Starting Aug. 17, Sand Harbor State Park on Lake Tahoe's eastern shore will begin implementing a new day-use reservation system that will apply to every vehicle entering the grounds on weekends and holidays. The rule will be enforced from the park's opening at 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.After 10:30 a.m., it will be first come, first served, as long as the park has not reached capacity, state parks officials explained.
The new rule will not apply to visitors entering the park through the pedestrian access on the East Shore Trail. Sand Harbor has exploded in popularity in recent years, especially since the COVID pandemic when folks began flocking to outdoor spaces and recreational opportunities.Kerver said last year, Sand Harbor had 1.2 million visitors coming in on vehicles through the main entrance.That’s up almost a million more compared to 2012, when parks officials said they saw 300,000 visitors.