Summary 
| Difficulty | 1 Beginner |
| Length | Short |
| Starting Elevation |
7700 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change |
Nil |
| Navigation | Adjacent to plowed road |
| Time | Short |
| Season | Late November through April |
| Snowmobiles Use | Not permitted [Please report illegal use of snowmobiles in this area.] |
| USGS Topo | 7.5' series, Caples Lake |
| Start | Kirkwood Cross Country and Snowshoe Center if you are going to purchase a trail pass to ski on the groomed trails. Otherwise, from Highway 88 turn south onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive toward Kirkwood Ski Resort. Park along the road wherever it is legal. The meadow is to the east of the road. |
Description
One-mile long Kirkwood Meadows attracted a large number of would-be backcountry skiers when the sport was in its infancy. They would kick and glide on the flats and play on the small adjacent slopes. Today most of the skiers you see in the meadow are utilizing the groomed ski trail provided by Kirkwood Cross Country and Snowshoe Center and the nearby slopes are covered with homes.
Kirkwood Meadows still offers lots of flat land on which to kick and glide, and according to the Forest Service the public is permitted to use the meadows at no fee so long as you stay off the groomed tracks. But there are many better places to ski, away from the development of this resort, if a backcountry experience is what you desire. Try Silver Lake if you are looking for a meadow-like place to ski.
If you want to ski on the tracks you must purchase a trail pass at the Kirkwood Cross Country and Snowshoe Center on the north side of Highway 88. Their groomed tracks also extend extensively on the north side of the highway and the center provides rental equipment, lessons and parking.
