Places to play in the snow near American River Resort

Have a Snow Play Day that starts at American River Resort!

Okay, so the Winter Wonderland of Lake Tahoe is just over the mountain from American River Resort. There you can ski, snowboard, snowshoe, have a sleigh ride, or even go dog sledding!

But what if you want a more simple weekend away? One that includes some old fashioned fun just playing in the snow? That’s easy. Book an RV site or one of our luxury cabins and plan a drive east up Hwy 50 until the scenery turns white.

Around here, locals stop at one of the many off-highway-50 spots to play in the snow. However we recommend the Echo Lake Sno-Park run by California State Parks (#5 on map below). It’s off Hwy 50 and is a 30-45 minute drive from here, depending on the weather.

You might ask, “Doesn’t it snow at American River Resort?” Very rarely and the white stuff doesn’t stay for long. No, we take pride in letting people know our resort is at the perfect elevation for winter: above the fog, and below the snow!

California State Parks Sno-Parks

Why do we recommend a Sno-Park instead of highwayside snow play? One, safety. Two, parking areas. Three, bathrooms!

Tip: Get a Sno-Park pass through the California State Parks. It’s a cost effective way to enjoy the Sierras and opens up more nature areas for playing in the snow. It’s $5 for a day pass or $25 for a seasonal pass (November 1 – May 30). Go online to get a mail-in order form or see this list  to find a local store that sells passes.

 Sno-Parks website

Snow play near American River Resort

We hear there’s some good sledding at Camp Sacramento in Twin Bridges on Hwy 50.

You should also check out Adventure Mountain on the south side of Hwy 50 at Echo Summit. Rates are reasonable, plus they have sled/tube rentals, a store and a cafe.

Whenever heading east on Hwy 50 during winter months, remember to carry chains just in case.