Whose Sustainability? Freedom, Land Use, and Competing Conceptions of Care at Cave Rock

Overlooking Lake Tahoe stands Cave Rock, a geological formation on the eastern side of the lake which straddles the California-Nevada border. Historically and spiritually significant to the Washoe Tribe, Cave Rock is considered a sacred site where tribal leadership discourages tourism to honor the elders who steward the land. Yet, beginning in the late 20th century onward, the site became a popular destination for recreation – once described by recreational climbers as offering “some of the most gymnastic routes in the state.” This paper, co-authored with a leader of the Washoe Tribe, examines the contrasting conceptions of care held by the Tribe and the recreational users of Cave Rock. Drawing on archived surveys, newspaper articles, and interviews, we trace the tensions between Indigenous land stewardship and public land use, culminating in a legal case that illuminates broader themes of care, access, and the enclosure of the commons.