INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Construction on a new visitor center and amphitheater is set to begin Monday at Spooner Lake, Nevada State Park officials announced Thursday.

The park will remain open during construction, however, the main entrance is scheduled to be closed to vehicle access between July 18-24. Several areas adjacent to the public parking lot will be restricted and portable restrooms will be made available during the project, which is anticipated to be completed early next year.

The new facilities at Spooner Lake will offer visitors high quality interpretive programming and environmental education, and will serve as a base for natural and cultural history programs, ranger-led hikes and tours, and an outdoor science venue for students. The project will also serve as a major portal to more than 60 miles of paths and trails spanning 13,000 acres of spectacular non-motorized primitive wilderness within the Lake Tahoe Basin.

“We look forward to offering visitors to Spooner Lake an enhanced educational experience at an already spectacular State Park,” said Nevada State Parks Administrator Bob Mergell in a release. “The exciting new facilities will expand ecology and outdoor education programs, and provide the ideal setting for science and nature-based field trip opportunities for students.”

This project is part of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program and is a public-private collaboration between the Nevada Division of State Parks, the Nevada Division of State Lands, the Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, the Washoe Tribe, and the Tahoe Fund. It is made possible by public bond funds, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Nevada Lake Tahoe License Plate Program, as well as donations made through the Tahoe Fund by individuals and foundations who want to help ensure a sustainable Lake Tahoe for future generations.

For project updates visit parks.nv.gov/spooner.