture, did not adopt Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt’s call to expand access to e-bikes. The Forest Service considers e-bikes motorized and bans them from non-motorized trails."
To comment on the BLM’s e-bike proposal, go to regulations.gov/docket?D=BLM-2020-0001

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April 2, 2020.  WASHINGTON – "The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced a 60-day public comment period on proposed electric bike, or e-bike, regulations, intended to make it easier for more Americans to recreate on and experience their public lands. This effort is in line with Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt’s call for the BLM and other Interior bureaus to expand access on public lands to e-bikes." CLICK HERE TO SEE PROPOSED RULE.

Over 90 trail user groups have opposed adding motorized e-bikes to non-motorized trails. They state that there are hundreds of thousands of miles of motorized trails where these e-bikes belong, not adding them to existing non-motorized trails. Some have already sued the National Forest Service and other public agencies.

BE SURE TO READ THIS ARTICLE: E-bike industry "advisory group" violated federal law in secretly lobbying the National Park Service.

As a remedy, the proposed rule would amend the BLM’s current off-road vehicle regulations to add a definition for e-bikes, compatible with Secretarial Order 3376, Increasing Recreational Opportunities through the use of Electric Bikes. This proposed change would then give local BLM land managers the authority to use that definition to conduct their own lawful decisions on whether e-bikes may be operated on public lands in their jurisdictions. In addition, the proposed rule would direct the entire BLM to specifically address e-bike usage in future land-use or implementation-level decisions.

Public lands designated by Congress as “wilderness areas” will remain off-limits to both traditional bicycles and e-bikes. Also, e-bikes would not be given special access beyond what traditional, non-motorized bicycles are allowed. (Meaning, E-bikes would be allowed on all multi-use non-motorized trails.)

While the BLM has already empowered its local land managers to permit the use of e-bikes wherever they have the statutory authority to do so, the comment period provides an opportunity for the public to offer feedback on the proposed rule. The BLM will consider informative and unique feedback as part of crafting its final rule.

The 60-day public comment period will commence on the date that the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register. Following publication in the Federal Register, interested parties may submit comments on the proposed regulation, identified by the number RIN 1004-AE72, by any of the following methods:

• Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134 LM, 1849 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, Attention:  RIN 1004-AE72.
• Federal eRulemaking portal: http://www.regulations.gov.  In the Searchbox, enter “RIN 1004-AE72” and click the “Search” button. Follow the instruction at this website. As of this morning, this comment period document has not been added to the Federal Register.

For more information about the proposed rule, please contact Britta Nelson at bknelson@blm.gov or 303-236-0539.