Winter Activities

Choose Your Winter Adventure

The snowy winter and spring seasons offers numerous opportunities for oversnow recreation. Vehicle access is limited to one mile from the Southwest and Northwest Entrances approximately November through May. Beyond the plowed roads to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and Loomis Plaza, the entire park is snow-covered.

Choose Your Destination:

• The Southwest Area (6,700 - 10,457 ft) offers steep slopes and sweeping vistas just beyond the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, which offers the only services between November and early May.
• The Manzanita Lake Area (5,800 - 7,200 ft) consists of gentle slopes and scenic lakes. It offers the easiest routes for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the park.

Choose Your Activity:

• Snowplay & Sledding: everyone can enjoy these activities at or near the plowed parking areas in the Southwest or Manzanita Lake Areas.
• Oversnow Travel: explore farther with snowshoes, cross-country skis, or backcountry skis or snowboard.
• Snow Camping: anyone can camp in a vehicle or oversnow in tent at the year-round Southwest Campground. Experienced backcountry travelers can camp in the winter wilderness with a backcountry permit.

 

 

Winter Etiquette

Improve everyone's safety and enjoyment by adhering to the following winter etiquette recommendations:

• Do not walk on ski tracks. Footprints and snowshoe tracks create hazards that make skiing more difficult.
• Snowshoe parallel to the ski track. Using a separate track ensures snowshoers remain clear of downhill skiers.
• Yield to faster skiers or downhill traffic. Step to the side to allow skiers traveling downhill to safely pass. In all other cases, yield to those traveling uphill, as they are working harder and have the right of way.

 

Snowplay & Sledding

The steep slopes in the Southwest Area of the park, near the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, are popular with experienced sledders. Be sure to choose a slope that is right for your group and the conditions. Sledding is the number one cause of visitor injury in the winter season. Each winter rangers treat and evacuate sledders with head and spine injuries, lacerations, and broken bones. Icy snow creates very fast sledding conditions and trees and rocks abound in this area. Eskimo Hill, located north of the park in Lassen National Forest, is also a popular sledding area.

 

 

Oversnow Travel

In the snowy season, the majority of the park is snow-covered and oversnow travel is required to explore the winter wonderland.

 

 

Snow Camping

Southwest Campground

The Southwest Campground is not open in the 2023/2024 season due to fire hazards. Tent camping is not permmitted until the closure is lifted. In addition, tents are not permitted in the parking lot year-round. Only self-contained vehicles are permitted overnight in the adjacent visitor center parking area with fee. Learn more about winter camping at the Southwest Campground.

Backcountry Camping

Backcountry Camping is recommended only for experience backcountry travelers. A backcountry permit is required and is available online through Recreation.gov. Learn more about backcountry permits.