Tahoe National Forest

About Tahoe National Forest

Located on the ridge of the Sierra Nevada in Northern California, Tahoe National Forest covers an area of 1.5 million square miles (3.3 million acres). The history of this area begins with the pioneering emigrants who crossed the Thunder Pass on their way to California. Transport and development have been an important factor in the development of Tahoes National Park and the land is used for food, water and recreation.

Many of the paths that now lead through the forest have been used for thousands of years, and many of them originate from the area that began in the 1840s. The area crosses the mountains in wagons driven by the Tahoe Trail, the first of its kind in North America. It is named after the sick Donner Party, which hibernated in a camp on the Truckee in 1846-47.

The gold rush of 1849 led to an influx of emigrants seeking their fortune in California, many of whom came to Tahoe. Many of the memories of that time are in the forest, but the historical and archaeological sites are protected by federal and state law.

The western section of the first transcontinental railway was built through the forest before it hit the Union Pacific tracks in May 1848. The Trans Sierra Route remains one of Tahoe's most scenic routes, crossing mountains with granite walls embedded in road beds, bridges over deep gorges and paths leading to bridges that cross deep gorges.

Today's Interstate 80 follows the same basic route that people have been following for thousands of years, and it crosses the Sierra Nevada. The rail link between the rest of the United States allowed gold and agricultural products to be transported from California to the East, bringing manufactured goods and even more settlers from the West to California, fueling the rapid growth of the Golden State.

When the Lincoln Highway was replaced by the US-40, it was maintained for several decades, but in the mid-1960s, the highway was replaced by Interstate 80.

The harvesting of wood and minerals began in the area with the first influx of settlers and remains an important part of the local economy. However, outdoor recreation has become a significant economic influence on the forest. In the summer months, scenic routes are still open, as well as a number of hiking trails and trails for hiking and camping.