The manager is very nice and accommodating. The cabin was super clean and cute. Views were amazing. Kitchen had plenty of cookware. I will definitely be back. We stayed in Snowshoe. Cons: no curtains. They finally brought us one and we used a sheet for the other slider. The oven had grease all over the bottom so it smoked the cabin out. The railing is not to code. Just a 2x4 across it. My little old dog fell off the deck. So if you have a child I would recommend a different cabin. My dog is sore but she is okay. read more

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Located right on Kit Carson Lake at around 7300 feet elevation, it's cooler here than the lower elevations for sure. I'm not staying overnight at the lodge, but coming here to enjoy the nice restaurant they have here and the outdoor dining. I hear they have a real trained chef here doing some great dinners. I'll have to try that sometime. It's super relaxing here, though a bit of a drive from South Lake Tahoe. This is more on the rustic side, rather than the resort side of things. The food here is basic lunch items like salads and burgers and sandwiches and of course french fries! Prices are reasonable considering you're way out in the middle of nowhere and someone has to pay to get all the supplies out here. We started with some Parmesan fries... very nice with a beer! My friend had a bacon cheeseburger with fries and I had a big salad. Both were made properly and tasted great sitting outside enjoying the quiet outdoors. After lunch we went for a walk down to the lake ... just beautiful! I'll review the lodging if I ever stay here. read more

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I do not like leaving reviews like this. What was a beautiful place . Is now a run down mess. There is trash in the bushes . Trash cans are left full at the cabins. THIS IS BEAR COUNTRY... Much of the help seemed to be foreign exchange students. Which is great. But there is nobody onsite that seems to be professional or care. The " cafe" is a fine from the health dept waiting to happen. They had cooked platters out for the help . Not covered and out for hours. Sitting at the register . The fare was horrible. Granted these cabins are set up for guest to cook and do their own fare. The cabin screen doors were off their hinges . Screens gone , lamp post broken and left. I don't need to go on. We booked three nights for our anniversary . We left at 7 am the next morning... Left a bunch of money on the table . but no thanks . read more

I have been going here since I was a kid. I'm now 65 years old. This has become a run-down shadow of it's beautiful past. I am so disappointed. Broken faucets, wrong size screens which do not close, broken doors and windows that do not lock. The place was dirty, mice in the cabin every night and the restaurant is a sham compared to prior years. What a shame for such an incredible location. The owners should be ashamed of themselves. read more

We normally camp during the summer months, and I had 3 camping reservations booked for May and June, but I had to cancel them for various reasons. I'm so happy I booked a room in early January for a weekend stay here in June. This lodge gets all booked up because of its location, so best to book early. It's a rustic lodge with internet only in the main office/restaurant area. No TVs in rooms and cabins as well. Our first stay was right after my school year ended when the lodge opened for the season in early June. I really needed to get away from my baking and other things. I needed some decompression time. This place was perfect for that. I got to relax, read, sleep in, walk around and just enjoy the beauty of the lake. We were woken up by rain in the wee hours of Sunday morning, but I didn't mind. I loved hearing the rain. The hubby went to the main lodge in the morning to look for coffee and served me coffee in bed. What could be better than that? Though it rained all day Sunday, we were still able to to enjoy the area around Silver Lake and Carson Pass. All we needed really was a good rain jacket and hiking boots. We visited all our favorite places like Woods Lake and Caples Lake. They were practically empty, especially Woods Lake. It didn't rain on our second visit (though it was still cold), so we were able to kayak on the lake. We kayaked from the north shore to the south shore and back. Over six miles. We saw a few people on kayak, on SUPs and a few people fishing on the shore. The food at their restaurant is very good. The burgers, Caesar Salad, Steak Quesadilla, Ribeye and Shrimp Linguine are all excellent. The servers and really all the staff members are so friendly and nice. One of them who served us a few times at the restaurant is a young lady from New Mexico and she is super nice. The first cabin we stayed at is called Tamarack and is lakeside. It has a balcony with chairs but since it rained we didn't really use it. But we felt like we were outdoors because of the glass windows. You can hear people next door as the cabin is not insulated. Luckily the people next to us on the 2nd night were quiet. The second cabin I loved. It's called Red Squirrel and it's a stand alone 1 bedroom cabin with a kitchen, living room and a large deck. After kayaking, we rested and read on the lounge chairs on the deck. We had some of the cheese and crackers we brought as well. There is a pot belly stove inside that you can use if you'd like. It was a cold night (temps got down to the 20s), so we used the heater. Unfortunately the wall heater is out in the living room. It didn't quite heat up the bedroom, so we just piled on the blankets. It was cold in the bathroom and the water pressure's not great, but I understand that they are trying to conserve water. We will definitely be back here next year--in June, not July or August. It's colder in June but I don't mind that. I'd rather not deal with crowds of people. read more

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Second trip out to the lodge to eat. The food is amazing! Sam and his staff take pride in what they do and it shows! Highly recommend spending a great afternoon at the lake and lodge! read more

So this place is really really rustic (read as: run down, broke down and dirty) and outdated. We stayed in Deer 1 and the list of things that were wrong is extensive. The cost for two nights was $883. That's about $450 dollars a night. That's a very decent hotel price. Think four stars at least. Normally, I wouldn't have stayed at any hotel/lodge with such run down, dirty and decrepit accommodations, but this was a wedding and so that wasn't an option and I wasn't paying. The water pressure was dismal. The shower dripped incessantly from BOTH the cold and hot water taps, in different rhythms. So that was fun listening to all night. The lodge sent a guy to fix, he said something about needing to find parts to fix, and said he laid a washcloth down to stop the noise. Um, that only works until the rag is saturated, then it's back to dripppppppp. Never did come and fix, and I read another reviewer had a near identical experience. Wonder if it's the same shower... lol Only one window actually locked, the rest of the two part locking mechanisms weren't even lined up enough to meet to lock. The large sliding door wouldn't stay shut fully unless you locked it, and the whole metal frame on the right hand side wasn't connected to the rest of the door, the bolts were completely missing. The screen had a large section that was pulled free of the gasket so no bug protection, although the gap between the two sliders was such that even had the door been securely bolted together, and the screen secure, bugs could still enter thru the gap. There was no door knob on the bathroom door. The bathroom window slammed shut of its own accord a few times as the pin keep loosing it's seating in the hole that secured it in the open position. The toilet seat rocks side to side as it is not properly secured to the floor, and that was fun in the dark, in the middle of the night...I used the stove for about 15 minutes and got really nauseated from the smell of gas, this is with ALL the windows and doors open! ALL OF THEM. I eventually ate my leftovers mildly warm as I couldn't take the overwhelming smell of gas any longer. The heater didn't turn on, probably best since we might have died had we slept with it on. Also it's one thing to be run down, broke down, you could at least be CLEAN. There were cobwebs on the windows, corners of the room, under the beds, in the shower... The sheets were crazy. Old and mismatched. My top sheet was white, my bottom sheet was beige, or I hope it was beige...There were coffee pods in the room, but a drip coffee maker, the blinds in one window in the bedroom were too short. Yup, extended fully, they left a good portion of the window uncovered. The restaurant was supposed to serve a breakfast buffet from 9-10am. We arrived at 9 and gave our order around 920ish. We were some of the first people to arrive and have our order taken. We were nearly the LAST people to get our food. Literally I got my food AFTER 11am. The audacity to charge nearly $900 for the shabby, broke down, dirty, non functioning cobweb covered room was flabbergasting! If I had been the one paying, I would have demanded a price adjustment. This wedding party rented the whole campsite/lodge and yet there were people not from the wedding party just wandering around and driving thru, stirring up dust on the wedding day...one last bit of info... There is one cabin in this entire campground that is decent updated and livable. It's not listed with photos (because who would accept one of the other cabins after seeing them) on their website (called Mackinaw) it was where the previous owner stayed when he was here. It's got new floors modern updated bathroom and kitchen and it's like a little studio apartment that's quite lovely. But even this cabin had such terrible water pressure I could pee with more pressure!!) Which just goes to show you even the owner of this place wouldn't live like these rooms expect you to live!! And that my friends is the most telling evidence that these rooms are unacceptable that you could possibly have!! The two stars are because the people who work here are so nice and friendly. read more

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The people who run this lodge are wonderful! It's rustic, it always has been, and it is the perfect place to unplug and enjoy the spectacular beauty of Silver Lake. The food is delicious, and the service is excellent. read more

Great place to relax and spend time with the family. We look forward to going back another year.

A magical place on silver lake! The staff is amazing, George makes you feel right at home! read more

The food was great. We both had a pasta dish and it was delicious! They also had local California wines reasonably priced.

This place is such a great resort. We stay here for a few days every summer and rent several cabins and hotel rooms for our families. The lake is good for swimming and fishing. The buildings are in good working order considering the extreme conditions. Fresh air, clean rooms, and night star sky keep us coming back. read more

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We were staying at the campground next door. Because it was supposed to be very cold on Friday night when everyone arrived, many of us decided to splurge and have dinner here instead of cooking. I like the dining room! (The ambiance is pretty cool and rustic in a elegant sorta way.) The server was great and sociable and to the point. Since this was the last weekend for the season, he informed us which menu items they were out of before we got our hopes up for anything in particular. I opted for the 8 oz steak strip cooked medium rare and served with mashed potatoes. When my food came out, the steak was cooked perfectly. I enjoyed my meal very much. The service made the meal even more enjoyable. If you're up near Carson pass anytime, I recommend splurging and having dinner here. read more

REVIEW FOR CAMP STORE ONLY We'd gone on a hike in the vicinity and stopped in for some ice cream and a drink on the way back. Drink selection was abominable - they had like 5 different types of Keystone or Busch beer and a few 7-11 type wines, all for exorbitant prices. We found a few drinks that weren't gross in the back of the cooler, the last few they had. My kingdom for a Pilsner. For a a few beers, a soda, and 3 ice cream sandwich-type items it was about $35. Look out for monster potholes on the road in - it's pretty bad, even for remote Sierras standards. read more

We really enjoyed our stay at Kit Carson. We stayed in one of the little hotel rooms facing the water. So great to have our own private balcony. The room was very sweet and super clean. All the basics. It is nice to stay in a place that has just about everything you need in one spot. A few things to note: there is no A/C in the hotel rooms. Not a big deal for us because we are used to it. We just utilized all the screened windows in the room. Also, the walls are very thin. You can hear EVERYTHING going on in your neighbor's room. It is great to have a restaurant on the premises although the food is overpriced for what it is. We found the waitstaff to be very attentive and friendly. We look forward to going back! read more

My family and I stay in the Polar Bear cabin every summer for 3-4 nights during the week. While the cabins are rustic and not new by any sense of the word, they are comfortable and have simple needs met. Some of the reviews are a bit harsh, and I don't recommend you stay here if you're expecting room service or anything else that you can't just do for yourself. Bring food and common necessities and then enjoy the lake and the peace. Focus your attention inward and breath in those amazing high country smells. It should be noted that it has recently changed hands and we will be experiencing the new owners this summer and I can update my review then should it change. read more

Love this tucked away rustic lodge right on the lake. Enjoy the water, scenery and nature. Close to Lake Tahoe but a world away from the hustle and bustle of people and commercialism. read more

Fabulous meal with my love, date night after paddling around silver lake and hiking into Margaret lake, kid free dinner. Delicious bottle of wine, amazing linguine carbonara and chicken marsala. read more

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So disappointing after over 60 years of this being an annual family favorite. We even went twice in 2022. It was fine with last year's manager but it really shows that it is not owner occupied and managed with local experience now. So sad. Definitely not worth the $3600 for a week. Truly breaks our hearts. read more

I stayed overnight in Kirkwood and drove to Silver Lake for the day. I came across the restaurant they have on site and stopped in to have dinner but they were talking reservations only. So I decided to have a beer and sit outside on a bench. The staff there were very friendly. I happen to see a chili cheese dog and the counter and asked where they got it as I was hungry and it looked delicious. The gentleman working there told me it was the staffs dinner and ended up bringing me one on the house. I thought that was so kind. I sat on the bench with the beautiful ambiance of white lights over looking the lake. Such a beautiful place with the kindness of staff. read more

Not what it was. This used to be a place that families returned to year after year. But the ownership has changed, and now they are intent on extracting as much money from you as possible. Cabin costs are much higher now and cancellations are charged at a full 100%, no matter how much advanced notice you give. I ordered a $42 rib eye steak for dinner and was served a meal that could have come from a Sizzler Steak House. Do yourself a favor and drive a few more miles to stay at Caples Lake. read more

Went downhill with new absentee owner. In poor shape compared to brad and mikes ownership

Beautiful location but horrible customer service. Cabin was infested with carpenter ants, and general maintenance was lacking. Booking process was borderline fraudulent. Website says they don't charge until 60 days prior to the reservation date and the charged mine immediately. They also tacked on a travel protection plan I didn't want that added over $340 to my bill. When approached about removing this charge they told me in writing it would be taken care of. I was then told there was new management and there was no guarantee! Never got the money back. A standard response from staff was "new management"! Sad that such a wonderful place appears to be going downhill. read more

Just got here from a 3-hour hike and wanted some lunch. Walked in the restaurant at 1:50pm. Checked out the menu, looked good. Stood there for another few minutes being ignored by everyone. Finally asked a person I presume is the waitress: "Is this where you order?". Sorry we close at 2:00pm was her answer. WHAT THE FUCK. If you want to close at 1:50pm then change your fucking hours to indicate 1:50pm. Half assed fucking people up here. read more

this is terrible place, i have stayed in Fox cabin, kitchen was full of mice poop, it was everywhere on the plates, cups, on the table .....everywhere and it costs huge amount of money Plus, it says they work 24/7 but when i went to front desk at 9:15 pm there was no one, i had to make very important call thanks i missed it Definitely will never ever go there again read more

I was admittedly worried after reading some reviews. Don't let them stop you from going to this amazing spot. We went here for my wife's birthday and we're so pleasantly surprised by the service, food and atmosphere. We started off with a Pino and I got a local Saison. We also had the scallops. They had a slightly spicy cream sauce and were plated elegantly on a bed of spinach with bacon mushrooms and more. The scallops were small but plentiful on the plate and we both had our fill. I enjoyed a cup of bacon potato soup and it was great too! For our main courses, she had the pork chop with a blueberry sauce and some amazing potatoes and veggies. I had the NY steak which was way larger than a 12oz cut. I ordered it medium rare and it came out hot but a touch rare - not an issue as it was so delicious I didn't even mind. Several other guests ordered desserts and both the bread pudding and chocolate cake looked absolute amazing - we didn't have room so maybe next time!! read more

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This resort in Kit Carson, California is tucked into the El Dorado National Forest with a view of Silver Lake and is accessible through a narrow mountain driveway. There are various cabins,like the general store,restaurant,boat rental and the ones you stay in. You will probably see chipmunks and mountain Jay's. Even if you are not staying in a cabin, it is a good place to rent a boat and fish for the day. The rental fee is sixty do,lars for two hours and twenty for each hour after that.If you don't own a life jacket they will provide one. An employee helps you get on the boat, instructs how the motor works, and fills you in on the rules. Employees are very helpful here. You then enjoy the views of the beautiful mountains and large rock beaches. Didn't catch any fish, unfortunately, but is fun just the same. The restaurant has a small lunch menu with good choices. I had the Silver Lake burger, which has bacon,onions and gruyere cheese, and was quite good. My dad had the fish and chips whi c h he enjoyed. The general store has lots of Kit Carson Lodge and Silver Lake shirts,including tank tops,plus basic fod6,snacks and souvenirs. There is an art gallery that has some paintings or prints, cups,and jewelry. Arou d the resort there are interesting carved wooden statues. All in all a peaceful way to spend your day and enjoy nature. read more

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Went for lunch place has really been fixed up and very nice. We went for lunch I had the cheeseburger 8 oz which is very good with fries. My wife had the Chili Bowl which she really enjoyed also. Our waitress was perfect and the outdoor seating was fantastic. read more

As a Kirkwood homeowner, we're very appreciative of any restaurants we can go out to without driving all the way to South Lake. We've been coming to the Kit Carson Restaurant for many years, under several owners. We dined there last night. As always, the ambience is exceptional - you get to see a view of Silver Lake from most of the outdoor tables, and it's a great place to spend a summer evening in the area. The upside is the ambience and the wine list. Not only do they have some great Amador wines, but they also offer exceptional prices - barely above retail. That's the upside. The downside is the food and service. I ordered a New York strip steak. It reminded me of the twice per semester times that the cafeteria in my college dorm served NY steak - yes it was steak, but it would be hard to find a cheaper cut. We ordered a caprese salad. I love caprese salads, and I have to say it was the worst one I've ever had. Tomatoes are in season, but you'd never know it from the one used in our salad. The mozzarella was horrible, and there was virtually nothing else on it. My wife, a vegetarian, ordered pasta. It's hard to screw up pasta, but she found it dry, tasteless, and almost unedible. Regarding service, Kit Carson should invest some energy in training their wait stuff. The woman who was our server, from San Luis Obispo, had a really obnoxious attitude, on top of not knowing anything about the basics of being a good waiter. So in summary, it's a great location to hang out on the outside area, and the wine selection and pricing is awesome. Just make sure to show up with very low expectations regarding both food quality and service. read more

Kit Carson Lodge - Great prices on Jeff Rundquist wines! - Hotels Near Me - Kit Carson, California

This is your quintessential tiny mountain lodge and we really enjoyed our stay there - we had been before. Newcomers to the Kit Carson Lodge will enjoy it best if they know what to expect. The prices aren't cheap, and this might lead one to think they are heading somewhere more like a resort, and this isn't. The rooms are tiny and the cabins are small. The entire property is built from 1x12 knotty pine - something you just won't see anymore. Most of the construction dates back to 1926. The views are great from all rooms and the dining hall is perfect. Many families we talked to had been coming back for years. Expect to meet other families around the campfire at night. Summer only, closed during snow season. Elevation is 7,500 so dress warmly. If you're seeking privacy of any type, you'll want to get one of the cabins, not the hotel rooms. Elegant, luxurious, prestigious? No. Genuine, rustic, authentic? Yes. Don't bring your dog (not allowed). read more

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Yes, we went back for two more dinners. Hard to give up having dinner on the beautiful new deck under twinkling string lights with a view of Silver Lake. My first review of the season was harsh, but true. The last dinner of the season for us of fresh trout served by a very attentive and courteous server made us remember why we have enjoyed dinner at Kit Carson for so many years in the past. Thank you, George, for taking my phone call and listening to me about what was wrong with that first dinner experience of the season. Better yet, you fixed it !!! ( one little request - Can you bring back cushions on the outside seating chairs ? ) read more

Amazing views & superb service! This place is top notch! Thank you George for showing us a great time!

Beautiful place, terrible services although very friendly foreign staff. Really spotty restaurant service, not enough staff (working one poor girl to death). Office staff consistently were unable to answer basic questions about the place, or had misinformation. What's happening with the management in this place? They're really hurting their own business. A pity, because surroundings are beautiful and serene. read more

George went above and beyond the call of duty. He is awesome and truly came through for our family!

George in the lodge store went above and BEYOND to help our family in a big way. We're so grateful! We will definitely be back to this beautiful area of the woods!!! read more

George saved us by getting us some diapers from his own personal supply when we had forgotten ours. God bless you George!

Food was amazing! However the male waiter, Brian I believe was EXTREMELY rude to the other employees. The kitchen door was open and you could here him cussing at the other employees and the one lady working has a accent and she did not hear what he said and he rudely told her "if you understood English". Not ok the way he treated them!!! read more

Kit Carson Lodge restaurant unexpectedly closed for our entire visit! We were counting on the restaurant for at least three of the six meals we would want as we booked two "lodge rooms" for two nights each. Not cheap. No mention of closure on their web site or at check in! Inconvenient and disappointing. Desk staff said they had a staffing problem but manager sat on the deck playing backgammon at dinner hour as our party of 5 was turned away. read more

This place is awful, piss on the mattress, can't use the plugs, bad plumbing, & rude staff.

I see many reviews regarding the restaurant, we did not eat there. This place cam highly recommended by a good friend, so we opted to give it a shot. A cabin with a view of the lake (Silver Lake), 2 beds, 1 double, 1 single. Full kitchen, small bathroom w/shower only, small dining area. Cute and perfect for 2 adults, maybe also a young child say 6 and up. Each cabin has its own BBQ and a fireplace. Wood, trash bags, coffee filters are provided. No housekeeping in the cabins,(which is fine) you can exchange towels and linens at the office. No dell service or Internet, except at the office they have free wi-fi. 7 nights, just under $2,200.00. Upon arrival, we figured we'd head to the office to check-in, but we could not find the office right away, because it is in the Art Gallery, which we found out after looking around and asking. I was a bit taken by how close the cabins were to each other, but I will say the "map" online does hint at this fact.So we head to our cabin. Here it comes: I went straight to the deck to see the beautiful lake, but you can't really see the lake because there are trees, big trees along the bank,in front of the deck, so rather than a 180 degree panorama, we got a 12 degree peek. I went next to check the bathroom facilities (because this is what I always check first, that is, when there's no lake to check out first. I was not very happy with the cleanliness, there was some mold in every corner of the shower stall, so we our flip-flops when we used it. When we turned on the light over the sink, the chain came off and could not be put back on as it broke inside the fixture, so we had to loosen and tighten the bulb. The rods that operated the blinds also broke off in the kitchen and one in the main bedroom. The deck is in major disrepair, the railing was loose, and you don't dare go out in your socks because of the 3-4" splinters (I measured them). Dry rot was present at all the main junctions and the deck floor was creaky and wobbly, so if you were in a lounge chair and someone walked behind you your chair would go up and down as they walked. One of the 2 screen doors was jammed, the glass slider was out of line with its track, noisy and hard to open and close. That door's screen was also very noisy and hard to open and close (we used some bar soap on the track which helped a bit). They generate their own electricity so no toasters or microwaves, and plugs were not common (this is not a complaint, just a fact). After 2 nights of a very stuffed nose and shortness of breath I thought I would have adjusted to the 7,000' altitude. After the 3rd night I was really suspicious so I looked under the bed. Wow. The dust buildup must have been accumulating for months, many months. Further inspection found this to be true under everything that had an underside. In short, disrepair and hasty cleaning (and some tree work) will cure the ills of an otherwise decent effort. read more