For the next three years, dispersed camping restrictions along HWY 20 on Tahoe National Forest lands

NEVADA CITY, Calif. – April 29, 2022
To protect natural and cultural resources, and to provide for public safety, dispersed camping will be restricted on Tahoe National Forests lands along Highway 20 from May 2nd, 2022 – May 2nd, 2025. The restrictions are for dispersed camping only and do not apply to developed campgrounds.

“The recent increase in dispersed camping along Highway 20 has created significant public safety risks, including hazardous waste that threatens human health and water quality,” said Gerald Parker, Patrol Captain on the Tahoe National Forest. “There have also been multiple instances of illegal campfires associated with dispersed camping, which increase the risk of a human-caused wildfire.”

The restrictions prohibit the following acts:

1. Camping within 1/2 mile of the centerline of California Highway 20 between Nevada County milepost 23 and milepost 26 on lands administered by the Tahoe National Forest.

1. Camping within 1/2 mile from the centerline of Forest Road No. 20-003 (Conservation Camp Road or Marsh Tract Road), on lands administered by the Tahoe National Forest. The Closure begins at the junction of Forest Road No. 20-003 (Conservation Camp Road or Marsh Tract Road) and California Highway 20 and continues west to the terminus of the road at the Washington Ridge Camp.

1. Camping within 1/4 mile of the centerline of California Highway 20 between Nevada County milepost 26 and the junction of Interstate 80 on lands administered by the Tahoe National Forest.

The following persons are exempt from this Order:

1. Any Federal, State or local officer, or member of an organization rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

1. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order.

1. Fee paying campers at the White Cloud Developed Campground or the Skillman Developed Campground while the facilities are open to the public.

A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

“Tents and vehicles in dispersed camping areas crush vegetation, compact soil, disturb wildlife, threaten sensitive cultural sites, and interfere with the use of designated trails,” said Lon Henderson, Yuba River District Ranger. “These new camping restrictions will help us protect the resources the public comes to enjoy on the Tahoe National Forest.”
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The Forest Order and map of the areas indicated above can be viewed HERE.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tahoe/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1016532