Weekend traffic has gradually increased on ski weekends in Lake Tahoe and become a constant hassle for skiers and snowboarders, and anyone visiting the region. To mitigate the problem, four Tahoe ski resorts will be initiating paid parking for the 2023-24 season.
Palisades Tahoe announced its paid parking details Wednesday (Sept. 27) for the upcoming season. The three Vail Resorts in Tahoe – Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood – will also have some paid parking this season.
At Palisades Tahoe, there will be a new reservation-based parking system for Saturdays, Sundays, and select holidays. A parking reservation will be required for ALL parking lots.
All mid-week parking (Monday through Friday) will remain free and won’t require a reservation. Parking will remain first-come, first-served.
The Palisades Tahoe ski season is scheduled to begin Nov. 22 (weather and conditions permitting). Mt. Rose has the earliest scheduled opening of Tahoe-area resorts, running its lifts tentatively on Nov. 9.
Palisades Tahoe says it’s introducing a reservation-based parking program in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion as part of a region-wide effort. The new parking program requires advance reservations at Palisades and Alpine on weekends and holidays before 1 p.m. It includes a mix of free and paid parking reservations. There will be no assigned spaces.
Parking will start at $30.
“Traffic has been one of the major challenges our entire region has faced for decades. We’ve implemented a variety of communication tools, programs and systems to try to improve the situation over the years, but the cumulative effect hasn’t produced the type of result needed to make significant change,” said Dee Byrne, Palisades Tahoe president and COO.
The resort’s Village at Palisades Tahoe contains roughly 4,200 parking spaces, with an additional estimated 1,825 spaces at the resort’s Alpine Lodge. Overflow parking is available in the Hidden Valley lot on Highway 89 and in the Deer Park lot off Alpine Meadows Road.
Paid and free parking reservation Dates:
- December: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
- January: 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 27, 28
- February: 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
- March: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31
- April: TBD based on demand
Thanks to record-breaking snow totals last season, weekends often drew big crowds at Palisades Tahoe.
“After careful consideration and research, we’re confident this program will improve the arrival and departure experience, and have a positive impact on the ease with which our entire community gets around during peak periods,” Byrne said.
Palisades Tahoe says proceeds will be utilized for both internal and third party transportation initiatives to support local and regional initiatives. This includes county, state, and non-profit efforts.
Shuttle to the Resort: Public transportation options include Regional public transportation and Park ‘n’ Ride. Another option is or carpool with a friend who has a parking reservation.
The Mountaineer Transit Company has expanded hours in both valleys and expanded days in Alpine this year. There program is partially funded by a 1.5% TBid Tax assessment on Tickets and Lodging sold at Palisades Tahoe.
Free Reservations: Much of the parking inventory has been dedicated to free reservations. They will be made available for booking every Tuesday for the upcoming weekend and holiday periods.
To accommodate a wide range of schedules, the free reservation inventory will be released in two segments: 50% of the free parking inventory will become available at Noon (PST)., with the remaining 50% accessible at 7 p.m. (PST). The first date that free reservations will be made available will be Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Paid Reservations: Paid reservations can be reserved by anyone who would like to ensure their parking is secured well in advance of their visit.
Guest will be able to reserve up to 10 paid parking reservations at a one time. The inventory for paid parking reservations for the entire winter season will be released later in the fall, allowing visitors to plan ahead for their winter activities.
To make a free or paid parking reservation, guests will create an account at ParkPalisadesTahoe.com.
For those who have made a parking reservation and are carpooling with three or more people, the resort has designated closer parking spaces as an added perk.
Parking on side streets Prohibited: Olympic Valley Road and all associated side streets are managed by Placer County and are subject to the county’s winter parking ordinance which does not allow parking on public roadway from Nov. 1 through May 1.
Both the county and CHP will enforce restrictions in the area and are working closely with county officials on messaging and enforcement. There are encroachment permits through the county to park cars with a parking reservation on the following streets: Olympic Valley Road, Marmot Way and Chalet Road
For more parking information, visit the Palisades Tahoe website.
