Ski resorts in the United States

This page compares 25 ski resorts in the United States, grouped into 9 areas, with top elevations from 1,293 to 4,008 m. For each one: base elevation, top elevation, vertical drop, kilometres of slopes, lifts and the breakdown of runs by level, with a link to its page and to its rental.

Compare the ski resorts in the United States

Every cell shows only what the resort publishes: where we have no figure there is a dash, never an estimate. The vertical drop is the top elevation minus the base elevation, and the level breakdown is a percentage of the ski area, worked out from the figures each resort publishes.

Colorado — 10 resorts

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Telluride2,659 m4,008 m1,349 m2,000 acres1723 % beginner · 36 % intermediateRent skis
Breckenridge2,926 m3,962 m1,036 m2,908 acres3511 % beginner · 31 % intermediate · 24 % advanced · 34 % expertRent skis
Aspen Snowmass2,399 m3,813 m1,414 m5,700 acres43—Rent skis
Copper Mountain2,961 m3,792 m831 m2,490 acres2325 % beginner · 24 % intermediate · 34 % advanced · 17 % expertRent skis
Keystone2,829 m3,782 m953 m3,149 acres2112 % beginner · 39 % intermediate · 49 % advancedRent skis
Crested Butte2,858 m3,707 m849 m1,547 acres1514 % beginner · 24 % intermediate · 25 % advanced · 37 % expertRent skis
Winter Park2,743 m3,676 m933 m3,081 acres238 % beginner · 18 % intermediate · 19 % advancedRent skis
Vail2,475 m3,527 m1,052 m5,317 acres3218 % beginner · 29 % intermediate · 53 % advancedRent skis
Beaver Creek2,469 m3,487 m1,018 m2,000 acres2639 % beginner · 31 % intermediate · 24 % advanced · 6 % expertRent skis
Steamboat2,103 m3,221 m1,118 m3,741 acres23—Rent skis

Utah — 6 resorts

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Alta2,598 m3,373 m775 m2,614 acres815 % beginner · 30 % intermediate · 55 % advancedRent skis
Snowbird2,365 m3,353 m988 m2,500 acres148 % beginner · 26 % intermediateRent skis
Brighton2,669 m3,200 m531 m1,050 acres8—Rent skis
Park City2,073 m3,056 m983 m7,300 acres418 % beginner · 42 % intermediate · 50 % advancedRent skis
Deer Valley1,990 m2,917 m927 m4,300 acres31—Rent skis
Snowbasin1,966 m2,885 m919 m3,000 acres1310 % beginner · 60 % intermediate · 30 % advancedRent skis

California (Lake Tahoe) — 2 resorts

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Palisades Tahoe1,890 m2,758 m868 m6,000 acres3925 % beginner · 43 % intermediate · 24 % advanced · 9 % expertRent skis
Northstar California1,929 m2,624 m695 m3,170 acres2013 % beginner · 60 % intermediate · 27 % advancedRent skis

Vermont — 2 resorts

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Stowe620 m1,340 m720 m485 acres1216 % beginner · 55 % intermediate · 29 % advancedRent skis
Killington355 m1,293 m938 m1,977 acres24—Rent skis

California — 1 resort

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Mammoth Mountain2,424 m3,369 m945 m3,500 acres25—Rent skis

California/Nevada (Lake Tahoe) — 1 resort

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Heavenly2,029 m3,068 m1,039 m4,800 acres2815 % beginner · 53 % intermediate · 32 % advancedRent skis

Montana — 1 resort

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Big Sky2,256 m3,403 m1,147 m5,850 acres4021 % beginner · 15 % intermediate · 31 % advanced · 11 % expertRent skis

New Mexico — 1 resort

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Taos Ski Valley2,850 m3,804 m954 m1,294 acres1324 % beginner · 25 % intermediate · 51 % expertRent skis

Wyoming — 1 resort

ResortBaseSummitVertical dropSki areaLiftsTerrain breakdownRental
Jackson Hole1,924 m3,185 m1,261 m2,500 acres1610 % beginner · 40 % intermediate · 50 % expertRent skis

Frequently asked questions about skiing in the United States

Which ski resorts are there in the United States?

This page compares 25 ski resorts in the United States, spread across these areas: Colorado, Utah, California (Lake Tahoe), Vermont, California, California/Nevada (Lake Tahoe), Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. Each one has its own page with its elevations, its ski area and its ski rental.

Which is the biggest ski resort in the United States?

Of the 25 resorts in the United States that publish their skiable terrain (out of 25 compared), the largest is Park City, with 7,300 acres, ahead of Palisades Tahoe (6,000 acres). North America measures its ski areas in acres, not in kilometres of slopes.

Which is the highest ski resort in the United States?

The highest point in the United States is at Telluride: 4,008 m, in Colorado. Next comes Breckenridge (3,962 m). This comparison covers every resort on this page, because we have the elevation of all of them.

Which ski resort has the biggest vertical drop in the United States?

Aspen Snowmass: 1,414 m between its base (2,399 m) and its summit (3,813 m). The vertical drop is the difference between the two elevations, not the length of any single run.

Which ski resort is best for beginners in the United States?

Of the 19 resorts in the United States that publish their terrain breakdown, the one with most beginner terrain is Beaver Creek, at 39%. Each resort's breakdown is in the table above.

Which ski resort is best for advanced skiers in the United States?

Of the 17 resorts in the United States that publish their terrain breakdown, the one with most advanced and expert terrain is Crested Butte, at 62%.

When do the ski resorts in the United States open?

For the 2026/27 season, the 25 resorts in the United States with a calculated window open between October 31, 2026 and December 5, 2026, and close between April 5, 2027 and May 25, 2027. These are expected dates and depend on the snow: the confirmed ones, resort by resort, are on the season dates page.

Where can you rent skis in the United States?

25 of the 25 resorts in the United States on this page have their ski rental bookable online with Caranva, with pick-up at the resort itself. The "Rental" column in the table links straight to each one.