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Bears at Taylor Creek Visitor Center

Black Bears have been sighted regularly along Taylor Creek this fall during the annual spawning run of the Kokanee Salmon. The US Forest Service has posted "Be Bear Aware" signs along side the creek to educate the public about proper bear safety. Safety tips include: (1) Do not approach bears; (2) Keep a safe distance from bears; (3) Do not feed bears; and (4) Secure food and garbage. Lastly, we request all visitors stay on the trail and do not run from the bears if sighted. The "Be Bear Aware" signs are available to download below. Be safe, be smart and enjoy all our wildlife at Taylor Creek this fall.

For more information on bears, visit our Guidelines for Living In and Visiting Bear Habitat web page.

Be Bear Aware (PDF 29 KB)

Taylor Creek Visitor Center

The Taylor Creek Visitor Center offers a wide variety of maps, brochures, t-shirts, souvenirs and other items available for purchase. You may obtain wilderness and campfire permits at the visitor center and enjoy and participate in interpretive programs. The visitor center is also the hub where four fascinating self-guided trails start. The visitor center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. thru the month of September 2008. During the month of October, the Visitor Center will be open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Throughout the month of October the visitor center hosts numerous elementary school field trips. Between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon the visitor center may periodically close during the Environmental Education Program and trails may be very crowded.

The Stream Profile Chamber, located at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, is open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. thru September 2008. During the month of October, the Stream Profile Chamber will be open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Visitor Center is located 3 miles north of South Lake Tahoe, California, on the lake side of Hwy. 89.  It is past the Tallac Historic Site and the turn off for Fallen Leaf Lake.

Map of Visitor Center (PDF 304 KB)
Please note: PDF format links require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

The Taylor Creek Visitor Center also houses the Lake of the Sky Amphitheater. Books, posters, and interpretive materials are for sale by the non-profit Tahoe Heritage Foundation. A portion of each sale is donated to support Forest Service interpretive programs at Lake Tahoe.

Lake of the Sky Journal

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Outdoor Recreation Guide, The Lake of the Sky Journal is now available online! Follow the link provided below to download the Journal. Please be aware the Journal is a large file in a PDF format (11,860 KB) and may take several minutes or longer to open. Follow the link provided at the bottom of the page if you need to download the PDF reader. You may obtain a paper copy of the Journal for free from the Visitor Center or the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Forest Supervisor's Office located at 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe.

• Lake of the Sky Journal - Spring 2008/2009 (PDF 11,860 KB)

Please note: PDF format links require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

The Stream Profile Chamber

The Stream Profile Chamber has served as the primary attraction at the Forest Service Visitor Center complex at Taylor Creek since it was constructed in 1968.  The Chamber provides a view of the stream environment by allowing visitors to study a diverted section of Taylor Creek . . .

Taylor Creek Visitor Center Nature Trails

• The Rainbow Trail forms a 1/2 mile loop as it winds from the Visitor Center through the meadow to Taylor Creek and the Stream Profile Chamber.
• The Tallac Historic Site Trail connects the natural history interpretive area at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center with the cultural history interpretive areas of the Tallac Historic Site.
• The Lake of the Sky Trail leads from the Visitor Center to the edge of Tahoe's waters.
• Smokey's Trail is a short trail near the Visitor Center. This trail is especially good for children.

Guided Activities at Taylor Creek Visitor Center

For a complete list of Guided Activities at the Visitor Center, please visit our Guided Activities Schedule.

Special Events at Taylor Creek Visitor Center

For a complete list of events at the Visitor Center, please visit our Special Events Schedule.

Call the Taylor Creek Visitor Center for more information on Summer Programs, (530) 543-2674.

Please be aware the Visitor Center Map and Lake of the Sky Journal are in a PDF format. Larger files can take several minutes to open. If you have difficulty accessing these documents or would like them in an alternate format please contact us.  The PDF format requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.  If you need the Acrobat Reader, please select the link provided below.  Selecting this link will take you to Adobe's web site.  From there, you can download your free copy of the Acrobat Reader program.  Once you've downloaded the Acrobat Reader you will need to return to this page.

Get Acrobat Reader