Huge snowpack forces Memorial Day weekend cancellations at Tahoe-area campgrounds
TAHOMA, Calif. -- A number of Lake Tahoe-area state parks and campgrounds will be closed during the busy Memorial Day weekend because of the historic snowpack in the Sierra, park officials said Wednesday.
California State Parks said in a press statement Wednesday that many state parks in the region still have between three to six feet of accumulated snow in campgrounds and day-use areas. Even with temperatures rising and snow melting, park staffers have not been able to access areas of the parks that need cleaning, damage repair, or preparation of water systems for park visitors.
Some of the parks have significant snowdrifts and large melt ponds in the roadways; others have facilities still buried under several feet of snow.
The delays in access mean the following campgrounds will not open on Memorial Day weekend:
- Emerald Bay State Park
- Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
- Grover Hot Springs State Park
- Plumas-Eureka State Park
- Tahoe State Recreation Area
In addition, park officials said Donner Memorial State Park may be delayed in opening and staff will reassess in the coming weeks.
At the campgrounds, People who have their campground reservations canceled will be issued full refunds issued. Park websites and the campground reservation system ReserveCalifornia.com -- will have the most up-to-date information on scheduled opening dates.
Campground reservations will begin again in June for the affected parks: June 2 for Grover Hot Springs; June 14 for Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point; and June 16 for Emerald Bay, Plumas-Eureka, and Tahoe Recreation Area.
The park officials said depending on conditions, openings could be further delayed or parks could open sooner on a first-come, first-serve basis.
