Dodge Ridge & Pinecrest Snow Weekend
Gold panning in a Gold Rush town on the way up, a family ski hill with short lift lines, and a tubing park with its own baby hill.
3.25 hrs drive · 2–3 days · Best for toddlers to teens · Dec–Mar
Day 1: Columbia, then snow
- 8:00 Leave SF: I-580, I-205, then Hwy 120 and 108 via Oakdale
- 10:45 Columbia State Historic Park: free, exhibits 10 to 4 in winter
- 11:15 Gold panning
- 12:15 Stagecoach ride if running, then lunch on Main Street
- 2:00 Drive up Hwy 108 (about 45 min); grab a Sno-Park permit if you'll need one
- 3:00 Snow play near the lake
- 5:00 Check in to a Pinecrest rental or a Twain Harte cabin
Day 2: Ski school at Dodge Ridge
- 8:15 Drive to Dodge Ridge; scan your ticket QR at the boxes outside Helm Family Lodge
- 8:30 Check in and get fitted (arrive 1 hour before a group lesson)
- 9:30 Kids' group lesson (9:30 to 12); beginners stay on the lower-mountain conveyors, Chair 6 and Chair 1
- 12:00 Lunch, ideally before or after the noon rush
- 1:30 Afternoon lesson or family laps on the same lower-mountain lifts
- 4:00 Back to the cabin
Day 3: Tubing at Leland
- 9:00 Get to Leland before opening; it can sell out
- 9:30 Tubing: big hill with tows, baby hill and carpet for smaller kids
- 12:00 Lunch at the snack bar by the lodge fire
- 1:00 Drive home (about 3.5 hrs)
From parents who have been
- Leland only sells a full-day ticket, but 2 to 3 hours of tubing was plenty for kids. Get there about 30 minutes before opening, since it can sell out. 510 Families
- Kids must be 44 inches to ride the Leland tow, and no lap riding. Shorter kids use the small carpet area and baby hill near the snack bar, which bores older kids. 510 Families
- Leland is closed most Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so plan tubing for a weekend or holiday day. 510 Families
- Avoid opening weekend at Dodge Ridge. One family sat in traffic backed up to Hwy 108 and took 100 minutes for the last 3 miles, with chains required on the access road. OnTheSnow reviews
- The Dodge Ridge lodge is small and families end up hunting for lunch tables at midday. Eat early or keep lunch in the car. OnTheSnow reviews
- Skip pulling over to sled along Hwy 108 near Little Sweden; parents say the roadside stops are risky with kids. Use Leland or a Sno-Park instead. 510 Families
Good to know
- Dodge Ridge 2026–27 opening is projected for Dec 26 (not official); last season it opened Dec 27
- Dodge Ridge kids 5 and under ski free; pick up the ticket at the Family Lodge with ID (not sold online). Youth tickets are ages 6–12
- Beginner tickets are good only on the lower-mountain conveyors, Chair 6 and Chair 1. 2026–27 day-ticket prices are not posted yet
- Youth group lessons (ages 6–12): half day 9:30 to 12 or 1:30 to 4, all day 9 to 3; includes lift ticket, rental and helmet. Kinder privates for ages 4–5 need a parent on site. Cancel 3+ days ahead to avoid a fee
- Hwy 108 is closed in winter at the Highway 108 Sno-Park gate east of Strawberry; Sonora Pass beyond is closed all winter
- Sno-Park parking permits are $15/day or $40/season, sold online or at Rich and Sal's Sport Shop, Strawberry Store and Pinecrest Market
- Pinecrest Lake is a no-fee Forest Service day-use area; call the ranger district at (209) 965-3434 to check plowing and restrooms
- Columbia State Historic Park is free; exhibits open 10 to 4 from Oct 1 to Apr 30 and closed Christmas Day. Stagecoach rides run when weather allows
Sources: Lift tickets (Dodge Ridge) · Youth ski and ride school (Dodge Ridge) · Projected openings (OnTheSnow) · Highway 108 Sno-Park (Stanislaus NF) · Pinecrest Lake (Stanislaus NF) · Sno-Park brochure 2025 (CA State Parks) · Columbia SHP (CA State Parks) · Leland High Sierra Snow Play (Visit Tuolumne)