A small parking area accommodates just a few cars. Although it's a jolt to return to tarmac and tourists, it's also comforting to know that the U.S. Forest Service and Nevada Division of State Parks will protect the trail. Its essence, solitude and beauty, will be there when I return. Volunteering and Practicalities Trail construction goes on from mid-May until early October. No special skills are required.
Volunteers range from enthusiastic teens to gray-haired grandparents.
The common denominators, a love of the outdoors and wanting to contribute something to the environment, help friendships form quickly. Twelve airlines serve Reno, where you can rent a car or catch one of the Tahoe Casino Express's 14 daily trips to South Shore. Summer temperatures average in the 70s. Come prepared with water, sun screen and layered clothing for changeable weather. Lake Tahoe is at an altitude of 6,300, with trails as high as 9,400 feet.