Lake Tahoe: Our Favorite Place for Kids to Play
Lake Tahoe is well known as a great place to visit during the winter, but choosing exactly where to go can be overwhelming! It can be especially hard if you are trying to avoid expensive resorts. Where can you to take the kids to play in the snow that won’t cost a fortune – without compromising on fun? Read on to learn about Donner Summit Sno-Park, our favorite Lake Tahoe spot for snow play!
Lake Tahoe: Our Favorite Place for Kids to Play
Lake Tahoe is one of the most picturesque locations in Northern California and an easy day trip from Sacramento. There are so many options available to families to visit, but many of them can be quite pricey, especially with multiple kids. If you are looking to save some pennies but still have fun, check out Donner Summit Sno-Park (note that this link gives great information, but the prices are out of date)!
Donner Summit Sno-Park
Why We Love it
Donner Summit Sno-Park is an inexpensive, fun play to go play in the snow! It is easily reached from Highway 80 and has good parking. As soon as you leave the parking lot, you climb into the snow and start to have fun! Even on days when there are many people at the park, there is plenty of room to spread out. There are lots of small hills for climbing and sledding, and the views in the woods are just beautiful. It is within Tahoe National Forest and is operated by the Forest Service.
How to Get There
From Sacramento, it is easy to reach Donner Summit Sno-Park from Highway 80. Take Exit 176 (Castle Park/Boreal Ridge Rd). Once off the exit, turn left and follow the road (past a motel) until you reach the parking lot. You can find a good map here.
Keep in Mind
The only facilities at the sno-park are port-a-potties, located in the parking lot. There is a rest area just beyond the sno-park exit, so we usually visit there before we go to the sno-park. Make sure to pack plenty of hand sanitizer!
Day Permits
The only cost is for a day permit, which can be purchased online or from a designated vendor. We usually purchase ours on-site at the doughnut/coffee stand in the parking lot, though they are typically just there on weekends. (If you visited in the past, be aware that this season the cost of day permits increased from $5 to $15). You can also purchase a season pass for $40.
Check Before You Go
Because conditions in the Sierra can be so changeable, check before you go to make sure that the sno-park is open. You also need to check road conditions to see if there are any closures or if chains are required.
Have a Backup Plan
After a big snowfall, it seems as if everyone in Sacramento heads to the mountains to play! On our last trip up to Tahoe, Donner Summit Sno-Park was full, and we had to find another spot. We went a little further along the highway until we reached Donner Lake. (After taking the exit, turn right at the bottom of the hill and follow it around until you see the parking lot on the left, along the lake). There are no hills for sledding, but there is good parking and plenty of wide open space to play in.
The wind off the lake is COLD, but the views can’t be beat! Simply gorgeous.
Again, the only facilities are port-a-potties in the parking lot.
Where is your favorite place to go play in the snow?
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