VAN SICKLE STATE PARK
A short walk from the Stateline, NV casinos, Van Sickle is one the most accessible parks in the Tahoe Basin. A short climb from the trailhead quickly transports visitors to the serenity of the forest. The parks easy to moderate trails are studded with rock outcroppings that present grand views of the largest alpine lake in North America and the surrounding peaks. The Rim Trail Connector provides a tie-in to the famed Tahoe Rim Trail, designated by National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of the nations top ten trails. The park is open to hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.
As a memorial to his late grandfather Henry Van Sickle, Jack Van Sickle donated 542 acres of his land to the State of Nevada in 1988 to create a new Nevada State Park. Subsequently, the State of California purchased the adjacent land, the Van Sickle familys former Crescent V Ranch, to connect the park to the community of South Lake Tahoe.
The ranchs barn, a circa-1914 log cabin and housekeeping cabins from the 1930s-era Three Pines Motel, were all relocated to their current location in 1960. The Van Sickle family operated the Stateline Stables on the site until 1993 with up to 60 horses taking riders on trails throughout the area, creating unforgettable memories for many of Tahoes vacationers. Opened to the public in the summer of 2011, the park is managed by the Nevada Division of State Parks in partnership with the California Tahoe Conservancy.