Kirkwood vs. Heavenly
Go to Heavenly if your group's mixed or you want a town at the bottom of the hill. Go to Kirkwood if everyone's a confident intermediate or better and the skiing is the whole point.
Last reviewed Nov 7, 2026 · Independent, not affiliated with any resort
How we'd decide
Both are on Epic, so for most pass holders the pass doesn't settle this one. The exception is the Tahoe Value Pass, which is blacked out every Saturday at Kirkwood but not at Heavenly. Size does a lot of the work: Heavenly has 4,800 skiable acres and 3,500 feet of vertical, against 2,300 acres and 2,000 feet at Kirkwood. Heavenly's gondola also leaves right from South Lake Tahoe, so you can ski, eat late and never move the car.
Kirkwood is the harder mountain. 58% of its rated terrain is advanced or expert, against 32% at Heavenly, and only 12% is beginner. Its base sits at 7,800 feet, well above Heavenly's 6,657-foot California Lodge base. Our average snowfall figures are about 354 inches to 251, but Heavenly's own pages list two different numbers, so don't let that decide it.
The drive is close. With no traffic it's about 4 hr 2 min to Kirkwood and 3 hr 58 min to Heavenly from San Francisco. From San Jose, Kirkwood is about 24 minutes closer. The catch is the road. SR-88 is the only way in to Kirkwood, and it closes at times for avalanche control. There's also no town at the base, so plan on the resort's own restaurants if you sleep there.
The numbers, side by side
Kirkwood
Heavenly
Drive time, no traffic or chain controls
Resort stats last re-checked Jul 15, 2026. Terrain shares are the resorts' own numbers (advanced includes expert) and may not add up to 100%. Snowfall numbers vary by source, so take them as rough. Opening dates still ahead are targets, and snow can move them.
Parking
Kirkwood
Every lot needs a reservation until 11:30am on weekends from Dec 12, 2026 to Apr 4, 2027, plus Dec 19 to Jan 3 (not Christmas Day), Jan 18, Feb 15 and Feb 19. One line on the resort's page says noon instead, so check the cutoff. Orange zones are $20 for 3 or fewer people and free for 4+ (still reserve). Blue zones, like Lower 7 and Kirkwood Inn, take a free reservation. Non-peak weekdays are free with none needed. Bookings are open, and a no-show costs $50 unless you cancel by 8am.
Official parking page ↗(opens in a new tab)Heavenly
California Base parking needs a reservation on weekends from Dec 12, 2026 to Apr 4, 2027, plus Dec 19 to Jan 3 (not Christmas Day), Jan 18, Feb 15 and Feb 19. It's $20, free with 4+ people (still reserve) or after 11:30am. Bookings are open. Boulder and Stagecoach lots stay free.
Official parking page ↗(opens in a new tab)Before you drive, check live chain control and the snow report. To price the trip, try the trip cost estimator.
Common questions
- Is Kirkwood or Heavenly better for beginners?
- Heavenly, but go in with your eyes open. 15% of its terrain is beginner against 12% at Kirkwood, and Kirkwood leans advanced by design. If it's a true first day, neither is the obvious choice, so read our beginner ranking first.
- Are Kirkwood and Heavenly on the same pass?
- Yes, both are Epic. Epic Local, Tahoe Local and Tahoe Value have holiday blackout dates, so check yours before a holiday weekend. Tahoe Value is also blacked out every Saturday at Kirkwood, but not at Heavenly.
- Which has the worse road in a storm?
- They're different problems. Heavenly's approach is US-50 over Echo Summit. Kirkwood is on SR-88, the only road in, which has its own chain controls and can close for avalanche work. Check live chain control before you commit to either.
Got a weekend in mind?
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