Famously trashy Tahoe beach included in Zephyr Cove Resort concession

Management of the Zephyr Shoals Beach at Lake Tahoe, which made world news for the amount of trash found after the July Fourth holiday, will be included with the Zephyr Cove Resort concession, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Aramark was selected to manage both Zephyr Cove Resort and the Zephyr Shoals area directly to the north, the Lake Tahoe Management Unit announced on Monday.

Also included in the concession are  government-owned improvements including Zephyr Cove Lodge and Restaurant; Sunset Beach Bar and Grill; Zephyr Cove Marina; Event Plaza; 28 cabins; Campground and RV Park; Equestrian Stables; workshop and storage facility.

The 20-year concession is still subject to a 45-day appeal period. If there are no appeals, it would take effect on Nov. 1. Once approved, Aramark could seek a 10-year concession.

Earlier this month, the Forest Service announced Zephyr Shoals would be managed for the first time starting this fall, similarly to other sites around the basin.

"With a concessionaire managing day-to-day operations under a permit with the Forest Service, the public will continue to have access, but can expect changes like managed parking, enhanced trash management, signage, sanitation services, and staffing," officials said on July 14.

“What happened at Zephyr Shoals was absolutely unacceptable,” said Forest Supervisor Erick Walker from the USDA Forest Service, naming the National Forest location hardest hit with litter on July 4th. “Lake Tahoe is a national treasure, with 155,000 acres of public land that are open for everyone to enjoy. You wouldn’t empty a trash-filled cooler on your living room floor; it’s just as unthinkable to do it on a Tahoe beach.”