TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The Truckee River Bike Trail is the “Trail of the Month” for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Featured prominently at http://www.railstotrails.org, the trail, which follows the old Truckee Turnpike railway from Truckee to the fabled Tahoe Tavern, is described in detail and features contemporary and historic pictures from the collections of the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society (at Gatekeeper’s Museum).

The site notes: “The trail follows the former route of a tourist train that operated in the early 1900s. The Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Company took passengers from the bustling railroad town of Truckee (a stop along the First Intercontinental Railroad) to Tahoe City on the lake’s shore. From there, travelers could take steamships to other destinations on the lake. The railroad was leased to Southern Pacific Company in 1925, but by 1943 it had ceased operation, no match for the burgeoning car industry.”

The trail, which would be maintained by a municipal entity in many towns, is tended by the Tahoe City Public Utility District in the unincorporated Tahoe City area. TCPUD General Manager Cindy Gustafson noted to Rails-to-Trails, “In the 1970s, TCPUD started a bicycle trail network in our district. Ever since that time, we’ve been working to complete a unified trail.” The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy notes salient facts about the trail as well as where visitors can rent bicycles to take advantage of this beautiful passageway.

Winters are well-loved by community members, but looking over the Rails-to-Trails Trail of the Month – the Truckee River Bike Trail – just might have you longing for your bike and summer sun.