For those who enjoy practicing sports by spending time in nature breathing the fresh air of the mountains, there is no better way to do it than skiing in the powder snow through a beautiful trail between trees. Skiing is an increasingly popular activity among Americans. Skiers and snowboarders set a record for visits to ski resorts nationwide during the 2021-2022 season, according to the National Ski Areas Association. Besides being fun, this sport is a good workout that provides multiple advantages to your health, mental well-being, and quality of life. After a day of shredding the slopes, après-ski beverages at a comfortable lodge are also a nice benefit.
Picking the right ski resort for your next holiday is essential regardless of your skill level. From coast to coast, America is home to some of the world’s most breathtaking ski resorts. Famous Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York ski areas attract skiers and snowboarders from all over the globe. However, Western ski destinations like Aspen, Colorado, and Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on the boundary between California and Nevada, attract the heavyweights. So, if you are looking for the ideal ski destination, this is a list of the best ski resorts in the United States.
Park City Mountain Resort, Utah
This mountain destination is best known for its abundance of skiing and snowboarding. It is also home to the Utah Olympic Park for Nordic jumping and ice skating. Park City has two world-class resorts: Park City Mountain and Deer Valley.
Park City Mountain Resort has almost 40 lifts and more than 7,300 acres of terrain, surpassing all other U.S. ski and snowboard resorts. It offers trails, bowls, parks, and two major base areas. This Utah ski town, close to a major airport, provides a variety of bars and restaurants and may appeal to both the wealthy and the average person.
Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
Mt. Bachelor is North America’s sixth-largest ski area, with over 4,300 acres of ski slopes. This destination may lack some amenities, and for that reason, it does not attract crowds. Mt. Bachelor is attractive to skiers because of its fantastic spring skiing and unique terrain that allows them to ski 360 degrees around the inactive volcano. Visitors to the area can find excellent shopping and restaurants just 20 minutes away in the artistic city of Bend. Also, 11 direct flights from cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Seattle make it increasingly accessible.
Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana
This family-friendly resort in Montana, renowned for its 360-degree views of the Flathead Valley, boasts nearly 3,000 acres of terrain. This bustling resort is open all year round for the summit panorama viewpoint, Central Avenue shopping, and base lodge. In addition, Ski Magazine readers rate Whitefish Mountain Resort as a top resort in the West.
Experienced skiers enjoy the many groomed trails, which offer a unique adventure for visitors of all skill levels. The resort is only a 30-minute drive from Glacier Park International Airport (FCA/GPI), and the S.N.O.W. Bus stops between the resort and downtown Whitefish for free.
Snowmass, Colorado
With an elevation drop of 4,406 feet and enough variety, the most expansive of Aspen Snowmass’s four mountains is a family favorite. Furthermore, Snowmass Base Village has transformed it into a social hub with an ice skating rink and great restaurants. Guests of the region may have an on-mountain dining experience that is on par with those you’d find in Europe.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is reputed to have some of the most challenging skiing in North America. However, there are numerous intermediate runs off the Bridger Gondola, and a new base area quad lift, Eagle’s Rest, transports beginners to the two-year-old, mid-mountain Solitude Station Learning Center. The resort is known for its exceptional on-snow experiences, which include a Mindful Ski and Snowboard Camp for those who want to center themselves while exploring the mountain and private tours with the legendary Tommy Moe, an Olympic skiing medalist. Sign up for one of the resort’s Lady Shred Ski and Snowboard Camps if you want to learn with and from other women who love to rip.
Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire
The resort is only two hours north of Boston. At a reasonable price, Waterville Valley gives authentic mountain getaways. As New Hampshire’s Family Resort, it offers free ski resort shuttles, family-friendly après-ski parties, and top-notch ski programs for kids. It also has full-service childcare on the mountain. The resort is also known as the cross-country skiing center of the Northeast. It has more than 71 km of Nordic tracks groomed daily for regular and skate skiing.
Vail, Colorado
Vail has 5,317 acres of skiable terrain, with 3,000 of those acres across the mountain’s seven famed Back Bowls. The Back Bowls provide broad open snow fields, mainly intermediate-to-advanced and ungroomed terrain. You may also visit Belle’s Camp in Vail’s Blue Sky Basin, where outdoor picnic tables offer the ideal sun-soaked lunch break with panoramic views of Mount Holy Cross, one of Colorado’s highest peaks.
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is the birthplace of destination skiing; with over 2,400 acres of various terrain, skiers and riders can enjoy something unique on two separate mountains. Bald Mountain’s diverse terrain and absence of lift lines make it one of the world’s best ski mountains. The Bald Mountain skiing journey is enhanced with themed Adventure Trails for kids, which span 30 acres of glade terrain and are suitable for all skill levels. Meanwhile, beginner-friendly Dollar Mountain is the ideal spot for families with kids to gain confidence, and it has the Wundercarpet, an easy uphill transporter for the little ones. Sun Valley is more accessible than ever, with six nonstop flights from six locations, including Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Okemo Mountain Resort, Vermont
Okemo is a ski resort that offers a different experience from the usual rugged New England ski spirit. Instead, it embraces a more pampered approach to skiing the Northeast. For example, it features heated seats and wind-proof orange bubbles on the Sunburst Six lift, farm-fresh restaurants, and DIY S’mores at the base. Okemo is an excellent choice for families as it has an excellent ski school, mellow terrain, impeccable grooming, and fun kids programs. Additionally, it boasts the highest snowmaking efficiency amongst all ski resorts in Vermont, which means that the conditions are almost always fantastic.
