It’s no secret that Lake Tahoe is one of our favorite dog-friendly places to visit. With it’s snowy alpine trees and scenic hikes to dog-friendly ski resorts, sledding, and picturesque views, South Lake Tahoe has something for everyone.

Tahoe sits at 6,225 feet above sea level, is the largest alpine lake in North America, and has been receiving record breaking amounts of snow this year. This destination is a magical place year-round and we’ve been lucky enough to experience Tahoe as a winter getaway a few times now. With 188” on the ground this year, we knew we had to make a trip to go play in the snow.

when to visit south lake tahoe

When planning your winter getaway to Lake Tahoe, you’ll want to visit during late November to early April when there’s reliable snowfall. The slopes open in December and extend through late March, sometimes April depending on the snowfall for the year. January and February are the most popular months for visitors to head to Tahoe. I’d recommend visiting towards the beginning or end of the season to beat the crowds or extend your long weekend into the week to get some of the snow play areas all to yourself.

GEAR YOU SHOULD PACK

Traveling with a dog requires packing a bit extra and a winter getaway is no different. In fact, I think it requires a bit more to keep your pup safe but is totally worth it. Some of the gear you’ll need for a winter vacation is also worth buying in advance and testing out before your adventure i.e. snow booties. I waited until the last minute for this item and lucked out, but this is definitely an item you want to get right to protect your dog’s paws and ensure they can spend just as much time in the snow as you can.

Here’s a list of some of the must items we packed for our winter getaway:

Snow booties. Historically, we’ve used snow boots with harder soles but Rue has always had a hard time walking in them. After trying overalls that have the booties connected (epic fail) and seeing her walk in the booties we already had, I made a last-minute decision to overnight these from Amazon. I’m so glad that I did because Rue walked like a champ in them and for the first time in our winter vacation history we did not lose a bootie!
Waterproof and versatile leash. Lambwolf & Co. is our go-to for this. You can build your own leash combination with their different connectors and everything is easy to clean after your adventure. If you shop with them, use RUBYDOODLE10 for a discount.
Waterproof jacket. The Wildebeest All Weather Jacket is our go-to for rain and light snow because it’s easy to clean, has a hood, and can be layered on top of other clothes/a harness. If you shop with them, use RUBYDOODLE15 for a discount.
Warm layers. Since Rue has quite a bit of fur, she doesn’t get cold easily but playing in the snow does require a little bit of layering to help protect her fur and keep her warm. She wore this Gold Paw black fleece shirt under her All Weather Jacket while snowshoeing, this Lambwolf & Co. sherpa vest while playing in the snow, and this Lambwolf & Co. fleece sweater while we were out and about.
Paw balm.
Paw Wipes, microfiber towel, and brush for clean up at the car after adventures.
Collar with a tracking device for off-leash play.
The Foggy Dog bandanas for when we were brewery hopping and eating out. If you shop with them, use RUBY10 for a discount.
Travel mat and travel bag for patios and crowded areas.
Stasher bags with a lot of treats.
Highwave AUTODOGMUG for on-the-go water.

where to stay in south lake tahoe

When staying in South Lake Tahoe, there are several hotel options along downtown South Lake and home rentals in the surrounding areas with some backing up to the mountain. For this winter getaway, we were hosted by Station House Inn. The hotel is located just a few blocks off of Lake Tahoe Blvd. in downtown South Lake.

We enjoyed our stay in a cozy king on the first floor that provided direct access to the outside. Our room came with all the essentials and then some, like a mini fridge, heat lights in the bathroom, and snow gear storage. There’s plenty of parking on-site, and it’s included in your reservation.

The hotel also has a spacious lodge that’s great for hanging out after a day in the snow and an on-site restaurant where dog owners can enjoy food to-go. The Station House Inn Lodge hosts happy hour every day from 4-6p.m. and movie nights on Fridays. They even offer s’mores for evenings out by the fire pit.

It’s about a 5-minute walk from the hotel to downtown if you don’t want to deal with parking for the shops and restaurants in Heavenly Village.

dog-friendly winter activities around south lake tahoe

While skiing and snowboarding are not activities you can do with your dog in South Lake Tahoe, there are plenty of other winter activities to enjoy that are. To help you plan your winter getaway, we’ve compiled a list of all the dog-friendly activities we enjoyed during our visit to South Lake Tahoe.

enjoy a hike or explore off the beaten path with snowshoes

There are several areas around Tahoe that are popular for dog-friendly snowshoeing excursions: Fallen Leaf Lake, Echo Lakes, Meeks Bay, Page Meadow, North Tahoe Regional Park and Hope Valley. I don’t think it’s possible to have a bad view in Tahoe, so prepare for scenic overload no matter what area you decide on.

The two most important things when snowshoeing is gear and checking access to the area you want to explore. If you need to rent snowshoes, you can rent for the day (or several) from South Tahoe Ski and Snowboard Rentals, Camp Richardson, Pyramid Peak Ski and Snowboard Rentals, or Sports Ltd. You can visit Tahoeroads.info to keep an eye on road conditions and closures.

We had originally planned to snowshoe Echo Lakes, but due to road closures we ended up parking near Camp Richardson and walking along the road to snowshoe Fallen Leaf Lake trail instead. This isn’t a super popular area in the winter, so it’s easy to find parking along the road. Typically, about 4 cars can fit at the entrance and another 10 or so down the road past Camp Richardson. Don’t be afraid of the road closure sign if you see if before Camp Richardson. It’s just warning that you won’t be able to go much further as the roads are not maintained leading up to Emerald Bay.

From the road, it’s about a 2-mile roundtrip hike if you go all the way to the lake. From the start, there is a groomed trail that leads you winding through the alpines. I’d consider the groomed trail easy, and if you don’t veer from it you won’t need snowshoe poles to support you.

If you want to go off the beaten path and explore the deeper snow area, I would recommend poles and a bodysuit for your dog. If the snow is really deep, like when we visited, no markers are visible and service can be spotty so make sure you keep track of your way back.

However you decide to explore, you’ll definitely enjoy it.

We didn’t make it all the way to Fallen Leaf Lake because half way into the hike the snow was bothering one of Rue’s paws, so she had to hitch a ride back to the car (I was her personal Uber).

Even though the hike was cut short it was totally worth it, and definitely our favorite activity of the trip. I really tried to not over do it with my camera and just enjoy being in the moment, but c’mon look at this place! Every where we turned was beautiful.

Tip for snowshoeing with a dog: Invest in a hands-free leash that you can wear around your waist or across your body, and utilize a long lead to give your dog plenty of space to move ahead of you. This will help keep your hands free for poles if needed and avoid tripping over one another. If your dog has great recall, this is a perfect activity for letting them run free, as long as they won’t trip you up. Rue either likes to be ahead us or right next to me, so we just stuck to a long lead.

play in the snow

Similar to snowshoeing, you can play in the snow just about anywhere around Tahoe this time of year.

Our original plan was to play in the snow at Sno-Park. The Sno-Parks program is operated by California State Parks in conjunction with other agencies, and provides access to plowed parking areas in the snow zone where you can pause to ski, snowshoe, sled, or just have a snowball fight. Some Sno-Parks provide access to groomed XC and snowshoe trailheads and some don’t, but all welcome four-legged friends as long as they stay on leash. While the Sno-Parks aren’t quite free, it’s $15 for a day pass or $40 for a season pass, they can provide a full day of fun.

California has 19 Sno-Parks spread between Sierra County in the north to Mammoth Lakes in the south, with the majority situated in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe. The two closest to South Lake Tahoe are Echo Lakes, at Echo Summit on Highway 50 (Pacific Crest Trail access into Desolation Wilderness), and Taylor Creek (South Shore access to Fallen Leaf Lake).

You’ll find Sno-Park maps, descriptions and more info here. Buy your pass or permit (valid through May 30) online or through regional vendors. Don’t be tempted to park without a permit: you’ll get a $95 citation.

But, similar to our snowshoeing adventure all the routes for the Sno-Parks were closed or buried under snow. Thankfully, down the street from where we snowshoed on Emerald Bay Road along the Pope Baldwin Bike Path, we found a perfect open field where we could run around and play. We encountered a few people sledding and building snowmen, but we basically had the area to ourselves.

We even got lucky with fresh snow! It was such a magical moment watching Ruby bunny hop through the thick snow while a light, fresh dusting was coming down on us and creating what I can only imagine is like living in a snow globe.

Go sledding

All of the sledding businesses in Lake Tahoe, like Adventure Mountain, are not dog-friendly. Sno-Parks can be a good option for sledding if they’re open, but really if you just keep your eyes peeled for a decent hill then you’re good to go.

We found the perfect hill behind Heavenly Village on the west end of Forest Suites Resort. There’s public parking connected to Heavenly Village, but if you go past that you can safely park on the street and just walk right up to the hill.

We brought inflatable Funboy sleds and an electric pump, so it was easy to inflate the sleds in our hotel room and then deflate and pack them up when we were done.

It’s a bit hard to tell in photos, but there were a few packed tracks for sledding by the tree line with some fun bumps along the way. The hill is a gradual incline, so it’s an easy walk up and just enough slope to give you a long run down.

I haven’t gone sledding in so many years and forgot just how much fun it can be. I think Rue even enjoyed it because every time I pointed to the sled she hopped right on in front of me.

après ski around heavenly village

Heavenly Village is where most of the good bars, shopping, and restaurants are in South Lake Tahoe. It’s also the main access point to the mountain, which means it can get busy.

We didn’t encounter big crowds or long waits at restaurants when we visited at the end of March, and everywhere in the Village is very dog-friendly.

Heavenly Village is where we do most of our eating when visiting South Lake. We’ve visited a handful of times so we know what’s good and they have spacious dog-friendly patios.

Here’s the dog-friendly restaurants we enjoy:

Azul-Latin Kitchen: We have a tradition that this is the first meal we eat every time we come to Tahoe. Get the spicy marg and queso to start. I’m also a big fan of their sweet potato tacos for vegetarians.
Base Camp Pizza Co.: Really good pizza and part of their patio is covered with heaters. This place can get really busy depending on when you visit. If the wait is too long, go across the street to Blue Dog Pizza.
California Burger Company: Decent burger and even better fries. Nice patio area with live music and fire pits.
Heaven’s Little Café: Some say these are the best breakfast burritos in Tahoe.
Fire + Ice Tahoe: Happy hour drinks with a view of the mountain.

If you want to do a little shopping for your pup or forgot something from home, Dog Dog Cat is across the street from the Village in the Raley’s shopping center. They have a wide assortment of treats, toys, and pet care products. After just a few hours of being in Tahoe, we realized we needed extra paw wipes so we could keep them in our hotel room and the car to try and keep everything clean from Rue’s paws.

Explore zephyr cove’s dog-friendly beach

Zephyr Cove is a mile-long sandy beach located on National Forest land on Lake Tahoe's southeast shore. It is a full-service resort with a restaurant, beach bar and grill, and a general store and offers plenty of fun in the summer and winter. While the resort itself isn’t dog-friendly, the stretch of the beach at the north end is.

Zephyr Cove offers the iconic landscape you envision when thinking about Tahoe: Tall alpine trees lining a strip of sandy shore with outlets featuring large bouldering rocks in the shallow parts of the water.

The beach can be busy on the weekends, but generally not in the winter months. There’s plenty of parking in the lot and we’ve never had to pay when visiting in the winter, but I’ve read there is a $10 fee. You can also park along HWY 50 and walk over if you want to avoid having to pay.

You’ll be able to find restrooms, picnic tables, and a trail within the trees from your walk from the car to the beach. There are also trashcans and a pet station, so make sure you pick up after your dog.

Zephyr Cove’s Beach is actually fine rock and pebble instead of sand, so it’s a bit easier to walk on with shoes, but keep an eye on where your pup is stepping so they don’t encounter anything sharp.

There are also several boulders and logs along the shore where you can stop and enjoy the views along your walk. The water will be cold, but it’s safe for your dog to go in if they’re feeling adventurous.

It’s advised that owners keep their dogs on leash, but we always run into furry friends that are off-leash. We generally don’t mind this if the dogs are friendly, but please don’t break this rule if your dog can be reactive to humans or other dogs.

Grab a beer at a taproom or beer garden

South Lake Tahoe has several taprooms and beer gardens that are perfect for warming up and hanging out after a day in the snow.

The Hanger Lake Tahoe is our go-to spot when visiting. They have a huge selection on tap and four sours, which is one of the reasons this is our favorite spot. They have a small indoor seating area that is dog-friendly and a decent size patio where they recently installed igloo enclosures with heaters. If you’re hungry, they also have two food trucks on-site.

Sidellis is a hidden gem I just found out about. You can tell it’s a locals hangout and upon our arrival we were immediately greeted by two dogs inside the biergarten. We went on a Saturday night and were able to get a table to ourselves so Rue could lay on the bench next to me while I enjoyed The Darwin Kettle Sour Series. They do have a limited food menu and around 5-6 other beers on tap.

We attempted to try the Basecamp Beer Garden that is attached to their hotel, but the patio was buried in snow.

Have you been to Lake Tahoe in the winter? Am I missing any dog-friendly activities or do you have any questions about our guide? Let me know in the comments below!