Kirkwood

The Stuff Of Legend…

Magical, raw, expansive and remote, Kirkwood is the stuff of legend. With the deepest, driest snow around and some of North America’s most diverse and challenging terrain, Kirkwood offers big mountain riding with small town attitude. It’s about adventure and challenge. Discovery from exploration. Personal satisfaction, from personal challenge. At the end of the day, a uniquely rewarding experience that can only be had at a handful of places on Earth. Tucked away about 35 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe, Kirkwood is out of the way but the reward is well worth the effort of finding it.

Our unique location atop the Sierra Crest combined with elevations ranging 7,800 to 9,800 feet create a little something we like to call the K-Factor – a geographical predisposition to receive the lightest, the driest, and the most plentiful snow in the Tahoe region.  With 2000 feet of vertical drop, and over 2300 acres of terrain from calm groomed beginner runs to hair raising cornices, cliffs and the most high angle grooming around, there’s something for everyone at the ‘Wood.

In the summertime, Kirkwood turns into a picturesque high alpine adventure playground! World class rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and fishing are all just within a stone’s throw of the resort. Fields of wildflowers will take your breath away during the summer months, and the turning aspens make a beautiful backdrop during the fall months.

From Reno/Tahoe International Airport:

• U.S. 395 South to State Route 88 West
• Exit the Airport on E. Plumb Ln. (go 0.2 mi.) to US Hwy 395 South (go 7.5 mi.)
• Take exit 57B to remain on US 395 (go 35.2 mi.)
• Turn right onto Hwy 88 (go 34 mi.)
• Turn left onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive. (approx. 90 min.)

From South Lake Tahoe:

• US 50 West to Hwy 89 South to Hwy 88 West
• Take US 50 West to “the Y” intersection where US 50 meets Hwy 89.
• Turn left at the Y onto Emerald Bay Road (go 4.9 mi.) to Meyers.
• Turn left to continue on Hwy 89 South (go 11.1 mi.)
• Turn Right on Hwy 88 West (go 14.3 mi.)
• Turn Left onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive. (approx. 35 min.)

From North Lake Tahoe via the East Shore:

• Route 28 E to Hwy 50 W to Route 89 South to 88 West
• Take NV Route 28 East/South ( go 13 mi. from Incline Village)
• Turn Right onto US 50 West (go 17.4 mi.)
• Turn left at the Y onto Emerald Bay Road (go 4.9 mi.)
• Turn left to continue on Hwy 89 South (go 11.1 mi.)
• Turn Right on Hwy 88 West (go 14.3 mi.)
• Turn Left onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive (approx. 60 min.)

From Highway 50 in Sacramento:

Depending on your location along Highway 50, you may exit in three locations.

• Exit South Bound Watt Avenue, or Sunrise Boulevard, or El Dorado Hills Boulevard.
• Head South until you hit Highway 16 (The Jackson Highway):  Approximately 1.5 mi on Watt Ave, or 7.3 mi on Sunrise, or 17 mi on El Dorado Hills Blvd/Latrobe Road
• Turn Left onto the Jackson Highway: Approximately 28.1 mi from entry off Watt Avenue, or 17.7 mi from entry off Sunrise Ave, or 2.7 mi from entry off El Dorado Hills/Latrobe
• Turn Right at the Intersection for Highway 49, taking you towards Jackson and Sutter Creek (go 6.8 mi)
• Before you get to Jackson, turn Left onto Ridge Road (go 8.3 mi)(Note: if you get to Jackson and miss Ridge Road, don’t worry – you can turn directly onto Highway 88 East Bound in the town of Jackson just past the historic Main Street district.)
• Turn Left onto Highway 88 East (go 48.8 mi)
• Turn Right onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive (appox. 1.5 to 2 hours from most Sacramento starting locations)

From The San Francisco Bay:

Via Hwy 88 – If the Carson Spur on Hwy 88 is Open: 

• Interstate 580 East to Interstate 205 to Interstate 5 North to Route 4 East to Route 99 North to Route 88 East
• Connect with Interstate 580 East from your area (about 44 miles from the Bay Bridge) to Interstate 205 East (go 13.5 mi.) to Interstate 5 North (go 13.3 mi.)
• Exit Downtown Stockton Hwy 4 East (go 3.4 mi.) to Hwy 99 North (go 1.8 mi.)
• Exit CA Hwy 88 toward Jackson (go 97.4 mi.)
  (Be sure follow signs to Stay on Hwy 88 after Clements and in downtown Jackson)
• Turn Right onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive. (approx. 3.25 hrs.)

Via Hwy 50 – If the Carson Spur on Hwy 88 is Closed: 

• Interstate 80 East to Hwy 50 East to Hwy 89 South to Hwy 88 West
• Take Interstate 80 from your area to Sacramento where I-80 becomes US 50 East (go 93 mi. on US 50) Turn Right on CA Hwy 89 South (go 11.1 mi.)
• Turn Right on Hwy 88 West (go 14.3 mi.)
• Turn Left onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive (approx. 3.5 hrs. from the Bay Bridge)

For questions or directions assistance along the way, call us at 209.258.6000.