Best USA Ski Resorts 2024-205

#2 Alta, Utah

Alta is next to Snowbird in location and next to Snowbird on my list. Sorry snowboarders, you are not allowed at Alta. If I was a rider, I’d be annoyed, but I’m not so I’ll let it slide. Alta has some great runs that require short hikes, which means that little bit of effort keeps them nice and fresh. The tow-rope/traverse at the bottom is probably the biggest negative as it is required to get back and forth from either side of the mountain.

Pros: Terrain difficulty, Snowfall, Powder

Cons: Après-ski, No snowboarding, Lodging options

#3 Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Some of the most challenging terrain in the US is found at Jackson Hole. the best known is the venerated Corbet’s Couloir run. However, there are also Rendezvous Bowl and a lot of chutes to ski. The high prices and long lines (nearly an hour long for aerial tram) knock it down a few spots in my rankings.

Pros: Terrain difficulty, Snowfall, Powder

Cons: High crowds

#4 Grand Targhee, Wyoming

I skied Grand Targhee last year. However, I fell in love with this place. They got dumped on and the powder was aplenty. Also, compared to it’s Wyoming neighbor Jackson Hole, it is less crowded, less expensive, has nicer people and some equally challenging terrain. I can’t wait to go back.

Pros: Low crowds, Terrain difficulty, Snowfall, Powder, Fun vibe

Cons: Lodging options

#5 Park City, Utah

Park City was a new place to ski for me in 2024 and I really enjoyed it! Combined with Canyons on the same lift pass via a gondola from one side to the other, Park City is now the largest skiable terrain in the United States. Additionally, there is some great terrain like the 2 person Jupiter lift, McConkey’s express and the Ninety-nine 90 lift on the canyons side. I’ll be back!!

Pros: Terrain difficulty, Powder, Large terrain, Après ski

Cons: Expensive lodging

#6 Copper Mountain, Colorado

Copper Mountain mountain deserves respect. I rated it lower than some nearby resorts like Vail and Breck the first few times I skied it. However, Copper continually builds this place up and added lift access to Tucker Mountain. Additionally, it is much more affordable than other nearby Vail resorts. They offer a popular “4 pack” for about $400 for 4 or 5 days (depending if you purchase early before the season). The mountain is great for all abilities.

Pros: Terrain for every skier, Price

Cons: Bottom lifts can get crowded

#7 Vail, Colorado

Vail was amazing to me the first time I skied it. It is one of the larger resorts in the United States and it has some great terrain including the back bowls and Blue Sky Basin. I dropped it in my rankings last year, but the early-purchase Epic pass deals for just over $100 make it reasonably affordable again.

Pros: Terrain difficulty, Large terrain

Cons: Price, Crowds

#8 Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Arapahoe Basin has the nickname “The Legend” for good reason. There is great skiing and it is full of expert terrain. Some of the lifts are slow, but they are slowly updating the infrastructure. Just slow down and enjoy the beauty of this mountain. A Basin is the opposite of a Vail mountain. Head down to the parking lot (affectionately known as “The Beach”) to tailgate and grill lunch from the lot.

Pros: Price, Terrain difficulty, Long ski season, Fun vibe

Cons: Lift speeds, Lodging options

#9 Aspen Highlands, Colorado

I skied Aspen Highlands a long time ago. It snowed a ton, which always tends to gives me nostalgia. The hike up to Highland bowl is well worth it and opens up some of the most fun skiing I’ve ever experienced. Unfortunately, it is a long drive from Denver to Aspen and it is expensive to fly, so it’s not someplace I’d end up skiing frequently.

Pros: Terrain Difficulty

Cons: Lodging prices

#10 Palisades Tahoe, California

Palisades Tahoe was formerly known as Squaw Valley. Regardless what you call it, this mountain has some great terrain, including the KT22 lift that is fun top to bottom.

The 1960 Winter Olympics were held at Squaw Valley and you can see the rings in the village.

Pros: Terrain difficulty

Cons: Shorter ski season than Colorado/Utah

#11 Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge gets a bump along with some of the other Vail resorts due to the reasonable early-purchase discounts on the single-day Epic tickets (purchase before December). It is a fun town with some great restaurants and some great skiing.

Pros: Après ski, Skiable terrain

Cons: Layout traverse, Price

#12 Aspen Mountain, Colorado

Aspen Mountain, also known as “Ajax” is as well known for it’s posh town as it is the skiing. However, the skiing is legit. Just don’t be offended when the locals pretend you don’t exist. It’s not you, it’s them.

Pros: Terrain Difficulty

Cons: Lodging prices

#13 Steamboat, Colorado

Steamboat equals great skiing and a cute town. The mountain has a lot of ski-out rentals if that is what you are looking for.

Pros: Apres ski, Lodging options

Cons: Distance from Denver airport

#14 Loveland, Colorado

I heart Loveland! It is hard to call this a “hidden gem” when people literally have to drive through it (the Eisenhower Tunnel runs through it on I-70) to get to most of the other Colorado resorts, but so it goes. It has really no lodging and limited food options. Because of this, it gets more Denver locals. Loveland is along the continental divide, so it can get pretty bare and icy if they haven’t had any recent snow. But on a powder day it is as good as anywhere in my opinion. If you look around you can find bogo coupons so it makes it one of the better deals for skiing.

Pros: Price, Terrain difficulty

Cons: Apres ski, Lodging options, Ice

#15 Winter Park, Colorado

Winter Park is another place where we got a ton of snow, so that always brings back great memories. I’d like to get back and ski there sometime. Also, it is one of the closer resorts to Denver. Make sure to hit up the famous Mary Jane lift on a powder day.

Pros: Terrain for every skier, Price

Cons: Après ski

#16 Powder Mountain, Utah

Powder Mountain is also known as “Pow Mow” by the locals. If you can get past driving to the parking lot, the skiing is fun. Just be aware that the elevation is lower than other Utah resorts, so spring skiing starts a little earlier. It seems like the secret is out, as they were limiting season passes this past year.

Pros: Snowfall, Terrain variety, Fun vibe

Cons: Après ski

#17 Solitude, Utah

As the name suggests, Solitude is one of the few places that you feel like you have the mountain to yourself. It is not as big or as steep as Snowbird or Alta, but it is always good for a day while in the area.

Pros: Snowfall, Crowds

Cons: Après ski, Lodging options

#18 Kirkwood, California

I really loved Kirkwood when I skied there in 2008. Since then, Vail purchased it. Has it gone downhill since then? I’m not sure, but part of me just wants to remember it for what it was, a great ski mountain.

Pros: Crowds, Terrain difficulty, Fun vibe

Cons: Après ski, Lodging options, Shorter ski season than Colorado/Utah

#19 Heavenly, California

Heavenly is laid out a bit weird, it is difficult to get from one side of the mountain to the other, and there is a massive bottleneck to get down the gondola back into the town at the end of the day.

However, it is located on the California-Nevada border and the views of Lake Tahoe are simply amazing.

Pros: Après ski, Views, Lodging options

Cons: Shorter ski season than Colorado/Utah

#20 Beaver Creek, Colorado

Beaver Creek is another place I haven’t been to in a long time. I always choose to go to Vail since they are on the same pass. However, I’d like to try it again sometime!

Pros: Après ski, Views, Lodging options

Cons: Price, Lodging price

#21 Keystone, Colorado

I mistakenly took a beginner skier to Keystone. There is only one green (Schoolmarm) on the mountain that traverses down the front and it can  get really busy. There is a gondola that connects the first two peaks. Also, the Outback has some good tree runs.

Pros: Lodging options, Tree skiing

Cons: Terrain variety, Après ski

#22 Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

The terrain did not thrill me the one time I went to Aspen Snowmass. However, it gets good family reviews. Additionally, there are people who hand out cookies in the lift line!

Pros: Service

Cons: Lodging prices, Terrain Difficulty

#23 Snowbasin, Utah

Some of the nicest ski lodges I’ve ever seen are at Snowbasin! It also hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. There was very little off-piste skiing as most of the mountain is groomed.

Pros: Ski lodges, Grooming

Cons: Lodging options, Terrain Difficulty

#24 Brighton, Utah

Although Brighton doesn’t have terrain that compares to it’s nearby neighbors, it should be a great place for an afternoon of skiing after flying into SLC in the morning since they have night skiing open until 9pm.

Unfortunately, the customer service leaves a lot to be desired. We bought tickets on our way over when it said they were open until 9pm and all lifts were open. When we arrived, they said they were closing early at 4pm and only 2 lifts were open. Then they closed at 2pm due to lightning and wouldn’t offer a refund on any of the lift pass. Sorry Brighton, but I won’t be coming back.

Pros: Night skiing, Snowfall

Cons: Management, Apres ski, Lodging options, Terrain Difficulty

Also Consider these nearby

There are still some places I haven’t been so I can’t rank them. But, I’m hoping to get there sometime! That list includes Whistler, Revelstoke, Deer Valley, Taos, Telluride, Purgatory, Crested Butte, Sun Valley, Mammoth Mountain and Big Sky.