Eldorado National Forest

Recreational Activities: Winter - Cross Country Skiing

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Echo to Kirkwood

Eldorado National Forest

Directions:

NORTH END (Echo): Parking is available at the Echo Summit Sno-Park on the south side of Highway 50 at Echo Summit. A Sno-Park permit is required.

SOUTH END (Kirkwood): Parking is available 1/8 mile north of Highway 88 off the Schneider Camp Road. Parking is allowed at Kirkwood's Schneider Camp parking area with a parking permit only. Cars without permits will be towed. Parking permits can be obtained at the Kirkwood Cross-Country Center located on Highway 88 at Kirkwood between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

Echo to Kirkwood Trail Map

Echo to Kirkwood Recreation Opportunity Guide (pdf)

Trail Description

Echo to Kirkwood Trail
Distance: 11.0 miles or 18 kilometers one-way
Elevation: 7,300 feet (Echo Sno-Park)
9,200 feet (Highest point on trail)
8,200 (Schneider Camp Road)
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult (long with steep pitches)

The Echo to Kirkwood Cross-Country Ski Trail is a classic ski tour, which extends from Echo Summit on Highway 50 south to the Caples Lake/ Kirkwood area on Highway 88. The route includes steep climbs and descents combined with rolling gentle terrain along the crest. It offers spectacular scenery with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe, the Crystal Range, Caples Lake, and Round Top. The recommended travel direction is from Echo Summit south to Highway 88.

Skiers will experience old-growth forests, rolling hills, meadows, exposed high alpine ridges and will have the opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife.

Be Aware

Groomed Sections: Sometimes Kirkwood Cross-Country Ski Area grooms portions of the blue diamond marked Echo to Kirkwood Cross-Country Ski Trail. A trail pass is not required by Echo to Kirkwood skiers to use these groomed portions of the trail. A trail pass is required if you choose to use other groomed ski trails away from the blue diamond marked ski trail.

Snowmobiles: Approximately 2 1/2 miles of the trail is also designated by orange diamonds as a snowmobile route.

Watch and Listen for snowmobiles!

Route-finding: You should have experience in route-finding in all weather conditions. The route is intermittently marked with blue diamonds; they should not be relied on for continuous trail location. Do not rely on other ski tracks as the may not be associated with this route. You must be able to read a topographic map and use a compass.

Winter Camping: You may not be able to complete this route in one day. Snow and weather conditions and the fitness and skill of your entire party will determine the time required to complete this route. Plan on a minimum of a full eight-hour day. Always be prepared for the possibility of turning around and/or spending an unplanned night out. For those that do plan to camp overnight, you will find a number of scenic sites all along the trail.

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USDA Forest Service - Eldorado National Forest
Last Modified: Monday, 24 January 2005 at 15:34:37 EST