The pavement stops at Meeks Bay. Past the beach and the resort, State Route 89 starts climbing toward Rubicon Creek and D.L. Bliss State Park, and there is no shared-use path alongside it. From Tahoe City, the Dianne Feinstein West Shore Tahoe Trail runs about 12 miles along the shoreline and then simply ends.
This fall, that ending is officially up for change. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and El Dorado County opened public scoping on October 20 for a proposed 6.5-mile extension from Meeks Bay to D.L. Bliss. That would make the trail more than half again as long as it is now. The extension would also be a different kind of trail from the one West Shore residents already ride. It would cross steep ground and rely on switchbacks, retaining walls and creek bridges to do it. The decisions that will shape how those miles feel on a bike or on foot are open for comment right now.
The First Twelve Miles Are Being Rebuilt in Place
Most of the trail work in recent seasons has gone into the path that already exists. The Tahoe City Public Utility District says the original West Shore Trail was built in the 1970s and, after nearly 50 years, needed a full reconstruction to fix pavement failure, slope and alignment problems, visibility, drainage and accessibility.
Here's what has been done so far:
- 2025: TCPUD rebuilt 2.4 miles between Sunnyside and Blackwood Creek and announced it finished on October 13, 2025.
- 2026: This season's project covers about 1.4 miles between 64 Acres and Sunnyside. The plan calls for repaving roughly 80% of that section, widening the trail to nine feet where possible, and adding new signage, striping and railings. The district's September 14 update said crews were in the final stretch of the season, working from the Highway 89 crossing south to Sequoia Avenue.
All of this work stays on the existing route. The 1970s path follows the lake, and the rebuilds smooth and widen it where it already runs. South of Meeks Bay, there is no existing path to rebuild.
What Changes South of Meeks Bay
The proposed extension would be a paved, separated path, generally 10 feet wide with two-foot shoulders. That is wider than the nine feet TCPUD is aiming for in the current rebuilds. The terrain is the bigger difference. The project's Notice of Preparation sets a maximum grade of 8% as a general target, and it says that won't come easily on this stretch of shore:
"Design exceptions may be necessary in some locations because of the steep slopes and challenging terrain within the project corridor."
The design elements reflect that terrain. Both routes under study include:
- Retaining walls on steep ground, generally about 3 to 15 feet high, on one or both sides of the path
- Safety railings wherever a downhill retaining wall is taller than 30 inches
- Bridges or boardwalks at Sierra Creek, Rubicon Creek and other drainages
- At-grade crossings of SR 89
- Vista points placed near the ends of steep grades, which also serve as rest areas
- A transit stop and bus turnaround on Lester Beach Road, possibly with a restroom and limited parking
The agencies say both routes sit entirely on public land and would not require any private property. Where the routes differ is in how they get out of Meeks Bay, how long they stay on the mountain side of the highway, and where they cross it.
Two Routes, Street by Street
The proposed alignment and Alternative 1 share the middle of the corridor. They split at both ends.
| Segment | Proposed Alignment | Alternative 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving Meeks Bay Resort | Passes under SR 89 through an undercrossing | Crosses SR 89 at grade, then runs about 0.3 mile on the mountain side within Caltrans right-of-way |
| Neighborhood south of Meeks Bay | Runs on public land north of and parallel to Bayview Drive, then about 0.3 mile on Bayview Drive and Lakeview Drive, mostly with striping and signage | Uses existing natural-surface roads and public parcels, crossing Saturn Drive and Silvertip Court |
| Climb onto Forest Service land | Crosses Saturn Drive, then switchbacks up the steep terrain | Joins the proposed alignment |
| Near Sierra Drive | Moves alongside SR 89 on the mountain side | Same as proposed |
| Southern highway crossing | At grade, north of 2 Ring Road, then continues on the lake side | At grade, farther south and closer to D.L. Bliss |
| Inside D.L. Bliss | Runs closer to existing campground features, staying at least 200 feet from individual campsites | Passes north of Balancing Rock, generally closer to SR 89 |
| End point | Along Lester Beach Road near the park entrance | Same as proposed |
The table shows the trade-off. The proposed alignment avoids crossing the highway at Meeks Bay by going underneath it, and it uses a short stretch of existing residential street. Alternative 1 adds an at-grade crossing at Meeks Bay and uses natural-surface roads through the neighborhood instead. At the D.L. Bliss end, the two routes differ in where the southern crossing goes and how close the path runs to the campground.
The transit stop, restroom and limited parking would go either near the SR 89 entrance to D.L. Bliss or farther into the park near the campground entrance kiosk.
Who Writes the Environmental Documents
There will be more than one. TRPA will prepare an EA or EIS under its own rules, El Dorado County will prepare an EIR under CEQA, and the U.S. Forest Service will prepare separate NEPA documentation. Caltrans, the California Tahoe Conservancy and California State Parks are listed as responsible agencies. The Notice of Preparation gives no dates for a draft environmental document, final design, funding or construction.
The November Calendar
Scoping is the stage where the public helps decide what the environmental study looks at, such as wildlife, water quality and forest health. The Tahoe Daily Tribune laid out the dates:
- November 2: A public scoping open house was scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Tahoe City Public Utility District, 221 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City.
- November 12: The project goes to the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission, which you can attend in person or watch.
- November 20: Written comments are due. You can send them through TRPA's online comment form, by mail to TRPA at PO Box 5310, Stateline, NV 89449, or by email to [email protected].
The Trail This Month, From Tahoe City to the Gate at D.L. Bliss
In November, both ends of the corridor are quieter than usual, and several familiar stops are closed for the season.
Snow is the first variable. TCPUD clears 16 miles of its 23-mile trail network. Plowing usually starts once three inches of snow have fallen and follows the district's priority order as staffing and conditions allow. The district's trail status page is the place to check before heading out.
Heading south from Tahoe City:
- Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet, 625 West Lake Boulevard, lists hours of 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week, and closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge has been closed since October 5 for renovations under its new operator, Mark Estee's Local Food Group, and plans to reopen April 1, 2027, according to Moonshine Ink. The restaurant remodel includes a larger kitchen and more private dining space.
- West Shore Café in Homewood is being renovated and reimagined mainly as an amenity for Homewood Mountain and Lake Club owners and guests. The public will have access at select events, and the café is not taking daily dining reservations.
- Chambers Landing posts "Closed until May 2027."
- Tahoma Market & Deli, 6890 W. Lake Blvd., lists hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, "or until the last pizza walks out the door."
- Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park stays open in the off-season. The Lakeside Day Use Area is open sunrise to sunset, and parking fees apply year-round. Winter camping is open first come, first served in the first campground loop, and the park has more than 20 kilometers of marked cross-country ski trails.
- Meeks Bay Resort, where the trail ends today, is operated by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California under a Forest Service special-use permit. It no longer has a marina or a boat launch.
Beyond Meeks Bay, the only way into the proposed endpoint this time of year is on foot. D.L. Bliss State Park closed to vehicles on October 1. Visitors can park at the Visitor Center near Highway 89 and walk in between sunrise and sunset. It's about a mile to the nearest Rubicon Trailhead and a steep two miles down to the beaches. The park has no water or restrooms in the off-season, and camping is closed until May 2027. Both proposed routes would end along Lester Beach Road near that park entrance.
Farther north, Homewood's new gondola is aiming to open in winter 2026–27, according to the resort's project page. That project sits on the shoreline part of the corridor, where the trail already exists. The extension is planned for the steep part to the south, and its route is still being decided.
We follow projects like this because they change how the West Shore works day to day, long before anything is built. If you'd like to talk through how the trail plans or any other West Shore changes affect your home or a property you're considering, The Cutler Team is glad to share what we're seeing. Schedule a Consultation whenever it suits you.
