With a lake that never freezes and outdoor activities galore, Lake Tahoe is the place on the West Coast for a winter holiday. There are more than a dozen places to ski and board; however, for some free fun, pack a sled. In the North Lake Tahoe area, find a free sledding area with off-highway parking and a year-round restroom. With BYOS sleds or saucers, your family can have fun for hours. If you want more fun, add snow shoes and cross-country skis. Best of all, this is close to Chickadee Ridge, the place where birds land on your outstretched hand. Here is the best free Lake Tahoe sledding, close to both Reno and Incline Village.
Free Lake Tahoe Sledding
I’ve loved Lake Tahoe for years. However, it’s a bit pricey to take the kids skiing and boarding. To offset the bottomline, I add a snowplay day.
Best of all, this spot is free. In a National Forest, sledders get out and find the perfect sled hill. That is part of the fun. Each run is a new adventure. Kids can build obstacles and even craft their own DIY sled run.
Some of the best places to find free Lake Tahoe sledding areas are in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. My top tip is to look for national forest recreation areas, like hiking trailheads, which offer parking and maybe a restroom.
For kids, part of the allure is finding a perfect sledding hill. With natural terrain features and lots of snow, my kids look at the terrain that excites them. I look for facilities that families need, like a safe place to park and year-round restrooms.
Snowtubing at a ski resort is fun, and it usually provides the equipment. Though you only get an hour on its groomed hill. It might require advance reservations during the holidays.
Spooner Summit Free Sledding Area
Tahoe Meadows Area
Not far away from Incline Village, the Mt. Rose Highway (Nevada Highway 431) winds through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, connecting Lake Tahoe with Reno. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is the largest national forest in the Lower 48, according to the National Forest Service, and protects the majority of land around Lake Tahoe.
The Mt. Rose Highway is a Nevada scenic byway that should not be missed for its scenic overlooks. It’s the highest year-round pass across the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, with a 8,911-foot summit. Along the Mt. Rose Highway is the Mt. Rose Ski Resort.
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About seven miles southwest of Mt. Rose Ski Resort is Tahoe Meadows, a year-round outdoor destination. It’s just past the Mt. Rose Summit headed into Incline Village.
With several areas to use, head to Tahoe Meadows and the adjacent Mt. Rose Summit. Some areas offer off-highway parking, like the Mt. Rose Summit area, and some don’t. This area can get congested during weekends and school breaks, but there’s plenty of room to explore once you park your car.
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TheTahoe Rim Trailhead
The Tahoe Rim Trailhead area is the only area to offer off-highway parking and a year-round restroom. The restroom at Mt. Rose Summit is seasonal, though it has a nice parking area.
This area gets passed up because you can’t see the perfect sledding terrain or the restroom from the highway. The hill starts near the parking area and slopes away from the highway, keeping the kids safe.
Depending on what type of sled or toboggan you use and the condition of the snow, I have seen kids go forever. My kids love the freedom to dig in the snow and make terrain features. In a good year, the snow is quite deep, and I have sunk to my hip, so you need to be a little careful with the younger kids.
The parking area is plowed frequently, and I prefer this area over the more popular sledding area farther south. My kids can spend several hours frolicking in the snow and racing each other down the hill without running into other kids.
Winter Guide to Lake Tahoe
More Fun in Tahoe Meadows
The Tahoe Meadows area is very popular for hiking year-round. So when the snow piles up, hikers grab their snowshoes to explore. The family dog is a frequent visitor as well, so look out for yellow snow.
Chickadee Ridge
A new addition to Mt Rose Meadow is groomed snowshoe trails. Located Chickadee Ridge area, a charming spot where the Chickadees land on your outstretched hands, find snowshoeing trails that access the 17 km of groomed multi-use trails; even dogs are welcome. Find lots of people using the trails, from kids in toboggans to serious cross-country skiers.
XC Skiing
The Mt. Rose area offers groomed XC ski trails. For the latest on its grooming, head to Nevada Nordic.
Some skiers even use this area for backcountry skiing. Though, it is more common to see cross-country skiers in Tahoe Meadows.
Snowmobiling
If you own a snowmobile, find designated snowmobile parking farther south along Hwy 431. Arrive early for the best parking in this area; it’s limited.
Know Before You Go
- Bring something to sit on. I have a padded wooden toboggan that I sit on when the carful of kids are playing.
- The snow in this area can get deep; use care when walking to the restroom.
- I use snow shoes to explore, though they aren’t required.
- If you didn’t bring a sled with you, you can purchase sleds in Incline Village at the Raley’s Grocery Store.
- The speed limit is 25 mph, though motorists ignore this, especially when coming off the Mt. Rose Summit and driving into Incline Village.
- Be sure to check on road conditions before you head out at NVroads.com, especially the Mt. Rose Pass.
