Kirkwood Mountain Resort Reviews

They don't seem to make snow so it's a really rocky resort at this point. It's awesome skiing when there is enough snow.

I like that they just trust that if you ski here on the big runs that you know what you're doing. And in that manner they keep runs open which, at other resorts would have too many obstacles to be deemed safe. So, ride it, ride safe and really ride at your own risk.

Great place to ski. Only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is due to parking.

My favorite skiing resort in California. This resort gets more snow than any other ski resort.

Great resort for snowboarders - mostly vertical runs. Buy online to save at least $10 and skip the ridiculous lines to buy lift tickets at the resort. The online pick up windows go by much quicker. Lift tickets have gotten a lot more expensive since being acquired by Vail, though.

Kirkwood has fantastic terrain. Would give 5 stars but for what you pay on a lift ticket they need to install more high speed lifts.

So far this is my favorite resort I've been to in the Tahoe area. The day we visited, the snow was dry and it was a gorgeous day. Because it's about 45 minutes away from the lake, it's slightly less crowded than the other "popular" resorts. The average slope here is quite a bit harder than other resorts, but the blues are manageable for someone at my intermediate level.

When you drive out, be very careful. The snow had melted the day before we went, and the temps dipped into freezing later that night. When we drove to Kirkwood, there was a bunch of black ice on the road and we slid multiple times. Be very careful driving in.

due to high winds, a Sierra Nevada spring snow storm with avalanche danger all lift were closed. Hot Tub and Pub day made up for the lack of riding. But the next morning with a walk to the lift and first tracks in POW where even better!

Probably the best trails for snowboarding at Tahoe. Only thing lacking is night time activities where there are almost none. Usually stay in South Lake Tahoe then commute to Kirkwood.

Been skiing and snowboarding here for over 30 years, and I still love it. Highest base and best snow bet every time, great family feel and awesome people bringing personal touch to everything. My #1 Tahoe favorite!!

Great mountain for snowboarding. Had q blast with friends. Food is expensive but good

Mountain has the best terrain, is easy to navigate. My favorite of the vail resort mountains in CA

Epic skiing. Beautiful area. Short lift lines. Close to Jackson, CA. Thank you for everything, Kirkwood!

Kirkwood is my favorite resort! I love all the runs and they have a great lodge and great dining there!

Great place. Could use a little room face lift. Things are about 10-20 years old.

Good value accommodation but dated and not the cleanest. Staff are a mixed bag but you get what you pay for and it's decent slopeside digs

Great slopes, great service. If you arrive early you can grab free parking, otherwise it is like 26 dlls.

This resort has little charm and character. The prices here are extremely exaggerated.
However: the ski resort is small, but fine. Ski pass is guaranteed.

We didn't stay at the resort but went for snowboarding. The crowd is far less than Northstar. There are a lot of natrual half pipe which was super fun to ride.

I'm no ski expert but Kirkwood is a great resort. The fees are lower than Heavenly or Northstar. There are a few green slopes and many blues.

Expect to spend $20+ a meal.

Parking can be difficult if you don't get there early enough. It's nice that you can walk from the parking lot to the slopes.
Entering and leaving the resort can take time if you do it didn't peak times.

Amenities for a Vail resort are poor. Shuttle, lockers, restrooms, lodge are all substandard. Poor signage. Yet prices are typically breathtaking. Kirkwood can also be exceptionally windy. Don't know if I will return.

Fun mountain, lifts are slow with only a few express lifts. Easier to get to than other Tahoe resorts that require taking hwy 80 or 50. Bring food as dining options are limited and expensive!

Well located resort with ski in and ski out .However they do not follow through with guests. The road was closed to Kirkwood over Presidents Day weekend. They were initially helpful in setting us up in South Lake Tahoe but then never processed the partial or full refund they offered and this forced us to pay twice. They need to honor what they promise to guests.

I came here to ski for my first time ever. While there aren t too many entry level slopes, I haven t had so much fun in forever. It also helps that it was a Friday after a snowfall so the slopes weren t too crowded and the snow was soft when I fell, which happened probably 100 times.
I can t wait to come back.

Weather didn't cooperate on this trip but really want to go back. A good selection of trails for all skill levels and I really liked the back bowl area.

Good skiing, small lockers, no place to change, no gas for miles

My first time skiing on the west coast was at Kirkwood and I couldn't have asked for a better day! It was so sunny that i didn't even need a jacket! It's an easy process to rent gear but make sure you bring sunglasses or goggles because you can't rent them there. I'm pretty much a beginner skiier so it was really nice that there were many different types of slopes. Had some really interesting conversations on the lift with skiiers who have been there for 30+ years. Good selection of food at the main mountain but I wasn't a huge fan of the steak tips - way too chewy.

Snowboarding mountain resort! Expensive food and accommodation but expected from a snow resort. Free parking and plenty of it. Recommended to arrive early to beat the traffic

One of the best mountain around Tahoe, if not THE best, when it comes to advanced skiers. Would not recommend for newcomers as it's not the easiest at all. There are plenty of other mountains around that are better suited for learning. Kirkwood has a couple of lifts dedicated just for black diamonds, such as thr famous Wall, which is an amazing ride for those who enjoy steep hills and a lot of moguls!

Great mountain for skiing, lots of steep terrain and off piste. The only down side is there are very few high speed chairs.

Great resort! Facility is good enough, often not too crowded. The mountain is so great.

I love this resort. It s very mom and pop feel and very chill compared to North Star and Heavenly. On busy weekends or powder weekend I would recommend coming very early because they have limited parking and I ve seen people get turned away because there s no parking

My favorite place to go skiing. A great hidden gem of perfect terrain, great staff and wonderful snow!

Quiet mountain, good for intermediate-advanced skiers.

Spectacular resort! Our favorite in the region. Even the parking is good. Challenging to easy terrain. Something for everyone.

I loved that there was a good balance of long runs and short runs here. Some of the Blues have long portions of flat with only a slight incline and hills so if you brake a lot you might lose all your speed but there are also quite a few with no flats and lots of chances to practice your carving.

Will definitely come back!

Special place for expert skiers and snowboarders. Staff was cool.

Awesome mountain. Quite big, never feels crowded. Tons of tree runs on the backside.

They need more high-speed lifts. The terrain is mind-blowing, the atmosphere relaxed, the prices better than most, but they reallllly need to do something about those lift lines.

Enjoyed a great day of skiing. Easy to switch between busy and less busy lifts. As well as easy and harder slopes.

Wild. This resort is an exceptional experience located deep within the Sierra Nevada. Wild describes Kirkwood for many reasons, including the wilderness that surrounds you the entire time you stay at the resort. Wild are the runs that range so drastically from flatland beginner to expedition-level expert snow reversing. There is a lot of variety without all the froofy glitz of the resorts that pamper their guests. At Kirkwood, you won t be treated like just another customer, but like an adventurer ready to explore the snow.

Kirkwood offers alpine skiing, snowboarding, and cross country as well as a ton of other services. The staff is friendly and kind, and the prices don t hurt your wallet as much as other Vail resorts in the Tahoe region.

Highly recommended, Wildly enjoyed.

2nd season at kirkwood. Definitely one of the best mountains in Tahoe in terms of terrain. However it's all pretty low budget, lifts often break down, a very meh village, etc. But in return it's almost never too crowded.

Awesome staff and fresh snow when I went! No snow machines needed.

My new favorite ski resort. Great things: friendly staff
free hot chocolate and granola bars
Outdoor fireplace
No lines
Lots of variety in runs
Parking right next to the chair lift

I wish the bus driver didn t yell at us or else this would ve been one of my best experiences at a ski resort

Good runs, not as busy as north star or squaw so short lines for lifts, recommend checking out the backside if you're there early morning

Large terrain with slightly less vertical and slow lifts. Without a big village, it offers better serious ski atmosphere and a greater selection of expert terrain.

Nice resort, everything on site. Food, lodging, restaurant, bars. Everything closes early but nice family resort. Has nice run and lots of steep slopes. When snow is deep enough there are a lot of choices for going down the mountain between trees, canyon and Combs. This place get the most snow during storm. Has slopes for every level. I found that the beginner slopes are not near the more experience one which is great so beginner can learn with peace of mind. However lift ticket are really expensive compared to the size of the resort.

Kirkwood was a great ski experience. It s off the beaten path and that makes it even better. On our Thursday experience there were no lines and the terrain had numerous challenging steeps.

Had an amazing time riding there thus Summer. The entire staff are very friendly and helpful, great amenities and the little things. Like having water at all the chair lifts. Great place, and we can't wait for the winter.

The best snow
Tahoe has to offer

My go to hill. Plain and simple. Fun, options, good snow, good people and the best California terrain.

Good deli and wonderful hiking trails through flower filled meadows

Wonderful resort! Love that it's a little out of most of people's way. The only problem is the closure of the roads - you may not be able to get home from here if the weather is rough

Solid mountain, a little more old school Tahoe. Plenty of steeps and terrain! A little off the beaten track, but that means it s not a zoo like Squaw or Northstar. Come here for a legit day of skiing or riding.

Fun place to ski although snow conditions can be iffy compared to Heavenly or Squaw Valley

Pictures say it all... Expansive playground, infinite number of unique runs

Winter and summer resort. Beautiful and less crowded than Tahoe resorts.

Kirkwood has a lot of runs for experienced skiers/ boarders but also offer enough for intermediate skilled winter sport enthusiasts. A fun mountain.

Our go to local place on a pow day.... Besides the backcountry.

So rugged. It s worth the drive from South Lake Tahoe

Snow like the blessing of an angel. When it comes down it's like the sweetest honey milk from the gods into unrivaled skiing terrain. When there's no snow, go with your plan b skis/board. The epic terrain will correct the unprepared traveler. Well well well worth the drive up to, in the eyes of me and every one of my buddies the best mountain in a 500mile radius

The snowboarder culture made Kirkwood great and the best part of coming here Is seeing the amazing riders. There are lockers is advise bringing food if you re not into greasy burritos or chili with american processed cheese. It d be cool if they had great food like banh mi or veggie samosas or ramen but American ski resorts aren t into the food experience! It s some weird American tradition thing. The negatives are the lack of public transportation & very expensive lodgings which kills the atmosphere after riding is over - providing hostels and options for people who aren t rich families would create a better atmosphere! There are some amazing snowboarders riding here, and they re what makes this place great.... I don t know why people complain about the slow backside chair? Although I frankly don t ride that hard it gives a great seat to great riding and you can always follow better peoples lines!

Not fun for beginners and intermediate skiers. Over 2 thirds of Kirkwood is advanced terrain, so it's recommended that intermediate skiers try another resort. Now, if you like interesting features like cliff skiing, Kirkwood is your place.

Best skiing in Tahoe! The snow and terrain are top notch and less crowded than resorts on the lake. Only drawback is the limited apres.

Very nice! Beautiful landscape, perfect for summer or winter!

Make your way to the backside of the mountain! It's great for 1) long groomed runs and 2) back country powder. Also, recommend just waiting for the courtesy shuttle instead of walking.