The 21 Best Places for Snow in California

Where is There Snow in Southern California? · Mount Baldy (San Bernardino County) · Running Springs / Snow Valley Mountain Resort (San Bernardino ... Skiptocontent Menu GrowingupintheSanFranciscoBayArea,snowinCaliforniawasan event, notsomethingthatsimplyhappenedeachwinter. Occasionally,itwouldsnowonnearbyMt.DiablointheEastBay,andwe (andvirtuallyeveryotherfamilyinthearea) woulddriveuptothetopofthemountaintoenjoysomeraresnowplayclosetohome. Moreoften,seeingsnowinCaliforniameantalongtriptoLakeTahoe,wheretherewasmorethanenoughsnowforallofNorthernCalifornianstoenjoy. However,therearealotmorewonderfulwintergetawaysinCaliforniathanjustTahoe—andinthispost,I’llletyouknowallthebestplacestofindsnowinCalifornia. SoCaliforniasnowenthusiasts,getready:hereareallthebestplacesforsnowintheGoldenState! WheretoFindSnowinNorthernCalifornia LakeTahoe(VariousCounties) Note:Thispostcontainsaffiliatelinks,whichearnmeasmallcommissionatnoextracosttoyouifyoumakeapurchaseusingoneoftheselinks.Thankyouforsupportingthisfreecontent! WhereisthemostsnowinCalifornia?TherearequiteafewplacesinCaliforniathatseeepicsnowfall,andoneofthoseplacesisaroundtheLakeTahoearea. Onaverage,theareaaroundLakeTahoeseesroughly215.4inchesofsnowayear(about18feet),andupto500″atitshighestelevationareas! Asaresultofthismassiveamountofsnowfall,theareaaroundLakeTahoeishometocountlessresorts,whichofferanimpossible-to-comprehendnumberofskiingandsnowboardingrunstoenjoy. Butevenifyou’renotafanofwintersports,youcanfindtonsofthingstodoinLakeTahoefornon-skiersinthewinterseason.Winterhikerswillparticularlyenjoythearea! TherearesomanyplacesaroundLakeTahoethatwouldmakeagreatbase,butthemostbustingiscertainlySouth LakeTahoe,closetobeautifulstateparks,lakesidewalks,andworld-classmountainresortslikeHeavenly(homeofthefamousscenicgondola!). Truckee(NevadaCounty) TruckeeislocatednorthofLakeTahoeandisapopulardestinationforskiersandsnowboarderslookingtoenjoysomewintersports.  Infact,Truckeereceivesabout204.3inchesofsnowperyear—makingitthe snowiestcityintheUnitedStates accordingto ExtremeWeather:AGuideandRecordbook byChristopherC.Burt! Truckeecanalsogetextremelycold,andithasoftenbeenthecoldestplaceinthenationonanygivenday!Itslowesttemperatureeverrecordedwas-28°F.SomuchforCaliforniabeingalandofsun,sand,andsurf! TruckeeislocatednearbyDonnerLake,whichisanabsolutelybeautifulplaceduringthewintertimeofyear,whenthereissomuchsnowonthegroundthatitcoatsthetreesandmakesthehousesnearbylooklikethey’reinafairytale. Ifyou’relookingforoneofthebestplacestogoskiingorsnowboardinginCalifornia,Truckeeisagreatbase.  ThereareseveralskiresortsinthegreaterTruckeearea,includingNorthstar,OlympicValley, andAlpineMeadows,andyou’llneverrunoutofrunstochoosefrom. Mount Shasta(SiskiyouCounty) ThecharmingmountaintownofMtShastaseesabout60inchesofsnowannually,spreadacrossabout50daysofannualsnowfall.  UponthemountainofMountShasta,there’sevenmoresnow!A typicalseason attheSnowBowlisabout98inches(9feet)ofsnow,atanaltitudeofaround7,600feetabovesealevelwhereyou’llfindtheskiarea. Mt.ShastahasaburgeoningskisceneandisgrowinginpopularityasawinterdestinationinCalifornia,soit’sagreatplacetogoinNorthernCaliforniaforsomeskiingifyou’retryingtoescapetheTahoecrowds. LassenVolcanicNationalPark(SeveralCounties) LassenVolcanicNationalParkisyetanotherplacewhereyoucanfrequentlyfindsnowinCalifornia—onaverage,142daysayearhaveatleastaninchofsnowontheground! LassenVolcanicNationalParkisoneofthesnowiestplacesinallofCalifornia,withhighlevelsofsnowfallthroughoutthepark.  READNEXT5SpectacularYosemiteWinterHikesforAllLevelsTheSouthwestEntranceVisitorCenterrecordsabout430inchesofsnowperyear,andtheareaaroundLakeHelenonLassenPeakisabout600-700inchesperyear(per SkiMountaineer)…takethat,LakeTahoe! NevadaCity(NevadaCounty) Itdoesn’tsnowthatofteninNevadaCity,butitdoesoccurafewtimesayear,duetoitsproximitytoplaceslikeTruckeeanditsaltitudeataround2,500feet.  ButNevadaCityissuchafunandunderratedplacethatIfeelobligatedtoincludeitherenevertheless! NevadaCityonlygetsabout15inchesofsnowfallannually,whichissmallpotatoescomparedtotheTahoeareaandShasta/Lassenarea,butit’sstillalotofsnowforCalifornia! TheNevadaCitydowntownareaisalotoffunandisreallycutewhenit’salldeckedoutforwinter,whichmakesitoneofmytopchoicesforwintergetawayinCaliforniaafterit’ssnowedthere. Luckily,NevadaCityisstillratherunder-the-radar,soyoucaneasilyplanalast-minutesnowgetawaythereafteryou’veseenitthatithassnowedthererecently! WheretoFindSnowintheWesternSierras Note:By“WesternSierras”,IamreferringtothecorridoroftheSierraNevadasthatismoreeasilyaccessedbypointswestofthemountainrange(suchasI-5),astodistinguishitfromtheEasternSierras(Highway395).  ThisisnotatermthatiswidelyusedbutIfindithelpfulwhenbreakingupCaliforniabyregionasplaceslikeYosemiteandSequoiadon’tfitintotheNorthern/Southern/CentralCaliforniaparadigmcleanly. However,beingthattheaccesspointsareonthewestsideoftheSierras,thesedestinationsaretypicallyeasiertogettobycarfromthecoastalmetropolisesinbothNorthernandSouthernCaliforniathantheirEasternSierracounterparts—whichiswhyIcategorizethemdifferently! YosemiteNationalPark(SeveralCounties) YosemiteNationalParkinwinterisatruedelight.Thecrowdsofsummerarethinnedtoasmalltrickle,andsnowregularlyblanketstheevergreensinYosemiteValleyandthesequoiasofMariposaGrove.  YosemiteNationalParkseesabout36inchesofsnowannuallyinYosemiteValley,andmuchmoreathigherelevationsintheparkliketheTuolumneMeadowsarea.  MostoftheparkenjoysathickblanketofsnowbetweenthemonthsofNovemberandApril,soit’sfairlyguaranteedthatyoucanenjoyasnowyCaliforniawinter getawayinYosemiteduringthistimeofyear! NotethatmanypartsofYosemiteNationalParkareclosedduringwinterduetohazardousroadconditions.Inparticular,TiogaPassiscompletelyclosed,whichisthethroughwaythroughtheSierraNevadaswhichconnectsthewestsideoftheparktotheeastside.  ManyYosemitehighlights—GlacierPoint,TaftPoint,TuolumneMeadows,etc.—arealongTiogaPass,soyouwouldhavetoreturninanotherseasontobeabletovisitthissectionofthepark. SequoiaNationalPark(TulareCounty) ThebeautifulSequoiaNationalParkisanotherstunningnationalparksetamongsttheSierraNevadas,whichisprettymuchaguaranteeforseeingsnowinCalifornia! It’slocatedveryclosetothenextCaliforniawinter getawayonthislist,KingsCanyon,andbothplacesareeasilyvisitedonthesametrip. SequoiaNationalParkseesabout40to45inchesofsnowinthesequoiagroves,whichmeansyouhaveafairlygoodchanceofseeingsomeofthelargesttreesonearthcoatedinajacketofsnow! KingsCanyonNationalPark(Fresno&TulareCounty) AdjacenttoSequoiaNationalPark,KingsCanyonisanothergreatwintergetawayinCaliforniathatisalittlequieterthanSequoia.  KingsCanyonseesasimilarlevelofsnowfalltoSequoia,around40-45inchesperyearinthemiddleelevationsthatmakeupmostofthepark. Asaresult,KingsCanyonbecomesapopularplaceinCaliforniainwinterforsledding,snowshoeing,tubing,andothersnowplayactivities.  READNEXTWinterinCalifornia:17PhemenonalWinterDestinationsWheretoFindSnowintheEasternSierras MammothLakes(MonoCounty) MammothLakes(anditsskiarea,MammothMountain Resort)isamassivelypopularwintergetawaydestinationforCaliforniansseekingsnow! ThereisalottodoinMammothLakesinwinter(somuchsothatIhaveanentirepostonit!).Skiingandsnowboardingaretheobviousmainactivities,butthere’salottodoinMammothinwinterevenifyoudon’tpartakeindownhillwintersports. GoX-countryskiingaroundtheTamarackCrossCountrySkiCenter,iceskatingattheMammothIceRink,orsimplyeatanddrinkyourwayaroundtown! JuneLake(MonoCounty) JuneLakeisapopulardestinationyear-round—beachtimeinsummer,foliageinfall,andfreshpowderinthewinter! It’squieterthanMammothLakesbutit’snotfarawayatall—onlyabout20minutesbycar—soit’sagreatalternativetothebuzzandhubbubofMammothinwinter. TheJuneMountainSkiAreahasplentyofskirunsappropriateforalllevels,soyoudon’thavetocompromisehere. ConvictLake(MonoCounty) ThebeautifulConvictLakeareaofMonoCountyisagreatplaceforpeaceful,quietsnowdays. Ifyou’redoingaMonoCountyroadtrip,coveringplaceslikeMammothandJuneLake,don’tmissalittlesidetriptoConvictLakeinthewinter! Besuretobringyoursnowshoesforalakesidewalk! WhereisThereSnowinSouthernCalifornia? Mount Baldy(SanBernardinoCounty) ThepeakofMount BaldyisapopularwinterwonderlandforpeoplefromLosAngeleslookingtogetalittlesnowintheirlives! Justa45-miledrivefromL.A.,nowonderMt.BaldyisaplaceforAngelenostoexperiencealittlebitofsnowduringthewintermonths!  ThereareskiliftsonBaldythatwilltakeyoutodownhillskiruns,aswellasasnowtubing parkaccessibleviatheSugarPinechairlift. TheSugarPinechairliftwillalsobringyoutotheTopoftheNotchrestaurantatnearly8,000feet,whereyoucanenjoyastunningviewofSanBernadino,LAandSanDiegofromabove! It’stheperfectdaytripfromLAinwinterifyouarelookingforasnowygetaway. RunningSprings/SnowValleyMountainResort(SanBernardinoCounty) Thisisalocalfavoriteskiresortarea:itactuallyreceivesthemostnaturalsnowfallinallofSouthernCalifornia! It’salsoagreatplacetolearntoski,asit’sconsideredtohavethebestterrainforbeginnerskiers.  Butit’snotjustallforbeginners—therearelongintermediateruns(morethanamileofuninterruptedskiing!)aswellasplentyofsteeprunsforadvancedskiers,suchastheSlidePeakarea. BigBearLake(SanBernardinoCounty) Ifyou’rewondering“wherecanIsnowboardinCalifornia”—BigBearinwinteristheplaceforyou! BigBearMountainResortisagreatareaforallmannerofwintersports:snowshoeing,downhillskiing,cross-countryskiing,etc.,butitismostrenownedforitssnowboarding. SnowSummitSkiAreaisoneofthebestareasforskiingandsnowboardingyearround,asithasthemostconsistentsnowfallinSoCalduetoitsadvancedsnowmakingabilities.  AnotherpopularplaceinBigBearisMagicMountainwithitsAlpineSlide,afunbobsledexperienceinwinter(normallywaterslidesinsummer!) TheBigBearSnowPlay areaisagreatspotforpeopletotrysnowtubingandwhattheycall“glowtubing”—akanighttubingwithlotsofcolorfullightsbaskingthesnowplayareaingorgeouscolors! LakeArrowhead(SanBernadinoCounty) ThebeautifulmountaintownofLakeArrowheadisagreatplacetoenjoyasnowywintergetawayinSouthernCalifornia.It’sapopulardestinationforAngelenoslookingforalittlespotoffuninthesnow! LakeArrowheadgetsabout40″ofsnowayear,sothereisadecentchancethatyouwillseesomesnowduringawintertriptoLakeArrowhead! READNEXT17Wine-terfulThingstoDoinNapainWinterIfyou’renotaskierorasnowboarder,butyoudowantsomefuninawintryenvironment,LakeArrowheadistheperfectweekendgetawayfromLosAngeles. MountainHighResort/Wrightwood(LosAngelesCounty) Ifyou’relookingforsnowinLosAngelescountyproper,headtoWrightwoodanditsskiresort,MountainHighResort. LocatedintheSanGabrielMountains,thisisoneoftheeasiestsnowygetawaystoaccessfromdowntownLA(justanhourandahalfdrive).  Itsshortdistanceawaymeansit’seasytogetawayforjustamorningorafternoonifyouwant! Idyllwild(RiversideCounty) ThemountaintownofIdyllwildis,well,idyllicinthewinter!Locatedover5,000feetabovesealevel,Idyllwildgetsoccasionalsnowfall—about30inchesofsnowperyear. That’snotenoughforanyskiingorsnowboarding,ofcourse,butifyouarelookingforawintercabingetawaywithsomesnowtogazeouton(withacupofhotchocolateinhand!),Idyllwildisafantasticchoice. It’smuchquieterinIdyllwildinwinterthanintheseothersnowygetawaysinCalifornia,andsoifyouarejustlookingto see snow(andmaybedoashortwinterhikingtrail)ratherthanshredsomepowder,it’sagoodchoiceforseeingsnowinSouthernCalifornia. MountSanJacinto(RiversideCounty) PalmSpringsismoreassociatedwithdesertvibesandpoolsidehangs,soitmaynotcometomindwhenthinkingofawintergetawayinSoCal!  However,don’toverlookitforalittlesplashofsnowinCalifornia!PalmSpringsishometothePalmSpringsAerialTramway,whichwillbringyounearthetopofMountSanJacinto. ThepeakofMountSanJacintositsatover10,000feet,soasaresult,thereisoftensnowovermuchofthemountain.BringasledandthefamilyandmakeadayofitbeforecrashinginsunnyPalmSpringsovernight! MountPinos/LosPadresNationalForest(VenturaCounty) ThepeakofMountPinosaswellasothermountainssuchasFrazierMountaininLosPadresNationalForestgetsahugeamountofsnoweachyear. MtPinosgetsanywherefrom3to7feetofsnowayeardependingonstorms! ThisisagreatsnowdestinationforpeoplelivinginNorthLosAngelesasitisonlya1.5-hourdrivetoFrazierParkfromaroundtheBurbankarea! Julian(SanDiegoCounty) Manypeopledon’trealizethatSanDiegocountycangetsnow,butthereareafewplacesintheareathatgetadecentamountofsnowfall! ItsnowsinthesmallmountaintownofJulian,about24inchesofsnowperyear.WhileJuliantendstobemorewell-knownforitsapplepickinginfall,it’salsoacharmingwinterdestination,especiallyaftersomesnowfall! Mt.Laguna(SanDiegoCounty)   ThelastdestinationonourlistisbeautifulMt.Laguna,theclosestplacenearSanDiegotoplayinthesnowatlessthananhour’sdrivefromdowntown! Atanelevationof6,000feetabovesealevel,Mt.Lagunagetsadecentamountofsnowfalleachyear—about13inchesperyear.  It’snotahugeamount,definitelynotenoughtoskion,butit’safunplacetobringthefamilytobuildasnowmanorplayinsomefreshpowderifyou’reinsearchofawintrydaytripfromSanDiego! AllisonGreenAllisonGreenisatravelblogger,writer,andpodcasterwhogrewupintheBayAreaofCalifornia.ShehasspenttimelivinginNewYork,Prague,andSofia,buthasreturnedtoliveintheEastBay.Shehastraveledto60countriesbeforetheageof30whilerunningseveraldigitaltravelbusinesses.HerwritingandpodcasthavebeenfeaturedinForbes,CBCCanada,NationalGeographic,theHuffingtonPost,andCNNArabic,amongstothers.She’sobsessedwithdogs,wine,andanywhereshecanseetheocean. LeaveaCommentCancelreplyCommentName Email Website Savemyname,email,andwebsiteinthisbrowserforthenexttimeIcomment. Hi,I’mAllison! I'maBayAreanativewho'sbeenroamingaroundtheworld,travelingto60countriesbeforeIturned30.Afterseeingsomuchoftheworld,itmademeappreciatemyhomestateevenmore,andI'vesincereturnedtoliveinOakland,CA.Onthisblog,IsharemyfavoritepiecesofCaliforniawithyouheresoyoucanloveitasmuchasIdo! Searchfor: CaliforniaCrossroadsisaparticipantintheAmazonServicesLLCAssociatesProgram,anaffiliateadvertisingprogramdesignedtoprovideameansforsitestoearnadvertisingfeesbyadvertisingandlinkingtoAmazon. AsanAirbnbAssociate,Iearnwhenyoubookthroughmylinks. 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