Palisades Tahoe, formerly known as Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, is a world-renowned ski resort located on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore. As the site of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games, it attracts visitors from all over the world with its exciting runs for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Whether you’re looking for laid-back beginner runs, easy-riding groomers, steep chutes, or challenging glades, skiers of all ages and ability levels are sure to find their fix at Palisades Tahoe.
Palisades Tahoe is located on Tahoe’s north shore on Highway 89. From Tahoe City, take Highway 89 north for 6 miles where you’ll turn left onto Squaw Valley Road. Palisades Tahoe ski resort is located on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore, just off of Highway 89, between Truckee and Tahoe City. It is only 42 miles from Reno and 96 miles from Sacramento on Interstate 80.
The average annual snowfall at Palisades Tahoe is 450 inches, despite this the resort experiences over 300 cloudless and sunny days per year, so get your season pass and start your Lake Tahoe adventure in style. There are so many great Lake Tahoe ski resorts to choose from - put Palisades Tahoe near the top of the list.
Palisades Tahoe is generally open from mid-November to mid-April. The resort boasts 3,600 acres of skiable terrain (excluding Alpine Meadows), with a combined total of 6,000 acres when including Alpine Meadows. The resort lives up to its reputation as one of Tahoe’s greatest winter resort destinations.
Picture 4,000 acres of fresh powder spanning across six mountain peaks with open bowls and shoots that will give you an adrenaline rush like you’ve never experienced before. You might be interested to know Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows offer a combined season pass making your winter runs double the fun.
Read also: Ski-In/Ski-Out at Lake Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe aerial cable car transports guests 2,000 vertical feet to High Camp, located at the summit where the views of Lake Tahoe are astounding. From High Camp you can hit the slopes or slide across the ice of the world’s highest open-air ice rink at an elevation of 8,200 feet. Also at the summit are dining venues, sport shops, snowtubing runs, most of the beginner skiing areas, and the Olympic Museum. In the summertime enjoy mountain biking, hiking, paintball, and disc golf.
At the base of the mountain is The Village at Palisades Tahoe, which sits at an elevation of 6,200 feet. It offers more than 30 quality restaurants and bars serving a variety of food, plus specialty wine shops, fine art galleries, rental and repair shops, and exclusive shopping opportunities. The European-style village is laid out beautifully with cozy fire pits and beautiful walkways. It has indoor and outdoor climbing walls, the Headwall Sky jump bungee trampoline, and a miniature golf course.
Be sure to pick up a Palisades Tahoe ski resort map, your guide to more than 170 trails, 16 bowls, and a number of terrain parks. The terrain parks and half-pipe are designed and built by Snow Park Technologies, the team that built the world’s first cubed 22-foot pipe which was part of a signature Red Bull event.
Before planning your visit, it's crucial to check the most up-to-date information on lift status and hours of operation, as weather and conditions can cause changes. For the latest details, refer to the Mountain Report and Operations Blog on the Palisades Tahoe website.
Night Skiing at Palisades Tahoe
During Night Sessions, you'll have the opportunity to ski or snowboard beneath the stars on iconic beginner to intermediate trails. Be sure to check Palisades Tahoe's official website for the most up-to-date information on night skiing availability, hours, and specific trails open.
Read also: Skiing at Brighton at Night
Lift Hours:
- Chairlifts: 9am - 4pm Daily
- Aerial Tram: 10am - 4:20pm Daily
- Funitel: Closed
- Base to Base Gondola: Closed
- Alpine: Closed
- Palisades: Open
All lift status is subject to change pending weather & conditions, check our Mountain Report for the most up to date information. If you have questions about why certain lifts are or are not running, take a minute to check our latest Operations Blog.
Additional Information
Choose from over 20 dining options in The Village at Palisades Tahoe and the Alpine Lodge.
Important Reminders:
- The Ikon Pass app has replaced the Palisades Tahoe app.
- Stay in the know with our Operations Update blogs.
- Parking reservations are required prior to 1pm, daily through Jan 4, 2026.
Deals and Discounts
- Ikon Pass Holders: Don't forget to review all of your Ikon Pass benefits, such as retail discounts, Friends & Family tickets, and lodging deals.
- Ikon Base Pass Holders: It's not too late to upgrade from an Ikon Base Pass to a full Ikon Pass with no blackout dates. Purchase online in My Account, call, or visit on of our Ticket Offices by Dec 31.
- Need Lift Tickets? Consider the 4-Day Unrestricted Lift Pack at just $135/day. No blackout dates, no restrictions, the most affordable way to ski any day all season long. Plus, Friends & Family tickets to share.
Starting Saturday, Dec 27, 2025, we are preparing to add up to 6 additional express chairlifts to the schedule. We'll post updates on our blog as they become available.
Read also: Night Skiing Guide: East Coast
Palisades Tahoe ski resort | Complete guide, best runs, skiing and snowboarding (Squaw Valley)
Light Up the Night with Disco Tubing
Disco Tubing offers a unique twist you won't find anywhere else. This thrilling, family-friendly experience amps up our tubing lanes with flashing lights, lasers, and a live DJ. on select dates. Don't miss this exciting winter Tahoe adventure!
Don't just take our word for it.
- Sessions run at 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm. Each session is 55 minutes of non-stop tubing action.
- Arrive 20 minutes early to check in at the SnoVentures building (right next to the tubing hill).
- One person per tube. As many runs as you can fit in 55 minutes.
- Parking reservations are required on weekends and peak periods.
- Tickets available online only. No walk-ins will be accepted.
Important Notices
Skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities have inherent risks that may result in property damage, personal injury, or death. GUESTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY AND ASSUME ALL INHERENT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. All guests must follow the Big Bear Mountain Resort rules of conduct and NSAA Responsibility Code. Visit the Safety page for complete details.
Lift tickets and season passes may be suspended or revoked without refund at any time for failure to comply with resort rules, misconduct, nuisance, reckless behavior, or fraudulent use. Anyone attempting to use a lift ticket or season pass fraudulently or in a manner for which it is not intended is subject to prosecution under California Penal Code 537(b). Anyone found purchasing child tickets for personal use as adult tickets will be deemed engaging in fraudulent activity. Big Bear Mountain Resort is committed to rigorously enforcing the utilization of tickets in accordance with their designated age categories. Lift tickets are non-transferable and are not for resale. Violators may be prosecuted under California Penal Code 537 PC.
To ensure the safety of our guests and employees, all ski, snowboard, and bike lessons at Big Bear Mountain Resort must be booked with a certified, BBMR instructor. Anyone found offering/selling or purchasing a 3rd party/non-BBMR lesson at BBMR will forfeit their resort access, including lift privileges, and be subject to prosecution, pursuant to California Penal Code 537 PC.
Refunds and Cancellations:
Guests may change or cancel lift ticket, lesson, rental, or activity reservations up to 3 full days prior to the scheduled date for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made within 3 days, up until the day prior to the scheduled date, will result in an Activity Change Voucher being issued for the full value of the activity cost (no fee). Before making a purchase, please review the Activity Change & Cancellation Policy page for complete details on what is refundable and non-refundable.
Payment Verification:
PLEASE NOTE: The purchaser must be present and provide a valid physical government-issued ID and the form of payment used to purchase the reservation at time of check in. Once you make a purchase, if those funds are removed from Big Bear Mountain Resort's account and given back to you, your purchased tickets will become void and irredeemable for entry.
Payment Options:
Gift Cards, Pass Holder Discounts, Pass Cash, and Activity Change Vouchers cannot be applied online at this time. These forms of payments can only be used in-person or by calling 844.GO2.BEAR.
Credit Card Tokenization:
Credit card tokenization is the process of de-identifying sensitive cardholder data by converting it to a string of randomly generated numbers called a "token." Similar to encryption, tokenization obfuscates the original data to render it unreadable in the event of a data breach or other exposure.