SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Mountain bikers have a new way to access South Lake Tahoe’s trail network, with Heavenly Mountain Resort now allowing riders, for the first time, to load their bikes onto the gondola and exit at Mid-Station.
Heavenly Mountain Resort and the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Tahoe Fund, hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday to celebrate the new bike access and the grand opening of the Panorama Trail, which begins at Mid-Station.
“This epic trail offers amazing lake views,” said Drew Bray, executive director of TAMBA. “It goes from the Mid-Station of the Heavenly Gondola, loops around the mountains, then opens up into epic views of the Carson Valley before passing the East Peak Lodge and continuing on to connect to the Tahoe Rim Trail.”
The project aims to make the region’s extensive trail network more accessible to riders by allowing them to bypass a portion of the climb to reach higher-elevation trails.
“We’ve been working on this idea for over 15 years, on how to make more inclusive bike access to the expansive community network of trails we have, while taking out a little bit of the hard pedaling out of the equation for people,” said Peter Disch, Vice President of Mountain Operations at Heavenly.
The gondola’s Mid-Station sits approximately 2,000 feet above Lake Tahoe and provides riders with access to the newly opened Panorama Trail and surrounding routes.
“I’m really curious to see how the community engages with us and look to see how we can continue to partner with TAMBA and the Rim Trail to continue to expand our trails in the future,” Disch said.
The project was made possible through a partnership among Heavenly, TAMBA, Tahoe Fund and the U.S. Forest Service.
“All the big initiatives that happen here in South Lake Tahoe, it’s the community that puts them together,” Disch said. “So all these organizations, we are constantly working together on a multitude of community efforts. We have a really strong partnership.”
Beginning Monday, Aug. 17, locals and visitors can bring their bikes aboard the Heavenly Gondola and exit at Mid-Station. From there, riders can connect to the Panorama Trail via the Mid-Station Connector Trail and access regional routes including the Tahoe Rim Trail and Van Sickle Trail. Class 1 e-bikes are also permitted.
Bike access pricing
Day passes
- Northstar Bike Park pass holders: Free
- 2026-27 Epic Pass holders: $39
- Walk-up guests: $39, plus a gondola sightseeing ticket
Day bike-access tickets include unlimited gondola upload rides for the day.
Season passes
- Epic Pass holders: $70
- Walk-up guests: $219
