Tahoe XC Lodge
Since 1975, the Highlands Community Center has been home to the Nordic ski center for North Lake Tahoe, only changing hands between 3 operators in nearly 5 decades. Over the years, Tahoe Cross Country (Tahoe XC) has evolved into a vibrant and welcoming year-round community hub for outdoor recreation, environmental education programs, and community building serving kids and adults with free and affordable programs.
Current Tahoe XC Facility
Tahoe XC is where friends and family meet to ski, bike, hike and run; where visitors and residents enjoy an amazing connection of trails; and where kids and adults connect to friends and nature. Here, you’ll find a friendly staff, rental facility, ADA bathrooms, retail store, a wood-burning fireplace, comfy lounge, and the Free Heel Cafe.
Tahoe XC’s current facility also serves as the Highlands Community Center. It is owned by Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) and operated year-round by Tahoe XC and Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Education Association (TCCSEA) under a Concession Agreement with TCPUD.
Winter Discovery Center
The Winter Discovery Center Yurt is a 30-foot Pacific yurt equipped with a wood-burning fireplace, tables, chairs and perfect ambiance for yoga classes, private meetings, and gatherings. It is home to many SWEP programs, where 3rd to 5th graders combine science-based learning with physical activity and hands-on engagement with nature.
Tahoe XC Lodge Project
Tahoe XC Lodge Project
The Tahoe Cross Country Lodge Project is the relocation and adaptive reuse of the historic Pennoyer-Schilling home as Tahoe XC’s new, year-round, outdoor recreation trailhead and community gathering place. This project is a unique opportunity to connect to Tahoe’s storied past while creating a vibrant community hub—a launching point to explore Tahoe’s vast backyard.
The Project addresses existing operational deficiencies relative to circulation and parking, storage, staff and customer facilities, and community space; better accommodates existing and projected recreation demands; and improves the quality of the recreation user experience. The planned use of the new lodge is for public enjoyment of winter Nordic skiing and summer hiking and biking activities. The lodge will continue to serve as an educational resource and provide enhanced community space. Additional uses, as determined by the TCPUD, may also be proposed.