As any skier worth their powder will tell you, it’s hard to beat the USA for the quantity and quality of snow. Sure, Europe has dramatic peaks, but here you’ll find fluffy snow and adrenaline-inducing trails. Our top picks of the best places to ski in the USA include resorts for both beginners and experts.
From lakeside mountain resorts to fresh alpine routes, these amazing ski destinations in North America are a must-visit.
Heavenly in Sierra Nevada Mountains has more terrain than any other Tahoe resort (30 chairlifts and 100 trails), high-end hotels and fine dining options. There’s also more vertical to ski – 3,500 feet from top to bottom.
Don’t miss their legendary Aprés Ski parties: DJs spin music as a group known as the Heavenly Angels dance on tables and hundreds of skiers unbuckle their boots and join the fun.
Park City is the most popular of all the top ski resorts in Utah, and it’s not just a ski destination but a bustling community of outdoor sports lovers. The town hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, so expect amazing facilities.
Of the 16 chairlifts at Park City Mountain Resort, four are high-speed six-seaters and one takes you up the mountain directly from the town’s Main Street.
Just two hours from Denver, Vail is a luxurious paradise for skiers, with gourmet restaurants, art galleries and hotels, as well as the largest ski area in the country. The air is fresh and thin at the base areas at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level, with perfect champagne powder.
The rustic town of Aspen is one of the most famous places to ski in the USA, with luxury shops and is a celeb hotspot. Yet it still feels charming and laid back. Beginner-friendly Buttermilk is home to the Winter X Games and a massive half-pipe and terrain park for both snowboarding and freestyle skiing.
Don’t miss out on a cocktail at the J Bar, a favourite drinking hole of late Aspen resident and famous novelist Hunter S.Thompson.
Killington Resort, with six mountains and 140 trails, is the largest and most popular in the area. It’s great for skiers who don’t mind hard-packed conditions. Why? It gets colder here than any other ski destination in the United States!
The terrain difficulty is split evenly among all levels of skier. There is also a 3,000-foot vertical drop that measures six miles in length and will take you hours to complete.
Every winter, Californians and tourists alike flock to this ski and snowboard paradise. Known for its unusually high snowfall – roughly 1,000cm is the annual average – Mammoth Mountain is the highest ski resort in California.
From steep chutes to wide open bowls and 150 trails, there’s a bit of something for everyone here. It’s well deserving of its rep as a world-class winter sports destination.
Big Sky Resort has roughly 2,350 hectares of slopes. So, it’s one of the largest ski and snowboard resorts in the USA. Open from late November to mid-April, Big Sky’s biggest attraction is Lone Peak, a 3,403-meter summit that has areas for novices and experts alike.
Plus, the resort has heaps of free time activities from horseback rides, whitewater rafting, spa services, scenic lift, hiking, biking, to Yellowstone Park day trips, yoga and pilates classes.
Co-founder of Big 7 Travel, Sarah created the company through her passion for championing the world's best food and travel experiences. Before her career in digital media, where she previously held roles such as Editor of Food&Wine Ireland, Sarah worked in the hospitality industry in Dublin and New York. Contact [email protected]
