--- title: "Leland High Sierra Snow Play — Sledding Near Arnold | Arnold Haven" description: "Groomed sledding lanes with tubes included and a warming hut, about an hour and three quarters from our Arnold cabins on Highway 108." lang: en json-ld: --- [Skip to content](#main-content) [![](/__l5e/assets-v1/84bf9984-9cf8-406b-aaf5-dbde0a9f8c6a/arnold-haven-mark-white.png)Arnold Haven Arnold · California ](/) [Cabins](/cabins)[Explore](/explore)[Guides](/guides)[Membership](/circle)[Support](/chalet-bruin-future)[Merch](/merch)[Book a stay](/cabins) ![Leland High Sierra Snow Play](/assets/leland-snow-play-hill-evrbRQRi.jpg) Explore Arnold # Leland High Sierra Snow Play Groomed sledding lanes, tubes included and a warming hut with a fire — the easiest winter day out with small children anywhere near the cabins, about an hour and three quarters away on Highway 108. [Check availability](/cabins)[See the cabins](/cabins) First things first ## First things first Leland is a snow play area rather than a ski hill, and that is exactly why families love it. You pay for a session, they hand you a tube, and you slide down groomed lanes on a hill that has been shaped for it — no lift tickets, no lessons, no equipment to rent or fit. Between runs there is a warming hut, a fire and food, which is the difference between a good day and a cold one. It sits high on the Highway 108 corridor above Strawberry, deep enough into the mountains that there is usually snow when the lower country has none. From Arnold it is about an hour and three quarters: down Highway 4, south through Sonora, then up 108. ![Families sliding down groomed tubing lanes on a snowy hill surrounded by snow-laden conifers](/assets/leland-snow-play-hill-evrbRQRi.jpg) Geography ## Where Leland High Sierra Snow Play sits ![Illustrated antique-style map of California inside the United States with a gold marker on the Leland snow play area high on the Highway 108 corridor, with engraved snowy conifer slopes and sled hills](/assets/leland-snow-play-C6amxQkw.jpg) Illustrated locator map — for orientation, not navigation. The snow play area sits high on the western slope above Strawberry, on the stretch of Highway 108 that holds snow reliably from December into March. It is forested, sheltered and shaped for sledding rather than skiing, at an elevation where storms arrive as snow rather than rain. It is about 70 miles from Chalet Bruin and Koda Loft via Sonora and Highway 108 — roughly an hour and three quarters in good conditions. Region High central Sierra Nevada, Highway 108 corridor County Tuolumne County Elevation About 6,000 ft Nearest town Strawberry; Pinecrest is a few miles west Getting there Highway 108 east above Strawberry 02 ## What a session looks like Sessions are timed and usually sold in blocks, with tube use included, and busy days sell out — this is a place to book ahead rather than turn up hopefully. Lanes are separated by size, so the smallest children are not sharing a run with teenagers, and staff manage the top of the hill. Everything about a snow day is warmth: waterproof trousers, real gloves, a spare pair of socks in the car, and a change of clothes for the drive home. Bring more layers than you think and you will stay for the whole session instead of half of it. ![Families sliding down groomed tubing lanes on a snowy hill surrounded by snow-laden conifers](/assets/leland-snow-play-hill-evrbRQRi.jpg) ![A snowy base area with a timber warming hut and stacks of coloured snow tubes beside plowed banks](/assets/leland-snow-play-base-L2xXOac0.jpg) 03 ## Cross-country and snowshoeing nearby The same corridor is good for quieter winter days. Groomed and marked trails in the area suit cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, with meadows and forest roads that are gentle enough for a first attempt and long enough to make an afternoon of. Trail grooming, parking and any snow-park permit requirements change through the season and between operators, so check the current conditions with the operator and the Stanislaus National Forest before setting out. ![Cross-country ski and snowshoe tracks crossing a snow-covered mountain meadow at dusk](/assets/leland-snow-meadow-BDzSakI7.jpg) 04 ## The drive and the season Highway 108 is plowed but it is a mountain highway, and chain controls are normal during and after storms. Carry chains, leave a margin of daylight, and check Caltrans road conditions before you commit to the drive up. The season runs on snow, not on the calendar. Mid-December through March is the reliable window, with January and February the surest bets. Opening and closing dates move every year — confirm the operator is open before you leave the cabin. ![Cross-country ski and snowshoe tracks crossing a snow-covered mountain meadow at dusk](/assets/leland-snow-meadow-BDzSakI7.jpg) ![Families sliding down groomed tubing lanes on a snowy hill surrounded by snow-laden conifers](/assets/leland-snow-play-hill-evrbRQRi.jpg) 05 ## Where to stay for a snow day Arnold sits right at the snow line, which is the useful place to be in winter: enough snow to feel like the mountains, not so much that you are digging out a driveway. Both cabins have full kitchens, heat and a hot tub, and Bear Valley and Dodge Ridge are within range of the same stay if the older kids want lifts. - [CHALET BRUIN — 12 guests, 5 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/chalet-bruin) - [KODA LOFT — 4 guests, 2 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/koda-loft) ![A snowy base area with a timber warming hut and stacks of coloured snow tubes beside plowed banks](/assets/leland-snow-play-base-L2xXOac0.jpg) ![Cross-country ski and snowshoe tracks crossing a snow-covered mountain meadow at dusk](/assets/leland-snow-meadow-BDzSakI7.jpg) Nearby ## Keep exploring [ ![Dodge Ridge Ski Resort](/__l5e/assets-v1/2dc54f81-c832-474f-8888-cbb536e770b8/dodge-ridge-tubing.jpg) ### Dodge Ridge Ski Resort The nearest lift-served mountain to Leland, with its own tubing lanes at the base. Discover ↗ ](/explore/dodge-ridge-ski-resort) [ ![Bear Valley Ski Resort](/assets/bear-valley-mountain-BDf5kSkT.webp) ### Bear Valley Ski Resort The closer mountain to the cabins, straight up Highway 4 — about an hour in winter. Discover ↗ ](/explore/bear-valley-ski-resort) [ ![Pinecrest Lake](/assets/pinecrest-lake-shoreline-ByS9bVzH.jpg) ### Pinecrest Lake The same corridor in summer: sandy beach, warm water and a four-mile lake loop. Discover ↗ ](/explore/pinecrest-lake) Good to know ## Frequently asked questions How far is Leland Snow Play from Arnold? + Roughly 70 miles by road via Highway 4, Highway 49 and Highway 108 — about an hour and three quarters each way in good conditions. Do you need to bring your own sled? + No. Tube use is included with a session, and outside sleds are generally not allowed on the groomed lanes. Check the operator's current rules when you book. Should we book ahead? + Yes. Sessions are timed and weekends and holidays sell out, so reserve rather than turning up. Will we need chains? + Often, yes. Highway 108 is chain-controlled during and after storms — carry chains in winter and check Caltrans conditions before you drive up. ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/84bf9984-9cf8-406b-aaf5-dbde0a9f8c6a/arnold-haven-mark-white.png) Arnold Haven Cabin stays in Arnold, California — minutes from Calaveras Big Trees State Park, White Pines Lake and Bear Valley. 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