Crowd calendar · 2026-27 season
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Kirkwood, CaliforniaEpic· Open Dec 4 – Apr 11
Tap a day to see why, then plan a trip around it.
QuietModerateBusyPacked 3"+ snow forecast
December 2026
SMTWTFS
January 2027
SMTWTFS
February 2027
SMTWTFS
March 2027
SMTWTFS
April 2027
SMTWTFS
Busy stretches to avoid
- Thanksgiving weekendNov 25 – Nov 29
- Epic Local Pass restricted peak dates (Thanksgiving weekend)Nov 27 – Nov 28
- School holidaysDec 20 – Dec 25
- Christmas–New Year peakDec 26 – Jan 1
- Epic Local Pass restricted peak dates (Christmas through New Year)Dec 26 – Dec 31
- School holidaysJan 2 – Jan 3
- MLK weekendJan 16 – Jan 18
- Epic Local Pass restricted peak date (MLK weekend)Jan 16
- Presidents' Day weekendFeb 13 – Feb 15
- Epic Local Pass restricted peak dates (Presidents Day weekend)Feb 13 – Feb 14
- Presidents' week school breakFeb 16 – Feb 19
- Easter weekendMar 26 – Mar 29
Beating the crowds
- Tuesday to Thursday is quietest almost everywhere, and often cheaper.
- Parking reservations are required in all lots on weekends and peak periods until 12pm, and the lots can fill as early as 9am on busy days. Reservations are released each Sunday for the upcoming weekend and each Friday for the following weekend, so check parkkirkwood.com on those days. The 2026-27 reservation rules were not yet posted at the time of research, so confirm before you drive.
- Traffic into the valley peaks between 8:30am and 11am on the busiest days. Arriving before 8:30am or after 11am avoids most of the backup on Highway 88.
- Park in Timber Creek for beginner and intermediate terrain, or in the Village or Red Cliffs lots for intermediate and advanced terrain. Carpools of four or more park free in the VIP lots.
- For fewer crowds, the resort suggests skiing Monte Wolfe via Chair 2 after lunch.
Ski Kirkwood Mountain Resort for less
Get every cost per person with sources, the cheapest place to stay, quiet dates and a day-by-day plan. Takes about a minute.
Plan a cheap trip herePlaces to stay nearby
The cheapest beds are usually a town or two down the road. Split a whole house with your group.
This is a forecast from patterns: weekdays, national holidays, school breaks, pass blackout dates and events. Resorts don't publish lift-line data, so treat it as a guide. Snow forecast from Open-Meteo.
Kirkwood Ski Resort Area Overview - OnTheSnow · onthesnow.comKirkwood Lift Tickets 2026/27 | Adult Day from $145 | SnowStash · snowstash.comGetting Here and Parking | Kirkwood Ski Resort · kirkwood.comKirkwood Basecamp | Kirkwood Ski Resort · kirkwood.comRestricted Peak Dates | Epic Season Pass · epicpass.comKirkwood Mountain Resort | Visit Lake Tahoe · visitlaketahoe.com