Local nonprofits Keep Tahoe Blue and Clean Up The Lake are calling on community members to help clear what has routinely become over a metric ton of trash left behind on Tahoe’s beaches during Fourth of July celebrations.
Events are scheduled throughout the lake shore for Sunday, July 5, 2026.
Each year, volunteers pull thousands of pounds of trash from Lake Tahoe’s shores which would otherwise be left to endanger wildlife both on the beaches as well as within the lake itself.
These events rely on volunteers, who have continued to show up year after year in droves to assist efforts across multiple locations at the lake.
Clean up the Lake
This year’s Clean Up The Lake event will run from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., starting at the Station House Inn, located at 901 Park Ave. In partnership with the inn, the effort will focus on the busy hotel corridor stretching from Heavenly Village to the Lake Tahoe shoreline.
Recognizing that holiday debris generated during one of the region’s busiest times often makes its way into the water, organizers are coordinating both a ground and SCUBA cleanup to remove trash from above and below the surface.
Clean Up The Lake is actively seeking volunteers to fill several specific roles to assist with the effort. The organization needs land-based cleanup volunteers, surface support volunteers such as kayakers, and a volunteer boat captain willing to donate the use of a boat for the day.
Volunteers arriving early will be offered coffee and bagels on a first-come, first-served basis before the work begins.
While RSVPs are appreciated for all positions, they are not strictly required for those who wish to help with the ground cleanup. Those interested in volunteering or who have questions can contact organizers Jenny Uvira or Colin West at info@cleanupthelake.org or by calling (530) 562-7131.
Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue
Keep Tahoe Blue is hosting its 13th Annual Keep Tahoe Red, White, and Blue Beach Cleanup from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Billed as the largest cleanup of the year, the event will deploy volunteers across six designated meeting zones:
- Tahoe City Commons Beach (cleaning the beach, town, and into 64 Acres)
- Zephyr Cove (cleaning through Zephyr Shoals)
- Lakeview Commons (cleaning down to Regan Beach and Hidden Beach)
- Kings Beach (cleaning the beach, town, North Tahoe Beach, Secline Beach, and Moon Dunes)
- Kiva Beach (cleaning from Tallac Historic Site toward Camp Richardson)
- Nevada Beach (meeting at Lam Watah Trailhead to clean the beach, campground, and Lam Watah Meadows)
Keep Tahoe Blue asks volunteers to pre-register online, though on-site waivers will be available, and minors will need a guardian’s consent. The organization will provide cleanup materials, refreshments, and giveaways, but recommends volunteers bring sun protection, reusable water bottles, and their own gloves or grabbers if they have them. They are also seeking two to three volunteer site leads for each location.
