Kirkwood Mountain Resort Review

Snowboarding was great. Short lift lines and powder all day.

Great terrain. Snow conditions are better then other locations due to the altitude.

Excellent mountain with some of the best snow in the area. When it s really busy, parking can be a problem and there can be long lines on the road to get there. Access can also be closed off easily if there is a lot of snow and the passes close.

Still my favourite after all these years! Even though it's been bought by Vail Resorts, they've managed to maintain the small ski hill feel while improving the amenities. The only draw back is the drive from Tahoe, about 40 mins vs 10 for Heavenly. The drive is super pretty though, through the Hope Valley, when the weather isn't stressing you out!

Ski terrain and snow is superior to other Lake Tahoe ski resorts. Very friendly service

Wonderful place, staff went well above and beyond. Alex, lift guy you are the hardest working man at such a relaxed place.

I love skiing at Kirkwood. I have been skiing here since the 70s. I still love Kirkwood. It is a great location for all levels of skiing. It was closer when I lived in Jackson. But it is worth the trip.

Best resort in Tahoe! Small, friendly, and great terrain.

Do not go here! Try heavenly and north star instead! This resort is lack of basic organize. You have to wait FOUR hours from the entrance to actually get to the mountain because of the bad management. They even blocked the highway 88 for 45 minutes which is ridiculous.

Great terrain, not much attitude, usually good snow.

Kirkwood is my place to go skiing. Been going there since i was 3! Over 30 years!

Not so big area, but heigh altitude and variety of cources.

Loved the mountain terrain. Less crowded than other Tahoe area resorts. Resort employees are very nice and helpful. Enjoyed our day at Kirkwood!

This resort is good, and has variety of slopes for all ski & snowboard levels. The runs are long enough to enjoy. Some of the slopes tend to be icy as the slopes are not groomed. The lifts are very fast here, and the lift operators are not always very attentive, so if you are a beginner or skiing with kids, make sure to ask to slow down the lifts.. The food in the restaurants is total junk, so make sure to bring your own food if you don't want to eat pizza/ hot dog/ french fries. Always expect traffic at the entrance, and plan accordingly.

Great job clearing out for opening after 12 feet dumper.

Skied at both Heavenly and Kirkwood multiple days last week. Both were great. Kirkwood was my preference based on the amount of big mountain terrain available and friendliness of staff.

Kirkwood is always a good time. A bit more rustic than the other Vail owned resorts in Tahoe

We love skiing here. Today fresh powder. Can't get any better than that.

The lift lines are short. The snow and service was great. The lifts are a little slow but it is fun.

This place has lots of great skiing slopes and is less crowded

Too expensive, half the lifts closed, ran out of food and no proper conditioning of the ski runs. What a waste of a 6 hour round trip drive!

Great snowboarding, with varying terrain. The Wall, Cornice Express and the Backside provide some epic advanced boarding with decent fall lines.
My only gripes are:
A) the age and speed of most of the lifts, they seriously need some updates.
B) the lack of souveigneers. I know this sounds trivial, but every resort I go to I buy a T-shirt, magnet, sticker and Christmas ornament. The options at Kirkwood were slim to say the least.

Great place to ski! They had a nice beginners area but the beginner runs weren't very long at all. I feel as if the place is a little more catered to advanced skiers and snowboarders. I also went two days in a row and noticed alot of ice patches. I don't know the logistics but 0 snow machines were places near the ice cause a few slippery spots.

I honestly enjoy their dishes and customer service, great area nearby to my home. The cashiers are always super nice. Highly recommended.

I love this place, it's my favorite ski mountain. Also the ski patrol are some the best in the business and do every thing to keep the mountain open and safe.

This is one of the top 5 ski-board resorts in norCal. The lift tickets cheaper on the higher end considering the service offered it isn't expensive. For rentals and ticket pick ups there is absolutely no waiting and service is really good. This place has good slopes for beginners at timber Creek and couple of intermmediate slopes also. Several other intermediate slopes are present on the side along with advanced n terrains spread across. Shuttle service is available every 15 minz. Overall this place is worth it's price.

I have a true passion and need for fun and excitement, so Kirkwood was new to me, and now I wondr why I never had visited being so close?!. So Kirkwood is a sweet place to visit anytime of year.

The snow is awful, everyone is rude no nightlife. Go to Heavenly it s way better.

When it snows it is amazing. Everyone that works here are great and betty nice. Best mountain is south lake tahoe.

With kids now Kirkwood is our mountain most frequently visited. They have great terrain for everyone, parking can get busy on weekends if you show up late, but it is better than or other pass options of Heavenly and Northstar. Having worked at Heavenly I still know that mountain better, but as time goes on I'll probably get to know KW better.

Best side country terrain in the South Lake region. Taking HWY 88 from the Bay Area saves you a lot of commute time.

The skiing is fantastic. The coaches giving lessons are so patient and really make sure you're ready to tackle your first hill before you do. You can also make it a relaxing day with all the amenities! I will be going again soon.

Has more snow than other resorts which is very important given the current snow conditions in California

Not nearly as crowded because it's a bit further. The runs are solid blues to blacks and the people who come here are usually more experienced as a result. The lifts are not all express lifts but with the usual experience of almost no line it doesn't seem like it takes that long. One of my favorite places to go, definitely for those who want to avoid the crowds and don't mind driving a bit further to do it.

This ski area has good old terrain and lots of lifts. Would visit again despite the fact it s managed by Vail resorts aka the Evil Empire of the ski industry.

Great terrain. Most snowfall in the region.

It's not super crowded . . . a little off the regular Tahoe beaten path may account for much of this.

Flip side is not a ton of dining options or night life so a schlep to South Lake Tahoe might be needed depending on what you want to do and eat.

It was an amazing place. It was already closed for the season, the little grocery store was still open. They make the best hot sandwiches on a snowy day. So much snow for the kids to play in. And the people in the store a super friendly and helpful. Need to go back when everything is open.

Kirkwood is simply a great ski area. The mountain, the people, the amenities are all up there with much high priced resorts. There isn't a restaurant on top of the mountain or a gondola but the lift prices are way less that the big resorts. It is very family friendly and if you want the party atmosphere there is that too in the evening. I recommend.

We visited in August during the off season (way more affordable then) felt like we had the place to ourselves. Thoroughly enjoyed or stay and the sights. Love the surrounding nature and beauty.

Fantastic skiing especially for back country lovers! Lift staff are very fun.

My friend works there so I get tickets half off lol

The best time to go is on Christmas day. No lines and the staff is super merry!

Pretty cool spot, a little south of Lake Tahoe with a nice variety of terrain. A little less expensive, a little less crowded, a little less bourgie than most of the Tahoe ski areas, though still a Vail resort. The conditions weren't great, but it might just have been the year, as most of the snow was "Sierra Cement," not very conducive to quality turns and laid back lines. Weather is weather, so I can't dock stars in good conscience for that.

We had a great time. Food is kinda mediocre and overpriced so I recommend to bring your own snacks. Just a personal suggestion

One of the best resorts in the sierra. Great terrain and a vibe that is unbeatable.

Awesome ski with bowls. Steep terrain and also easy accessible ski path. Mostly open

Love the Wood. Always a good time. Make sure you hit up 7800 bar and grill for some food and drinks for lunch.

Kirkwood is my favourite amongst the local Vail-owner resorts of Heavenly and Northstar. While I found the lifts somewhat antiquated, I did however like the fact that they ve stuck with them because the resort remains limited to a maximum of skiers at one time. The Wall was fun, the Sunrise bowl had so much variety and the options available to go for a walk to get better snow was amazing. The staff were great, the snow awesome when it s in plentiful supply and the terrain just fantastic. However, the village doesn t make sense if one can call it a village, the food is expensive and when a fresh dump arrives half of San Fran and Sacramento are in attendance. I hope to back again one day. WIFI access was great.

Awesome time snowshoeing up Kirkwood in the middle of may

Very nice place for skiing. But I am not a fan of skiing lol

Had a super spring skiing day. Not a cloud in the sky all day and had great snow. Super trip

Staff were very friendly and helpful. Equipment were in pretty good conditions. The price aren't on the cheap side but I'd say it's worth it.

Nice step and moderately long runs for experts, not nearly as busy as squaw or Northstar. Could use some improvement in the food department though.

This is my go-to resort as someone who primarily does day trips from San Jose on weekdays either during light snow or the morning after a storm (not sure how weekends are). There's always parking near the lifts, and the lifts themselves usually have no wait time. Favorite areas: cool creek-pipe section under Solitude, and the Bowl area top left is a lot of fun especially on powder days. Staff is welcoming.

No Sacramento traffic, watch out cuz hwy 88 is frequently closed so check CalTrans and watch storm patterns before commuting from the west!

Big mountain, less people, really cool drive up there

This would absolutely be 5 stars if it weren't for the fact they only had one person selling tickets. We waited over an hour just to get on the hill. Mountain is beautiful, nice range of runs and terrain. Staff was helpful and seemed to genuinely care that everyone was safe and having a good time.

Best ski resort foot for foot in the Sierra Nevada mountain range

Great staff, came super early in the season so the snow was not great but good location

Lunch at the wall was great. Beautiful view and really good food.

Excellent expert skiing, with the best snow in Tahoe

Great spot on the way up to Tahoe. Tickets can get pricey during the holiday season, but you can always find deals around.