While downhill skiing might be the top sport here during the winter months, cross-country skiing sure is up there in the most popular things to do in Tahoe segment. There are literally thousands of acres of skiable terrain, including golf courses that transform into ski parks in the winter. (Note that a lot of summer bike shops become winter sports shops too!) You can expect a lot of breathtaking views! And as an added amenity, many of the trails for cross-country skiing in Lake Tahoe are dog friendly (but protect those paws!). You’ll find trails associated with accommodations, such as Clair Tappaan Lodge, the Tahoe Donner subdivision and Northstar, and others that are part of municipalities such as Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City or part of parks such as Donner Memorial State Park and Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. Most of these terrains are also popular for snow shoeing too. Cross-country skiing in Lake Tahoe is a combination of working your body and calming your mind. Strap on those skies and glide!
Featured for Your Visit
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
11509 Northwoods Boulevard, Truckee, CA
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time residents and a year-round destination for visitors from all over who are drawn to its beautiful neighborhoods, vast trails, open spaces and unique amenities. With the world-class Cross Country Ski Center and Downhill Ski Resort open to members and the public in the wintertime and the Tahoe Donner Trail System and par-72 championship Golf Course open to members and the public in the summertime, plus private amenities like the Beach Club Marina, Tennis Center and Trout Creek Rec Center open exclusively for Tahoe Donner members and their guests, this High-Sierra community offers year-round recreation and enjoyment unlike any other. Following your adventures, visit any of Tahoe Donner’s restaurants for casual or fine dining, including The Lodge Restaurant & Pub, Alder Creek Cafe or Pizza on the Hill. Each offers an inviting menu with fresh menu options and a lively and family-friendly atmosphere. Keep an eye out for live music and other fun events open to the public throughout the year.
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time residents and a year-round destination for visitors from all over who are drawn to its beautiful neighborhoods, vast trails, open spaces and unique amenities. With the world-class Cross Country Ski Center and Downhill Ski Resort open to members and the public in the wintertime and the Tahoe Donner Trail System...read more
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
7360 West Lake Boulevard, Tahoma, CA
Explore the untouched beauty of Burton Creek State Park, just outside Tahoe City, spanning 2,000 acres of pristine forest and meadowland. Unwind on 6 miles of unpaved roads, ideal for hiking, mountain biking and winter cross-country skiing. Traverse the mountainous terrain, adorned with conifers and shrubs that prime wildlife and bird watching. Spring brings a burst of wildflowers, while fall paints the cottonwoods in vivid hues. Though lacking amenities like water and restrooms, Burton Creek's charm lies in its natural preserves, including Antone Meadows and Burton Creek Natural Preserve. Despite its undeveloped state, Burton Creek holds immense potential, with numbered junctions aiding in improvisational hikes along dirt roads. For a structured experience, the new Tahoe Rim Trail section guides you through the park, where Burton Creek and meadows create a picturesque setting for leisurely walks. Motorized vehicles are prohibited, ensuring a peaceful haven for cross-country skiers, mountain bikers and hikers.
Explore the untouched beauty of Burton Creek State Park, just outside Tahoe City, spanning 2,000 acres of pristine forest and meadowland. Unwind on 6 miles of unpaved roads, ideal for hiking, mountain biking and winter cross-country skiing. Traverse the mountainous terrain, adorned with conifers and shrubs that prime wildlife and bird watching. Spring brings a burst of wildflowers, while
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read more Explore the untouched beauty of Burton Creek State Park,
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Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
12593 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA
History buffs, campers, cyclists, hikers and those who love their water sports will find Donner Memorial State Park the perfect place for either a visit or an extended stay. The Donner name is a nod to the story of the snow-stranded emigrants and their ill-fated wagon train in the winter of 1846–47. One part of the forlorn pioneer group made camp near Donner Lake, now site of the state park, during record-breaking snowfall. Now visitors can go to Donner Memorial State Park and check out the new $6.6 million visitor center/museum that chronicles the Donner Party and the human and natural history of the region. During summer season the park has 142 spaces for car, RV and tent camping. There is also a concessionaire renting water-sport toys from kayaks and SUPs to two-seater personal watercraft. Being a state park in the Sierra, everything is surrounded by beautiful pines and plenty of hiking and biking in adjacent Cold Stream Canyon and swimming in the kid-friendly canal and China Cove. Depending on snowfall, a cross-country ski trail is groomed through the park, which is also a great place for snowshoeing. An entrance fee is charged.
History buffs, campers, cyclists, hikers and those who love their water sports will find Donner Memorial State Park the perfect place for either a visit or an extended stay. The Donner name is a nod to the story of the snow-stranded emigrants and their ill-fated wagon train in the winter of 1846–47. One part of the forlorn pioneer group made camp near Donner Lake, now site...read more
History buffs, campers, cyclists, hikers and those who love their water sports will find Donner...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
CA State Park Road, Tahoma, CA
Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is your best bet for winter camping. Also open with a larger selection of sites in the summer, the park is positioned to take advantage of both the beautiful natural setting of Lake Tahoe and the historic aspects. Within the park is access to the Hellman-Ehrmann Mansion that was built in 1903. The property is still exquisitely maintained and is an excellent representation of the wealthy side of Tahoe. Tours are offered during the summer by Sierra State Parks Foundation (sierrastateparks.org). There are various trailheads, swimming beaches and great fishing within the park as well as a Nature Center that helps visitors identify the local flora and fauna. In the winter the foundation hosts full moon snowshoe expeditions, and this is a great place for sledding and snowshoeing. Dogs are allowed on leash only. Visitors should remember to pack it in, pack it out and leave no trace. An entrance fee is charged.
Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is your best bet for winter camping. Also open with a larger selection of sites in the summer, the park is positioned to take advantage of both the beautiful natural setting of Lake Tahoe and the historic aspects. Within the park is access to the Hellman-Ehrmann Mansion that was built in 1903. The property is still exquisitely maintained...read more
Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is your best bet for winter camping. Also...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
11509 Northwoods Boulevard, Truckee, CA
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time residents and a year-round destination for visitors from all over who are drawn to its beautiful neighborhoods, vast trails, open spaces and unique amenities. With the world-class Cross Country Ski Center and Downhill Ski Resort open to members and the public in the wintertime and the Tahoe Donner Trail System and par-72 championship Golf Course open to members and the public in the summertime, plus private amenities like the Beach Club Marina, Tennis Center and Trout Creek Rec Center open exclusively for Tahoe Donner members and their guests, this High-Sierra community offers year-round recreation and enjoyment unlike any other. Following your adventures, visit any of Tahoe Donner’s restaurants for casual or fine dining, including The Lodge Restaurant & Pub, Alder Creek Cafe or Pizza on the Hill. Each offers an inviting menu with fresh menu options and a lively and family-friendly atmosphere. Keep an eye out for live music and other fun events open to the public throughout the year.
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time residents and a year-round destination for visitors from all over who are drawn to its beautiful neighborhoods, vast trails, open spaces and unique amenities. With the world-class Cross Country Ski Center and Downhill Ski Resort open to members and the public in the wintertime and the Tahoe Donner Trail System...read more
Sprawling Tahoe Donner and its 6,000-plus properties above Truckee are home to full-time and part-time...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
Alder Creek Adventure Center sits at a gateway to Tahoe Donner’s 60+ mile trail system. During the summer, the center is home to Tahoe Donner’s Equestrian Center and Bikeworks where mountain bikes can be rented to explore Tahoe Donner’s vast open space. Guided rides and private lessons are also available. After a morning of adventuring, come in and enjoy Alder Creek Cafe’s, bar, outdoor seating...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
For nearly 40 years Alpine Skills International (ASI) has educated people looking to either learn the basics of rock climbing, backcountry skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering or to take their skills to higher (and safer) levels. ASI offers expert climbing instruction on Donner Summit and multi-day ski tours in the region’s backcountry from Castle Peak to the eastern Sierra. Guided mountaineering tours to iconic places like...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
Although it’s a club, Auburn Ski Club (ASC) & Training Center welcomes the public to cross-country ski on its trail network. As far as Donner Summit history goes, ASC goes back to the 1930s when its grounds featured the western United States’ first engineered ski jump. Even before that, trains from the Sacramento Valley would bring loads of flatlanders up to Donner Summit to ski....read more
One of the special aspects to Lake Tahoe is all of the amazing backcountry opportunities that surround her. This is especially the case when it comes to backcountry skiing. Both Truckee and the surrounding communities of Lake Tahoe are blessed with a plethora of skiing and snowboarding options in the natural and uncontrolled mountains. Here's a little sampling of the tasty runs that await if...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
One of Truckee’s hidden gems sits atop Donner Summit at 7,000 feet. Clair Tappaan Lodge was constructed in 1934 by Sierra Club volunteers, and, just like Donner Summit itself, the rest is history. The stunningly rustic mountain lodge offers accommodations for up to 145 guests, many of whom are cross-country skiers and snowshoers in winter and hikers, rock climbers and cyclists in summer. The lodge...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
When it comes to maintaining Lake Tahoe's natural beauty, our best defense is in teaching our youth the importance that lies within protecting the wilderness. Acting as a steward of connection for youth and Mother Nature, Gateway Mountain Center is a place that engages young minds with adventurous and educational explorations in the natural world. Offering various wellness programs, athletic curriculum and summer camps, Gateway...read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
Kaspian Recreation Area is on Highway 89, 4 miles south of Tahoe City at the base of Blackwood Canyon. A campground and outdoor recreation area, the zone is excellent for wilderness fun in summer and winter. Kaspian Beach and Campground are located on National Forest land managed by the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The summer offers mountain biking, road cycling and hiking....read more
Lake Tahoe Cross-country Skiing
Kirkwood Mountain is a South Lake Tahoe ski area tucked a little out of the way of the hustle and bustle that is seen in town. Kirkwood is about a 45-minute drive from the center of South Lake. This small distance creates positives: crowds are smaller and attention to personal service is higher. The ski area itself is great for all levels of skiers with...read more
