Cross country skiing is a great way to burn some serious calories while exploring tranquil and scenic winter landscapes. Plus, it’s usually much less expensive than its downhill sister and is often a great outing for families, especially families with pets! Check out this round-up of cross country ski centers around the South Lake Tahoe area to find the area that best suits your needs and wants.


Kirkwood Mountain Resort
• Location: One-half mile east of Kirkwood on Highway 88, next to the Kirkwood Inn.
• Details: Enjoy 80 miles of scenic, beautifully machine groomed trails (double-tracked with skating lanes) featuring three interconnected trail systems and two trailhead parking facilities. Lessons, retail equipment and rentals are available as well as hot drinks by the wood burning stove in the cozy day lodge or in one of the many trailside warming huts. Dogs are allowed on two trails, the High Trail located behind the Kirkwood Inn and the Inner Loop on the meadow. Terrain consists of 60% intermediate, and 20% beginner and advanced. Kirkwood season pass holders can upgrade to include a cross country pass for $59.


Spooner Lake Cross Country Ski Center
• Location: One-half mile on Highway 28 from Highway 50 on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe near Spooner Summit. Call (775) 749-5349 or visit www.spoonerlake.com for more information.
• Details: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring 80 kilometers of groomed cross country ski trail over 9,000 scenic acres. Terrain features 30% beginner, 40% intermediate and 30% advanced. Rentals and retail equipment is available on the premises, as well as a day lodge with fireplace and snacks. Book an overnight stay in one of the wilderness cabins for a truly remote and memorable cross country ski experience. Day passes are approximately $21; half-day passes are approximately $16.


Sorensen’s Resort
• Location: Traveling east on Highway 50, turn right onto Highway 89 south. Follow Highway 89 to its intersection with Highway 88. Turn left, Sorensen’s is on the right-hand side of the highway .8 miles from the 88/89 intersection.
• Details: Access 165 acres of backcountry trails free to the public. Trails are skier-packed, mapped and marked. To find the best route for you stop in at Sorensen’s Resort to ask for trail information and parking details. Trails start at 7,000 feet in elevation and climb to near 11,000 feet at Freel Peak. There is one 14-mile trail leaving Sorensen’s Resort and another 1.5 mile loop trail called the Simple Meadow Trail. Lessons and equipment not available at this location; lodging is available in one of 35 rustic cabins on the premises. Dining is offered at the Resort’s full-service restaurant serving gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner.


Hope Valley Outdoors
• Location: Traveling east on Highway 50, turn right onto Highway 89 south. Follow Highway 89 to its intersection with Highway 88. Hope Valley Outdoors is located at the yurt at this intersection (called Pickett’s Junction).
• Details: 60 miles of marked and mapped trails await cross country skiers willing to break their own trail. Trail fees are donation only and dogs are allowed on all of the valley’s trails. Guided moonlight snowshoe tours and private lessons are available upon request. Rentals are also available at full and half-day rates. Call (530) 694-2266 for more information once the snow flies.


Camp Richardson Resort
• Location: Two miles west of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89.
• Details: A variety of un-groomed, mapped and marked trails as well as a handful of machine-groomed trails are available at Camp Richardson’s year-round resort location. Equipment is available for rental and sale, lessons are also available as well as guided tours and lodging/cross country ski packages. Call (530) 541-1801 for more information.