LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Seven Tahoe Basin resorts are among 70 U.S. ski resorts ranked for visitor value, comparing cost and scale.

HomeToGo’s 2025/2026 Ski Season Report takes into consideration the price of overnight accommodation, daily lift ticket rates, and total skiable acreage to find you the most turns for your dollar.

Here’s how Tahoe resorts stack up against other resorts across the nation and your wallet.

11th – Palisades Tahoe

Falling just outside of the top ten, Palisades Tahoe is the most highly ranked Tahoe resort on the list at 11th. Though pulling a lower score in the ticket price category, Palisades Tahoe’s skiable acreage with two mountains and the area’s overnight accommodation price make up for it. The report gives it a total score of 26.02 out of 30. One overnight stay and one lift ticket costs an estimated $316.66.

• Skiable acres: 6,000
• Overnight stay: $114.66
• Lift ticket: $202

That compares to the number one ranked resort, Red Lodge Mountain in Montana, at $142.73 (27 score). The last-ranked (70th) resort for value is Aspen Mountain in Colorado at $803.25 (17.42 score).

13th – Sierra-at-Tahoe

Not far behind Palisades Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe ranks 13th on the list with a score of 25.64. Overnight stay price is Sierra-at-Tahoe’s strongest scoring factor, followed by lift ticket prices and then skiable acreage. One day of skiing and an overnight stay is estimated to cost you $262.26.

• Skiable acres: 2,000
• Overnight stay: $149.76
• Lift ticket: $112.50

21st – Kirkwood Mountain Resort

Kirkwood Mountain Resort’s overnight accommodation price and skiable acreage score relatively high, though its lift ticket price is the resort’s lowest scoring category. The estimated price to stay and ski one day at Kirkwood is $287.17, ranking 21st on the valuation list with a score of 25.10.

• Skiable acres: 2,300
• Overnight stay: $118.17
• Lift ticket: $169

26th – Heavenly Mountain Resort

Though scoring high for its size and relatively affordable overnight stay, Heavenly Mountain Resort’s lift ticket price is what takes away from its score. Pulling an overall score of 24.98, the resort is still within the top half of the list at 26th. The estimated total price for an overnight stay and lift ticket is $362.89.

• Skiable acres: 4,800
• Overnight stay: $137.89
• Lift ticket: $225

36th – Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is in the middle of the field and scored strongest in overnight stay price, likely due to its proximity to Reno. Its lift ticket and size round out a total score of 24.27, putting the resort midway on the list at 36th. The total estimated price to ski and stay in the area is $262.57.

• Skiable acres: 1,200 
• Overnight stay: $88.57
• Lift ticket: $174

56th – Northstar California Resort

With a combined lift ticket and stay price of $486.22, Northstar California Resort ranks 56th on the valuation list. Its poorest scoring quality is its lift ticket price. Combined with its overnight stay and size, it scores 22.88 and ranks 56th.

• Skiable acres: 3,170
• Overnight stay: $241.22
• Lift ticket: $245

57th – Diamond Peak Ski Resort

Although more affordable than many resorts, Diamond Peak Ski Resort ranks 57th, likely due to its size score as a smaller mountain. Scoring a 22.75 overall, its overnight stay price and lift ticket price total $329.75.

• Skiable acres: 655
• Overnight stay: $169.75
• Lift ticket: $160

The cheapest lift ticket in Tahoe

Mountain size and overnight stay aside, here are how lift ticket prices compare among Tahoe resorts, according to the report.

• Sierra-at-Tahoe – $112.50
• Diamond Peak Ski Resort – $160
• Kirkwood Mountain Resort – $169
• Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe – $174
• Palisades Tahoe – $202
• Heavenly Mountain Resort- $225
• Northstar California Resort – $245

Top 10 resorts on the report nationwide

• Red Lodge Mountain – Montana
• Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park – Washington
• Bridger Bowl – Montana
• Whitefish Mountain Resort – Montana
• Brundage Mountain Resort – Idaho
• Purgatory Resort – Colorado
• Schweitzer Mountain Resort – Idaho
• Mt. Bachelor – Oregon
• Wolf Creek Ski Area – Colorado
• Sunrise Park Resort – Arizona

Creating the report

In creating the report, the organizers first created a list of ski destinations with a minimum of 300 acres of skiable terrain. After compiling those resorts and their total skiable acreage, they found the median nightly cost per person for an overnight accommodation, and the Jan. 10 cost of a lift ticket.

Each resort was given a score in each category, ranging between 5-10. A perfect score in each category would produce a 30-point total score.