Mt. Shasta Ski Park: Resort Guide and Where to Stay
Last verified 26 August 2026 against Mt. Shasta Ski Park, Caltrans District 2, Discover Siskiyou and contemporaneous news reporting.
Mt. Shasta Ski Park is California’s northernmost significant ski area, and one of very few left where parking is free, there are no reservations, and you walk from your car to the lift.
It also has the least reliable snow of any resort on this site, and we’d rather say that plainly than let you find out with a non-refundable booking.
635 acres, 2,036 feet of vertical, 38 trails, six lifts. Base is 5,500 feet — low — and average snowfall is 157 inches, modest for California. Twilight skiing runs on 14 trails and two lifts. Parking is free with no reservations. There is no on-mountain lodging — Mount Shasta city and McCloud are the two bases. And it’s an Indy Pass area, independently owned.
That is not a reason to write the place off. It is a reason to check the snow report before you book lodging you can’t cancel, and to treat a February trip as a better bet than a December one.
What is it like to ski?
| Mt. Shasta Ski Park by the numbers | |
|---|---|
| Skiable acres | 635 |
| Vertical | 2,036 ft — base 5,500 ft, top 7,536 ft at Gray Butte |
| Lifts / trails | 6 lifts, 38 trails — longest run over 2 miles |
| Average snowfall | 157 inches |
| Terrain | 20% beginner · 45% intermediate · 35% advanced |
| Pass | Indy Pass · independently owned |
The lifts are the Gray Butte quad, three triples — Douglas, Coyote and Marmot — and two carpets. Gray Butte was added in December 2022, bringing seven new runs and the park’s first double-black, which meaningfully changed what the mountain offers advanced skiers. If you’re reading older figures that say 1,435 feet of vertical, they predate that lift.
Twilight skiing operates on 14 trails and two lifts. Posted lift hours are Monday to Thursday 9–4, Friday 9–7, Saturday 9–6 and Sunday 9–4 — so it’s a twilight operation rather than the full night skiing some third-party sites still list. Confirm each season.
Getting there
Straightforward by California standards: I-5 to Exit 736 for SR-89 east, four miles along SR-89, then left onto Ski Park Highway for another 4.5 miles. About 8.5 miles total from the freeway.
California law requires you to carry chains, and 4WD or snow tires may be required. One correction worth making since it appears in a lot of guides: Siskiyou Summit is in Oregon, on I-5 south of Ashland — that’s the Oregon-side risk. California’s I-5 pinch points on this run are Black Butte Summit near Weed and the Dunsmuir canyon. Both, and SR-89, take chain control routinely in storms.
Check Caltrans QuickMap, and read our chain control guide.
Parking — genuinely simple
Free, walk-to-lift, first-come, no reservations. After the reservation systems at Palisades, Northstar, Kirkwood and now Sierra, that is worth stating twice. Lots can still fill, so arrive before about 9:30am on a good day. The resort publishes a live parking-percentage gauge on its site, which is a nice touch nobody else in California offers. RV parking is available by permit with a three-night maximum.
Where to stay
There is no on-mountain lodging, and no shuttle — a county proposal for a Mount Shasta city to ski park service went out to tender in late 2024 but no operating service is documented. Assume you need a car.
Mount Shasta city
The full-service base: right on I-5, the most beds and the most food. The Mt. Shasta Resort is a resort partner offering 40% off with a lift ticket, and the Inn at Mount Shasta, Best Western Plus Tree House and a KOA with deluxe lodges are also on the partner list. It’s also the jumping-off point for the Everitt Memorial Highway if anyone in your group wants to see the actual mountain.
McCloud
A small historic mill town east along SR-89, quieter and with more character than a freeway town, at a similar distance from the lifts. The McCloud Mercantile Hotel is the named partner. The pick if you want the trip to feel like somewhere rather than a stopover.
Dunsmuir and Weed
Dunsmuir is the quirky one — Railroad Park Resort puts you up in converted train cars and does ski-and-stay packages, and Cave Springs Resort is also a partner. Weed sits north on I-5. Both are cheaper than Mount Shasta city with a slightly longer drive.
Redding
The big-box, budget option well to the south — chain hotels and every service you could want, at the cost of the longest commute of any option here. Sensible for a one-night trip or if everything closer is booked out.
For the drive up
Sno Cal™ Snow Beanie
Snow Chains Guide
Goldie the Grizzly
Hoodies & SweatshirtsFrequently asked questions
Is parking free at Mt. Shasta Ski Park?
Yes. Parking is free, walk-to-lift and first-come with no reservation system, which makes it one of the last California resorts without one. Lots can fill, so arrive before about 9:30am. The resort publishes a live parking-percentage gauge on its website.
Is Mt. Shasta Ski Park on Mount Shasta itself?
It sits on Douglas, Coyote and Gray Buttes on the south flank, about six miles from Mount Shasta's 14,179-foot summit. It is separate from the mountaineering routes, which start at Bunny Flat via the Everitt Memorial Highway out of Mount Shasta city.
Does Mt. Shasta Ski Park have night skiing?
It has twilight skiing on 14 trails and two lifts. Posted lift hours are Monday to Thursday 9 to 4, Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 6 and Sunday 9 to 4, so it is twilight rather than full night skiing. Some third-party sites still list older evening hours.
How reliable is the snow at Mt. Shasta Ski Park?
Less reliable than the Sierra resorts. Average snowfall is 157 inches and the base is 5,500 feet, both low for California. In 2025-26 the park opened late in December and closed on 10 March after just 55 days, in the worst snowpack in a decade. Check the snow report before booking non-refundable lodging.
Where should you stay for Mt. Shasta Ski Park?
Mount Shasta city has the most lodging and food and sits right on I-5. McCloud is a smaller historic mill town at a similar distance with more character. Dunsmuir and Weed are cheaper with slightly longer drives, and Redding is the budget big-box option furthest away. There is no on-mountain lodging and no shuttle service.
How do you get to Mt. Shasta Ski Park?
Take I-5 to Exit 736 for SR-89 east, follow SR-89 for four miles, then turn left onto Ski Park Highway for 4.5 miles — about 8.5 miles from the freeway. Chains must be carried by California law and chain control is routine on I-5 near Black Butte Summit and through the Dunsmuir canyon.
Planning the rest of it:
Terrain, hours, parking, road and lodging details verified against Mt. Shasta Ski Park, Caltrans District 2, Discover Siskiyou and contemporaneous news reporting, as of August 2026. Hours and season dates change annually — we update this page when new details are published.