SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Heavenly Lake Tahoe will be hosting an open-house on Wednesday to discuss the new reservation-based paid parking plan they will be implementing in the 23/24 season.

The ski resort announced the parking plan, which will impact parking at the California Base Area, in March.

On the FAQ page on the resort’s website, the company explains why they made the decision to implement the plan, stating, “Traffic/road congestion and parking challenges have been a serious topic of conversation within our community for a while, and this past winter has perhaps been the most challenging yet. These are not just Heavenly issues – they are deeply felt across all of Tahoe, and certainly at every resort in the region. After taking a deep dive into our current parking practices and traffic patterns, learning from other resorts across our network, and much consideration and conversation here in-resort, we believe that a reservations-based parking program can, and will, make a difference.”

The reservation system will be enforced at the California Base Area until noon on Saturdays and Sundays and peak holiday periods from the beginning of the season.

“However, as we begin this program, we will be doing some test-and-learn work and do not plan to charge for parking on weekends and holidays until mid-December. We are also encouraging and incentivizing carpooling and if you have 4+ passengers in your vehicle, you park for free (but still need a reservation at designated times),” Tom Fortune, Heavenly COO, said in a newsletter. 

The open house to discuss the reservations-based paid parking plan will be held Wednesday, August 2, from 5–7 p.m. at California Main Lodge.

“This is a great opportunity for you to stop by, learn more about the program, and ask questions about it. We are excited to see this plan in action and genuinely believe it will make a difference when it comes to road congestion in our community on peak days,” Fortune said in the newsletter.