Everything You Need to Know for Your VanWood Weekend
VanWood is built on community, adventure, and Kirkwood's stunning mountain backdrop. Here's your complete guide to getting here, setting up camp, and making the most of your Sierra Nevada weekend.
Getting to vanwood
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
1501 Kirkwood Meadows Drive
Kirkwood, CA 95646
Kirkwood sits 35 miles south of South Lake Tahoe and 90 miles from Reno, deep in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The drive is part of the adventure, and once you arrive, you won't want to leave.
Directions:
From South Lake Tahoe: Follow Highway 89 South, then Highway 88 West to Kirkwood.
From Reno: Take Highway 395 South to Highway 88 West.
From Sacramento: Follow Highway 50 East to Highway 89 South, then Highway 88 West.Travel
Tip: Cell service gets spotty in the canyon. Download offline maps before heading out.
SECURE YOUR CAMP SITE
Select your campsite based on your vehicle dimensions and group size.
Each site includes a set number of wristbands, with options to add more campers (up to the maximum allowed).
Additional Camper Wristbands:
$50 each
Campsites are limited and sold first-come, first-served. If your choice site is not listed, it has been sold.
L Travel Trailer/RV (20' x 50')
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6 campers included (10 max)
M Travel Trailer/RV (20' x 40')
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4 campers included (8 max)
Van or Truck Camper (20' x 30')
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4 campers included (6 max)
Tent w/Vehicle (16' x 40')
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2 campers included (4 max)
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Trash
There won't be any dumpsters or waste service at the camping area, so whatever you bring in, you'll need to take back out — food scraps, recyclables, all of it. Toss a few extra trash bags in your car and you'll be set. Let's leave the mountain better than we found it.
Water
Once the mountain wraps up daily operations, there's no potable water available at the campground. During the day, you can fill up at Red Cliffs Lodge, the bars, or around the village. For the campsite itself, plan on at least a gallon per person per day for drinking, cooking, and washing up — maybe a little more depending on how active you're planning to be.
Facilities
Porta potties will be on site. There are no showers, so plan accordingly (or just embrace it; you're camping!).
Food Options
Food during VanWood Tahoe will follow the regular dining operations at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. Guests will have access to the resort’s standard on-mountain and village dining options while the mountain is open Friday through Sunday, including cafés, quick-service locations, and après dining in the base village. Hours and availability follow typical resort operations and may vary slightly depending on conditions.
We also recommend campers bring any meals they would like to prepare and enjoy at their campsite. Having your own food on hand is the easiest way to stay flexible throughout the weekend, especially for early mornings, late nights, or time spent at camp between activities. The Kirkwood General Store, located in the Red Cliffs Lodge, will be open from 7am-7pm. It's your one-stop shop for groceries, sandwiches, craft beer, and more.
Our official VanWood food partner is Betty’s Balls Tapas, located at the KCA directly across the street from the campground. They will be serving throughout the weekend with the following hours: Friday from 2 PM to 8 PM, Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday from 12 PM to 5 PM. This will be a convenient and consistent option for campers looking for a quick, high-quality meal just steps from camp.