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4 hills in California, most of them run by a national forest

Sledding Hills in California: Every One an Agency Names

Every hill below was named for sledding by the California agency that runs it, on a page linked beside it. What it costs, whether it runs tubing, a tow or lights, and the agency's own words.

4
Hills a public agency names
in 2 towns
A national forest
Most of them named by
0 local, 0 state, 4 national forest
0
That print no charge
California SNO-PARK Permit may be needed to park
0 / 0 / 0
Tubing, tow or lights
2 publish hours, 0 a conditions page
The answer

Whose website to open first in California

California has 4 hills that a public agency has named for sledding in writing, and all of them are run by a national forest.

  • National forest: 4
  • Most of what California designates sits on national forest land, where the published thing is usually a plowed winter parking area with a run beside it.
  • Every California hill below prints a charge or a parking fee of some kind.
  • California sells a California SNO-PARK Permit, and where one is required it is a parking permit rather than a charge for the hill.
  • The season runs on the permit season, not snow depth: the state sells the SNO-PARK permit across those dates and the lots are plowed with the money it raises.
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Grouped by who named it

All 4 California hills

Each card opens with the agency’s own words, because that sentence is the reason the hill is on the page. Everything under it is an attribute the same agency published on the same page. Where an agency adds guidance of its own, it is quoted whole and nothing is added to it.

Named by a national forest4 hills

Eskimo Hill

National forest

Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District. Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District. Run by USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest

Winter sports area/snow sledding hill.
Eskimo Hill, Lassen National Forest, USDA Forest Service, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

No fees are required for this sitedawn to dusk

USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest publishes this with the hill: “Alcohol is prohibited. No jump building on slope. No overnight camping.”

Eskimo Hill, Lassen National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Aspen Glen Snow Play Area

National forest

San Bernardino National Forest, Mountaintop Ranger District. Big Bear Lake. Run by USDA Forest Service, San Bernardino National Forest

During the winter months, the area around the Aspen Glen picnic area becomes a popular winter wonderland to sled, build snowmen and make snow angels.
Aspen Glen Snow Play Area, San Bernardino National Forest, USDA Forest Service, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

$5 per vehicle per day, $30 per annual (Adventure Pass, Digital Recreation Pass or Interagency Recreation Pass)

When snow is present, Recreation Pass are required on Mill Creek Road and Tulip Lane where both roads enter onto the National Forest.

USDA Forest Service, San Bernardino National Forest publishes this with the hill: “Vehicles must be legally parked and not blocking the travel lanes”

Aspen Glen Snow Play Area, San Bernardino National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Rim of the World Snow Play Area

National forest

San Bernardino National Forest, Mountaintop Ranger District. Lake Arrowhead. Run by USDA Forest Service, San Bernardino National Forest

Sledding, building snowmen, and making snow angels are all a very popular past-time in the San Bernardino Mountains. Visitors are encouraged to recreate in the following areas:
Rim of the World Snow Play Area, San Bernardino National Forest, USDA Forest Service, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

$5/day or $30/year (Adventure Pass; Interagency Passes also accepted)

When snow is present an Adventure Pass is Required ($5/day or $30/year). Interagency Passes are also accepted.

USDA Forest Service, San Bernardino National Forest publishes this with the hill: “Vehicles must be legally parked.”

Rim of the World Snow Play Area, San Bernardino National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Goat Meadow Trailhead & Snow Play

National forest

Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District. Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District. Run by USDA Forest Service, Sierra National Forest

Sledding/Tubing
Goat Meadow Trailhead & Snow Play, Sierra National Forest, USDA Forest Service, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

California State Sno-Park Permit (November 01 - May 31): $15 per day, $40 per seasonAll year

California State Sno-Park Permit (November 01 - May 31):

Goat Meadow Trailhead & Snow Play, Sierra National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Cost and parking

What sledding costs in California

Every California hill below prints a charge or a parking fee of some kind. Nationally 140 of the 202 hills print no charge at all, and the ones that do are nearly always the two things that cost an agency money to run: a tubing operation that rents the tube, and a tow that carries you back up.

California sells a California SNO-PARK Permit, and where one is required it is a parking permit rather than a charge for the hill. That distinction matters at the gate: the permit is sold for the plowed lot rather than for the slope, which is why a state can require one and still publish that the sledding itself is free.

A yellow road grader with tyre chains clearing deep snow from a forest car park beside a small concrete restroom building carrying a green permit required sign, under a low grey sky with heavily laden conifers behind
What a winter parking permit buys. Nineteen states sell one, and on almost every hill that needs it the money is for the lot being graded here rather than for the slope, which is why a state can require a permit and still print that the sledding itself is free. The sign on the building is the whole transaction, and it is posted at the entrance rather than at the hill. “Plowing the Sno-Park on OR 58”, OregonDOT, CC BY 2.0

California sledding questions

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Sledding hills in other states

California first snow datesWhen the first measurable snow has historically arrived, which is when a hill starts to be worth the drive.California snowpackHow much snow is actually on the ground right now, from the automated stations that measure it.California plow trackerWhether the road to the hill has been plowed, from the state that plows it.California cross country skiingThe groomed trail systems, which is what most state agencies publish instead of sledding.

California read September 23, 2026 from the agency pages linked beside each hill. Hours, fees and winter parking permit prices are set season by season and a hill opens on snow rather than on a date, so the agency page linked beside each one is the thing that governs on the day. Every state is on the sledding hills hub.