Overview
Kirkwood is a city in California.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Wettest: Feb and Dec. (climate data from nearby South Lake Tahoe)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- TKF Truckee Tahoe Airport, Truckee — 43 mi away. Directions
- RNO Reno Tahoe International Airport, Reno — 58 mi away (major hub). Directions
Kirkwood is located about 30 minutes from South Lake Tahoe and around 3 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area. Highway 89 runs right past the main entrance to Kirkwood Valley.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Understand
Kirkwood is named after Zack Kirkwood, a cattle rancher who settled in the area and opened an inn in 1863. The Inn was used as the original junction of Alpine, El Dorado, and Amador counties. The lines were redrawn so it no longer is on the border of El Dorado county but it is still in existence as the Kirkwood Mountain Resort. The Inn is a California State Historic Landmark.
Get in
Kirkwood is located about 30 minutes from South Lake Tahoe and around 3 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area. Highway 89 runs right past the main entrance to Kirkwood Valley.
Do
Ski
Nearby
Bear Valley
City / town · 10 listings · 16 mi away
South Lake Tahoe
City / town · 22 listings · 17 mi away
Emerald Bay State Park
Park · 18 mi away
Bliss State Park
Park · 20 mi away
Stateline
City / town · 14 listings · 20 mi away
Minden
City / town · 6 listings · 24 mi away
Gardnerville
City / town · 8 listings · 24 mi away
Homewood
City / town · 6 listings · 27 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.