California Tow Rig Parking at the Rubicon

TJustin

TJustin

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4 hrs from Sand Hollow
I’m planning on heading to run the Rubicon early August with a few buddies. Most of us are trailering our rigs. We’ve seen options to store them either at Loon Lake or at a parking lot on the Tahoe side just after the trail ends.

A couple of the guys would rather not leave them at these parking lots and are willing to pay for storage?

Can anyone point me in the direction of places that could help us?

Maybe lodging that would allow us to keep our rigs there for a few?

I’ve searched here and Pirate hoping for some ideas but I’m either not finding much or decade old threads.

TIA.
 
My suggestions would be Truckee there are a few hotels there or a little farther out would be Reno as I assume your are going to be going thru Reno from UT. From Truckee you have about a 3 hr drive to the trailhead at Loon Lake, as most do the trial Loon Lake to Tahoe.

If you have other plans let me know I have left tow rigs in Auburn, Truckee, and Placerville I would be happy to recommend some options if I know which way you are traveling and are you going to be spending extra time in Reno or Lake Tahoe.

Most guys that leave tow rigs at Loon are heading back to the Bay Area afterwards or other places down south.
 
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From the Jeepers Jamboree website:

TRAILER PARKING

Loon Lake Staging Area (beginning of the trail) – Park at the bottom of the dam. PLEASE do not park on the sides of the dam or side of the road. First come, first serve basis. NO FEE PARKING.

Tahoe Staging Area – Staging area at the end of the trail off Rubicon McKinney Road (please park in designated areas only-Jamboree is not responsible for citations). NO FEE PARKING
Directions: From Hwy 50 to Highway 89 North of Tahoma turn left onto Rubicon McKinney Road, turn left on Bellvue, turn right on McKinney Road bear left onto McKinney Rubicon Springs continue to the dirt road and park on the left in staging area.

El Dorado County Fairgrounds - $35 flat fee secured parking Call 530-621-5860 for reservations. (click here for directions)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin - $30 flat fee secured parking Off Wentworth Springs Rd. 19 miles out of Georgetown on the way to the Rubicon Trail.
 
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Plumber1 said:
My suggestions would be Truckee there are a few hotels there or a little farther out would be Reno as I assume your are going to be going thru Reno from UT. From Truckee you have about a 3 hr drive to the trailhead at Loon Lake, as most do the trial Loon Lake to Tahoe.

If you have other plans let me know I have left tow rigs in Auburn, Truckee, and Placerville I would be happy to recommend some options if I know which way you are traveling and are you going to be spending extra time in Reno or Lake Tahoe.

Most guys that leave tow rigs at Loon are heading back to the Bay Area afterwards or other places down south.
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Thank you @Plumber1. We are coming from SLC and are planning to head to Reno through Winnemucca.

We have a number of vehicles that here in UT, are not highway patrol friendly. I am not against traveling an hr or two in my Jeep to get to the trail, but don't want to be hassled by police or highway patrol with my not-so-street legal Jeep. Is CHP picky?
 
TJustin said:
Thank you @Plumber1. We are coming from SLC and are planning to head to Reno through Winnemucca.

We have a number of vehicles that here in UT, are not highway patrol friendly. I am not against traveling an hr or two in my Jeep to get to the trail, but don't want to be hassled by police or highway patrol with my not-so-street legal Jeep. Is CHP picky?
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What do you mean highway patrol friendly? Do they have license pates?, CA does not have annual safety checks like some states.

This is mine and the tires do stick out last the fenders a bit and I have never been pulled over. Now I if it were me I would not stay in Reno and then drive from there as you will be required to go thru a CHP border check station coming into CA.

jeep 1.jpg


IMG_8309.jpg
 
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Plumber1 said:
What do you mean highway patrol friendly? Do they have license pates?, CA does not have annual safety checks like some states.

This is mine and the tires do stick out last the fenders a bit and I have never been pulled over. Now I if it were me I would not stay in Reno and then drive from there as you will be required to go thru a CHP border check station coming into CA.

View attachment 252668

View attachment 252669
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Nice looking rig!

All the rigs have plates and are streetable. We do not have safety inspections in UT, but we can be pulled over and cited for fender flares that do not cover the full width of the tire, and for mudflaps that do not cover at least the top half of the tire. I've found that if I cruise around town, I haven't had much of an issue, and end up trailering it to any destination more than a 20 mile radius from my house. 3/4 of my tire is outside the body.

Knowing this, am I just a big target for CHP?

Gold Bar.jpg
 
I would guess you would be OK based on these pictures. I have had friends stay in the casinos on South Shore of Tahoe and leave their tow rig/trailers there whilst running the trail...
 
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