Shannon O'Brien Travel Itineraries

The best destinations

Photo of Schweitzer, Idaho
Photo of Schweitzer, Idaho

Best Ski Resorts in the USA

1. Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Valley, Michigan

Photo of Boyne Valley

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort with a collection of accommodations, located near Boyne City
  • Boyne Mountain has continued use of the first chairlift built, constructed by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1936 for use at its new resort in Sun Valley, Idaho

2. Mountain Creek Resort, Vernon, New Jersey

Photo of Vernon

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort in Vernon Township, containing land for skiing area, night skiing, snowboarding, and snowmaking activities
  • The resort also includes a snow tubing park, zip-lines, an alpine coaster, and a bike park

3. Jay Peak Resort, Vermont

Photo of Jay

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $

  • Ski resort located on Jay Peak in the Green Mountains
  • The resort opened for skiing in 1957, and it now includes 81 trails served by nine lifts
  • It receives the most snowfall of any ski area in the Northeastern U.S. and is known for its gladed skiing

4. Okemo Mountain, Ludlow, Vermont

Photo of Ludlow

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort located in Ludlow, founded in 1955, offering skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating in winter
  • The resort contains 121 trails, slopes and glades, and 20 lifts, including 1 high speed detachable 6-pack chair with protective bubbles and heated seats

5. Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont

Photo of Stowe

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort near the town of Stowe, comprising two separate mountains: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak
  • Alpine skiing came to Vermont when the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) cut the first trails on Mount Mansfield in 1933
  • Stowe is known for its vibrant village and downtown surrounded by stunning natural landscapes

6. Sugarbush Resort, Warren, Vermont

Photo of Warren

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort located in the Mad River valley, in Warren, and it is one of the largest ski resorts in New England
  • The resort encompasses more than 4000 acres (16 km²) total, and 16 ski lifts
  • Sugarbush has 111 ski trails, and a vertical drop of 2,600 feet (790 m), the second largest in Vermont after Killington

7. Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont

Photo of Stratton Mountain

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski area located on Stratton Mountain, established in 1961
  • Stratton offers skiing and snowboarding with the area's best uphill capacity, a variety of lodging options, a slopeside Village for shopping and dining, ice skating, a Nordic Center complete with XC skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking as well as the Coca-Cola tube park, a snow tubing experience that lights up a night

8. Mount Snow, West Dover, Vermont

Photo of West Dover

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Mountain and ski resort located in the Green Mountains that in 2011, installed a brand new Leitner-Poma high-speed detachable six-pack bubble chair
  • The lift transports skiers to the top of the mountain in seven minutes
  • The bubble shields skiers and riders from wind and snow and keeps them warm

9. Big Sky Resort, Montana

Photo of Big Sky

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb

Cost: $

  • Ski resort located in Madison County, it is the second-largest ski resort in the United States by acreage
  • Opened in late 1973, Big Sky Resort has more than 5,800 acres (9.1 sq mi; 23.5 km2) of terrain and a vertical drop of 4,350 feet (1,330 m)

10. Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana

Photo of Whitefish

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort located at Big Mountain, in the Flathead National Forest, four miles (6 km) from the town of Whitefish

11. Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Bozeman, Montana

Photo of Bozeman

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb

Cost: $

  • Alpine ski area near Bozeman, the summit elevation is 8,700 feet (2,650 m) above sea level, with a vertical drop of 2,600 feet (790 m)
  • Bridger Bowl is a locally owned non-profit ski area that provides affordable skiing, great terrain, and outstanding snowfall

12. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming

Photo of Jackson

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort at Teton Village, in the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains
  • It is named after the historically significant Jackson Hole valley and is known for its steep terrain and large continuous vertical drop of 4,139 ft (1,262 m)

13. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado

Photo of Breckenridge

Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec

Cost: $$$

  • Alpine ski resort is in Breckenridge, which is recognized for acres of skiable terrain across five mountain peaks, where it welcomes thousands of skiers and snowboarders each season
  • Just west of the Continental Divide, it is perennially one of the most visited ski resorts in the western hemisphere

14. Timberline Lodge, Government Camp, Oregon

Photo of Government Camp

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$$

  • Ski and snowboarding area of Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark
  • It is one of a few ski areas in the United States with most of the skiable terrain below the main lodge
  • It is located on the south face of Mount Hood

15. Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, Bend, Oregon

Photo of Bend

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Ski resort located in Central Oregon, on the northern side of Mount Bachelor, a stratovolcano rising atop a volcanic shield in the Cascade Range
  • It is the largest ski resort (by area) by more than 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) in Oregon
  • Mount Bachelor offers one of the nation's longest ski seasons, mid-November through the end of May (weather permitting)

16. Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Photo of Gatlinburg

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Sept-Oct, Dec

Cost: $

  • Ski area and amusement park located in Gatlinburg, established in 1962
  • The area also contains a large mall with indoor amusements, an indoor ice skating rink, snack bars, and stores
  • An aerial tram connects Ober Mountain to downtown Gatlinburg, which is about 3 miles east

17. Schweitzer, Sandpoint, Idaho

Photo of Sandpoint

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $$

  • Schweitzer is a ski resort that overlooks Lake Pend Oreille, approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of the Canada–US border
  • There are 92 named runs and open bowls on Schweitzer's skiable area, served by 10 lifts

18. Bogus Basin, Boise, Idaho

Photo of Boise

Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Dec

Cost: $

  • Ski area in Boise, operated by a non-profit organization
  • The area also has cross-country skiing on 23 miles (37 km) of Nordic trails