Kirkwood is more resort or alpine village than it is a town, but the alpine valley has grown into a bustling community focused on having fun. Kirkwood Ski Area is the heart of the valley but the resort area offers summer activities ranging from equestrian riding to mountain biking, fishing, and rock climbing.
Zachary Kirkwood started it all from a log cabin inn he built in 1864 after he began cattle ranching in the picturesque valley in the late 1850s. The inn is still operating.
The Kirkwood emphasis is superb downhill skiing for both Alpine and boarding enthusiasts. The area also features 80km of cross- country skiing trails that are a nice mix of 20% beginner, 60% intermediate, and 20% expert.
The community has established a church and an elementary school with more students than you can count on one hand. There’s a medical clinic associated with the ski area, but fill your gas tank before you drive up.
Accommodations are upscale, ranging from condominiums and town home rentals that offer great opportunities to share and split the costs, to luxury rooms in the lodge and several comfortable units all with easy access to the hub of activities. Dining opportunities run the same scale from fine dining, party-fun dining, to family dining plus a general store that offers the basic necessities.
Zachary Kirkwood started it all from a log cabin inn he built in 1864 after he began cattle ranching in the picturesque valley in the late 1850s. The inn is still operating. There have been several additions, but you can see sections of the original walls and a few bullet holes than are attributed to either cowboys or Prohibition days depending on who is telling the story.
The Kirkwood emphasis is superb downhill skiing for both Alpine and boarding enthusiasts. The area also features 80km of cross-country skiing trails that are a nice mix of 20% beginner, 60% intermediate, and 20% expert. Warming huts and trailhead facilities offer convenience and comfort. Snowshoes are also for rent.
In the summer Kirkwood Corrals offer a selection of rides through the lush meadows to several of the lakes lying comfortably below the towering mountains of an area dubbed the California Alps. There’s a horse hotel available as well as wagon rides.
Kirkwood can serve as a high-end base camp for exploring the Carson Pass area – one of the prime outdoor adventure areas in the Central Sierra. Hiking trails are numerous and vary from easy to challenging, or family fun to a test of backcountry skills for experienced hikers. The Carson Pass area is the most popular access point for entry into the massive Mokelumne Wilderness.
Several trails are available for mountain biking, but Highway 88 is probably the best of the biking opportunities. Touring cyclists consider it a challenge of endurance, but worth every sore muscle.
Camping opportunities are well placed through the area and can be full most summer weekends. Both Silver Lake and Caples Lake offer their own resort accommodations varying from plush to family to rustic camping.
Fishing can be terrific in Silver and Caples Lakes and several high-country lakes are appealing places to try your luck even if you don’t land supper. Spring, as the ice recedes, and fall are the best. Both Silver and Caples permit fishing boats but are favorites lakes for flat water paddlers.
OHV enthusiasts have several designated routes to pick from as well as degrees of challenge.
| Population: | 100 | Links: | Community: www.kirkwood.com Visitor Center: www.alpinecountry.com |
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From Jackson drive east on Highway 88 for 56 miles