❄️ Winter day trips
Snow day trips near SoCal
Curated by Simir Shah
23 spots across Southern California — add your zip or city to sort by what's closest to you
Mt. Baldy Resort
Mount Baldy · Ski & snowboard
The steepest terrain in SoCal with a scenic chairlift and lodge dining; chains often required on Mt Baldy Rd.
🗓️ Dec–Apr, snow-dependent
💵 $$ lift ticket
SkyPark at Santa's Village
Skyforest · Snow tubing & play
A 230-acre adventure park — holiday Santa's Village plus tubing (40"+), little-kid sledding and ice skating; book online.
🗓️ Dec–early Jan + when snow falls
💵 $$ ticketed (~$59–79)
Wrightwood Roadside Snow Play (Hwy 2)
Wrightwood
Free public pullouts before/after town; buy a $5 Adventure Pass at Mountain Hardware — small lots fill fast.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Snowdrift Snow Tubing Park
Running Springs · Snow tubing & play
SoCal's oldest tubing park at ~6,500 ft; call ahead (it closes in rain/snow), and confirm it's operating this season.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $ ~$20/hr + parking
Idyllwild County Park Snow Play
Idyllwild · Free snow play
A county park that becomes a popular sledding spot after snowfall; parking sells out on snow weekends.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $ day-use fee
Mountain High Resort
Wrightwood · Ski & snowboard
The closest full ski/snowboard resort to LA & OC, with three areas; buy lift tickets online in advance.
🗓️ Nov–Apr, snow-dependent
💵 $$ lift ticket
Yeti's Snow Play (Mountain High East)
Wrightwood · Snow tubing & play
Family tubing lanes plus a scenic sky-chair ride to 8,200 ft; weekends/holidays, daily over Christmas break.
🗓️ Thanksgiving–mid-Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $$ ticketed
Kratka Ridge Pullout
Angeles Crest Hwy (Hwy 2)
An informal roadside sledding pullout at ~7,500 ft; Hwy 2 often gate-closes for snow — check Caltrans.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Green Valley Lake / Rim Snow Play
Green Valley Lake
Roadside USFS sledding and snowman-building along Hwy 18; an Adventure Pass is required when snow is present.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Mt. Waterman
Angeles Crest Hwy (Hwy 2) · Ski & snowboard
An old-school chairlift ski area at ~8,030 ft that only opens with natural snowfall — check status first.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, natural snow only
💵 $$ lift ticket
Snow Valley Mountain Resort
Running Springs · Ski & snowboard
SoCal's longest-running ski area (since 1924), now Alterra-owned, with an expanded beginner area and a tube park.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $$ lift ticket
North Pole Tubing Park (Mountain High North)
Wrightwood · Snow tubing & play
SoCal's largest tubing facility — up to 10 lanes and two moving carpets; under-36" not permitted.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $$ ticketed
Mount San Jacinto State Park
Idyllwild
Snowshoeing and sledding in high country; the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a no-driving way to reach snow.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain
Big Bear Lake · Snow tubing & play
Winter snow tubing (~$40 adult) plus a year-round bobsled slide; no reservations — buy on-site.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $$ ticketed
Snow Summit (Big Bear)
Big Bear Lake · Ski & snowboard
SoCal's best beginner facilities (on the Ikon Pass); buy lift tickets online — it sells out on peak days.
🗓️ Nov–Apr, snow-dependent
💵 $$ lift ticket
Grizzly Ridge Tube Park
Big Bear Lake · Snow tubing & play
A magic-carpet lift to four 300-ft groomed lanes; riders must be 42" tall — book via Big Bear Mountain Resort.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
💵 $$ ticketed
Bear Mountain (Big Bear)
Big Bear Lake · Ski & snowboard
17 miles of trails and SoCal's premier terrain parks; the lift ticket is shared with Snow Summit.
🗓️ Nov–Apr, snow-dependent
💵 $$ lift ticket
Big Bear Snow Play
Big Bear Lake · Snow tubing & play
Conveyor-lift snow tubing for families; no reservations — first come, first served, so arrive early.
🗓️ Mid-Nov–Easter, snow-dependent
💵 $$ ticketed
Hungry Valley / Gorman Snow Play
Gorman · Free snow play
Roadside hills right off I-5 at Gorman that draw big crowds after rare valley-floor snow; CHP manages backed-up traffic — go early or skip the weekend.
🗓️ Dec–Feb, only after a storm
💵 $ OHV day-use
Frazier Mountain Park Snow Play
Lebec
A community park just off I-5 at Frazier Park exit; the lowest-elevation, easiest-to-reach northern snow play when storms drop down to ~4,600 ft.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Mt. Pinos 'Y' Snow Play (Cuddy Valley/Mil Potrero)
Frazier Park
When the upper gate is closed, families sled at the 'Y' where Cuddy Valley meets Mil Potrero Hwy; arrive early — it jams up fast.
🗓️ Late Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Mt. Pinos (Chula Vista Lot)
Frazier Park
A reliable-snow Nordic and sledding area at ~8,300 ft; rentals nearby, but a longer ~2.5-hr drive.
🗓️ Late Jan–Mar, snow-dependent
Pine Mountain Club Snow Play
Pine Mountain Club
A small mountain village ~2 hrs from the valley; Lampkin Park and quiet residential streets make easy, low-key sledding spots after a storm.
🗓️ Dec–Mar, snow-dependent
Frequently asked questions
Where can SoCal families find snow?
The closest reliable snow for most Southern California families is in the local mountains: Big Bear and the surrounding San Bernardino Mountains, Wrightwood (home to Mountain High), and the Wrightwood-area resorts are all within a couple hours of the coast. These spots offer dedicated snow-play and tubing areas as well as ski and snowboard runs. Big Bear is the most developed for a full day or weekend with kids.
When is there snow, and is it guaranteed?
Natural snow in the SoCal mountains is most likely from roughly December through March, but it's weather-dependent and never guaranteed on any given day. The good news is that tubing hills and snow-play parks make their own snow, so many operate on a set winter season regardless of natural snowfall. Always check the resort's conditions page and reserve tubing time slots in advance, since they sell out on holiday weekends.
Do I need chains to drive up for snow?
Often yes. When it's snowing or roads are icy, Caltrans posts chain requirements on the mountain highways, and you're expected to carry chains during winter even when the pavement looks clear. Under stricter restrictions, even all-wheel-drive vehicles may need chains installed. Check current road conditions and chain requirements with Caltrans (1-800-427-7623) before you leave, and give yourself extra travel time on snowy days.
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Before you drive up: snow here is weather-dependent — a sunny day in OC can mean bare ground in the mountains. Check live conditions and Caltrans for chain controls (carry chains!). Free roadside snow-play areas in the National Forests need an Adventure Pass to park, and the big tubing parks fill up — arrive early or book ahead.