Tahoe East Shore Trail Parking: Ponderosa, Chimney Beach and Secret Cove
The three paid lots on the Tahoe East Shore Trail — Ponderosa, Chimney Beach and Secret Cove: what each costs for your day and hours, from the Tahoe Transportation District’s own signs.
What each East Shore Trail lot costs for your stayPick a day and your hours: Ponderosa by the hour, Chimney Beach and Secret Cove at their flat rate.
The rates: the Tahoe Transportation District’s Park Tahoe page and its two rate signs (read 2026-10-15).
The Tahoe East Shore Trail has three paid lots on State Route 28: Ponderosa at the trailhead in Incline Village charges by the hour, from $1 to $7 an hour by the season and the time of day, while Chimney Beach and Secret Cove charge a $12 flat rate from 7 AM to 7 PM. All three are pay by text or kiosk, credit card only, with no overnight parking from 11 PM to 5:30 AM. Pick your day and hours above for what each one costs.
How to use it
Pick the day, the hour you arrive and the hour you leave. The answer gives the cost at each lot and the cheaper one; the cards below give the breakdown, the walk to the water and the text code to pay. Tick the holiday box on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends, when Ponderosa charges its holiday rates. The link keeps your day and hours.
Ponderosa’s hourly rates
From the Tahoe Transportation District’s sign for the Ponderosa lot, “Hourly Rates 7AM TO 7PM MARCH – NOV.”, in dollars per hour (M–Th = Monday to Thursday, F–Sun = Friday to Sunday). It is free from 5:30 AM to 7 AM and from 7 PM to 11 PM:
| Hours | Spring and fall, M–Th | Spring and fall, F–Sun | Summer, M–Th | Summer, F–Sun | Holiday weekends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 AM–9 AM | $1 | $1 | $1 | $1 | $4 |
| 9 AM–11 AM | $3 | $4 | $4 | $6 | $6 |
| 11 AM–3 PM | $4 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $7 |
| 3 PM–5 PM | $3 | $4 | $4 | $6 | $6 |
| 5 PM–7 PM | free | free | $1 | $1 | $4 |
Spring is March 1 to May 23, summer May 24 to September 9 and fall September 10 to November 30; the holiday rates are for “Memorial, Independence and Labor Day Weekends”. The sign prints no rate for December to February. Chimney Beach and Secret Cove share a second sign: “$12 FLAT RATE 7AM to 7PM”, with no season on it.
The three lots
- Ponderosa, 1102 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village: “The Ponderosa parking lot offers ninety off-highway parking spaces at the north end of the Tahoe East Shore trailhead.” From here the trail runs south to Sand Harbor, paved: “The route from the Ponderosa Parking Lot to Sand Harbor is the most family friendly paved trail, with moderate elevation changes before descending to the shoreline.” Nevada State Parks: “This 3-mile paved trail system connects Incline Village south to Sand Harbor”. Pay by texting ParkTahoe to 727563.
- Chimney Beach, 130 spaces, across State Route 28 from the trail at a signalized crosswalk. “From the parking lot, it’s approximately 0.6 miles to the shoreline via a trail with loose dirt, a boulder creek crossing, and steep terrain.” Text Chimney to 727563. In 2026: “Construction at the parking lot may impact the number of parking spaces available during the 2026 summer season.”
- Secret Cove, 31 spaces, the smallest. “The walk from the Secret Cove lot to Chimney Beach itself is about 0.45 miles”; the page prints no distance to Secret Cove itself. Text Secret to 727563.
The East Shore Express (Route 28) runs from Hwy 28 at Tunnel Creek, by the Ponderosa lot, to Sand Harbor in 25 minutes; on its schedule effective September 3, 2026 the buses south leave from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. “The East Shore Express Service to Sand Harbor operates seasonally”, and “TTD and TART transit services are currently free to ride for all passengers.”
Worked examples
- A summer Saturday at the beach. July 17, 2027, 9 AM to 3 PM: Ponderosa costs $40 (2 hours at $6, then 4 at $7); Chimney Beach or Secret Cove costs $12. The flat lots are $28 cheaper for a long day.
- Come early. The same Saturday from 7 AM to 11 AM: Ponderosa is $14, close to the flat $12 — the first two hours are $1 each.
- Come late. A summer Tuesday, July 13, 2027, 5 PM to 8 PM for the sunset: Ponderosa is $2, the flat lots $12. In spring and fall, Ponderosa is free from 5 PM.
- A holiday weekend. Sunday, May 30, 2027 (Memorial Day weekend), all day from 7 AM to 7 PM: Ponderosa’s holiday rates come to $68, against $12 at the flat lots.
Common mistakes
- Bringing cash. “The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MC, and Amex.” Kiosks and pay by text take credit cards only.
- Typing the plate wrong. “This is a license plate-based system, there are no stall numbers and no receipt is required on your windshield.” A wrong plate can bring a notice.
- Staying past the time you paid for. At Ponderosa a notice follows: “However, you may extend by using the pay by text feature.” The notice is $30 for the first 30 days, then $60 and $100: “$30.00 from day of issuance to 30 days, plus a $4.00 convenience fee.”
- Counting on a disabled placard. “Handicapped plates and placards do not waive parking fees.” Disabled veteran plates do: “Per NRS 482.377, vehicles displaying disabled veteran license plates are exempt from paying parking fees.”
- Arriving at noon on a summer weekend. The lots fill: “We recommend arriving early in the morning or later in the afternoon to park, as spaces fill quickly—especially during the summer and on weekends.”
Around Lake Tahoe
Plan the rest of the trip: Lake Tahoe in summer, the best weekend getaways in the USA, paddleboarding destinations and a summer bucket list. Every public beach’s fee and dog rule: the Lake Tahoe beach finder; how cold the water is: Lake Tahoe’s water temperature by month.
FAQ
Where do you park for Secret Cove?
At the Secret Cove lot on State Route 28 (39.163810, -119.930570), 31 spaces, $12 flat from 7 AM to 7 PM, or at the Chimney Beach lot, 130 spaces, the same $12. Park only in a marked space: “Motorists must be parked in a designated space otherwise they will be issued a notice of noncompliance.”
How much is parking at the Tahoe East Shore Trail?
At the Ponderosa lot by the trailhead in Incline Village, $1 to $7 an hour depending on the season, the day and the hour, and free from 5:30 AM to 7 AM and 7 PM to 11 PM. At Chimney Beach and Secret Cove, $12 flat from 7 AM to 7 PM.
How long is the Tahoe East Shore Trail?
Nevada State Parks: “This 3-mile paved trail system connects Incline Village south to Sand Harbor”. The Ponderosa lot sits at its north end.
Is there a shuttle to Sand Harbor?
The East Shore Express (TTD Route 28) runs from Hwy 28 at Tunnel Creek, by the Ponderosa lot, to the Sand Harbor Visitors Center in 25 minutes, free to ride. It runs seasonally; the schedule effective September 3, 2026 has buses south from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
How do I pay for Park Tahoe parking?
Text ParkTahoe (Ponderosa), Chimney or Secret to 727563, or pay at a kiosk, with your license plate number and a credit card: “The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MC, and Amex.”
Can you park overnight at the Tahoe East Shore Trail?
No. Both rate signs say “NO OVERNIGHT PARKING 11PM TO 5:30AM”.
What happens if I get a parking notice?
Pay it at parktahoe.rmcpay.com: $30 to day 30, $60 from day 31, $100 from day 61, each plus a $4.00 fee (and a 28.5% vendor fee once it escalates); on day 91 it may go to collections. “All appeals must be within 15 days of the notice issuance date for non-compliance to pay parking fee.”
Are the lots open in winter?
“Parking lots may not be accessible during winter when heavy snowpack occurs or at lots with steep grades.” Ponderosa’s hourly sign covers March to November only.