Northstar vs. Heavenly
Same pass, so choose the side of the lake. Northstar is the shorter drive and the easier village weekend. Heavenly is the bigger mountain with a whole town at the bottom.
Last reviewed Nov 7, 2026 · Independent, not affiliated with any resort
How we'd decide
An Epic Pass covers both, and both have the same target opening date this season, so neither of those helps. What does help is geography. Northstar is up SR-267 on the Truckee side, reached over I-80, and Heavenly is above South Lake Tahoe, reached over US-50. From San Francisco it's about 3 hr 34 min to Northstar and 3 hr 58 min to Heavenly with no traffic, a 24-minute gap.
On the hill, Heavenly is simply bigger: 4,800 acres to 3,170, and 3,500 feet of vertical to 2,280. It also skews harder, with 32% of its terrain advanced against 27%. Northstar's strength is the middle, where 60% of the terrain is intermediate, and the wide groomed runs make it one of the most welcoming mountains for families.
Off the hill they're opposites. Northstar's Village is built around an ice rink, and it's polished, family-oriented and quiet by comparison. South Lake Tahoe is a walkable strip of restaurants and bars running up to the gondola and the state line, with casinos just across it. It's also where you'll find the crowds on powder days and holiday weekends.
The numbers, side by side
Northstar
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
Northstar
The Village View lot needs a reservation from 7am to 11:30am on weekends from Dec 12, 2026, and every day Dec 19 to Jan 3, Jan 18 and Feb 13-21: $20 for 3 or fewer people, free for 4+. After 11:30am it's free. The Preferred lot takes a $50 reservation on those days until 1pm, then you pay on arrival until 3pm, and it's free after that. On Feb 17-19 you pay peak rates on arrival there with no reservation. Other days the Preferred lot is $25 flat, with no carpool rate. Castle Peak stays free every day. Bookings are open, and a no-show costs $50 unless you cancel by 8am. Northstar still lists weekends from Apr 10 as TBD.
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
- Can I use the same pass at Northstar and Heavenly?
- Yes. Both are on Epic, along with Kirkwood. Epic Local, Tahoe Local and Tahoe Value have holiday blackout dates, so check yours for holiday weekends. Tahoe Value is also blacked out every Saturday at Northstar, but not at Heavenly.
- Which is better for a beginner?
- Northstar is the friendlier place to start, and we rate it that way. Heavenly's town-side base has no beginner terrain, so first-timers ride the gondola up to find it.
- Which one's easier to get to from the Bay Area?
- Northstar, by about 24 minutes from San Francisco with no traffic. Storms change that fast, and the two sit on different highways, so check both on the chain control page.
Got a weekend in mind?
Tell us your dates and where you're driving from, and we'll build the trip.