These Popular Utah Resorts Are a Spring Skier's Dream — With Abundant Snowfall and Après for Days

For fresh powder, Western charm, and a ski-in bourbon distillery, head to the ski resorts of Park City, Utah.

Having spent much of my childhood skiing the mountains of Europe, my recent move to Los Angeles allowed me to finally indulge in the “special snow” I’d heard so much about from my friends who'd been lucky enough to ski in North America growing up. In my first three winters in the U.S., I explored some of the country's most revered ski towns, from Tahoe to Aspen, and in 2023, I was excited to check Park City off my ever-growing snowy bucket list.

The western U.S. had an incredible season of snowfall in 2022-2023, and that included Utah, where more than 700 inches of the white stuff fell in record time. During my own six-day visit, more than five feet of snow came down — an impressive total that helps demonstrate why Park City has a growing reputation as a haven for spring skiing.

No matter when you want to visit, though, Park City has plenty to offer. The town itself, a former mining boomtown turned sophisticated ski community, oozes charm thanks to its traditional saloons and the leather-goods outfitters lining Main Street. But the main draw, of course, is the mountains.

Park City is home to two different ski resorts: the smaller Deer Valley Resort, reserved for skiers only, and the behemoth Park City Mountain Resort, which has been America's largest ski area since its 2015 acquisition of the resort once known as Canyons. Combined, Park City and Deer Valley offer more than 9,000 acres of skiable terrain, all located in one of the greatest mountain towns in the West.

Since ski season here has stretched well into April in recent years, there's no rush to plan your next Park City trip — though the appeal (both on-mountain and off) means you'll probably want to visit ASAP anyway. Read on for more about Park City's perfect combination of high-quality snow, world-class culture, and rollicking après.

• The town of Park City has two ski resorts, making it a great place to enjoy multiple mountain experiences in one trip.

• Deer Valley is Utah's sole skier-only resort — perfect for two-plank purists.

• As a former Winter Olympics host site and the home of Sundance Film Festival, Park City is packed with historic and cultural attractions.
  

When to Go

The ski seasons at Park City and Deer Valley tend to be similar, typically lasting from late November or early December until mid-April (weather permitting). Visiting any time in that span can make for a great trip, but locals say the area is especially good for spring skiing. Park City has seen abundant spring snowfall in recent years, meaning that a March or April visit can include not just the typical perks of spring skiing — smaller crowds, lower prices, more-tolerable temperatures — but powder that's just as impressive as what you'd find at peak season.

Where to Stay

Montage Deer Valley

A grand, picturesque resort perched four miles above the historic town of Park City, Montage Deer Valley offers everything you could need from a luxury ski-in, ski-out hotel. Highlights include expansive rooms to spread out in, a piste-view heated pool and hot tub, a relaxing spa, a resident Bernese mountain dog, and a bowling alley and arcade for kid-friendly fun. Dining options range from casual burger and wood-fired pizza joints to an elegant sushi restaurant.

Pendry Park City

On the other end of town lies the Pendry Park City, a chic, modern, and vibrant ski retreat set at the heart of Canyons Village. The hotel offers a selection of beautifully appointed rooms and multi-bedroom apartments, all with access to a stylish rooftop that boasts a pool, bar, and fire pits all overlooking the white mountains that surround them. The Pendry also has a lively après-ski scene with live music, upscale Japanese and Mexican dining, and a funky pizza spot kids will love.

Washington School House Hotel

The Washington School House Hotel, a 19th-century school turned luxury boutique hotel, lies just off Main Street in downtown Park City. Each of its 12 rooms is unique (with design details that include antique furniture and Pratesi linens), and they're serviced by a wonderfully attentive staff. The on-site chef prepares complimentary breakfast and après-ski fare each day, and, when it's time to hit the slopes, the ski valet can manage your gear and shuttle you to and from the mountain of your choice.

Where to Eat

Riverhorse on Main

Our first night, we managed to snag a table at the popular Riverhorse on Main, a lively venue in the middle of Main Street that boasts an impressive array of land and sea dishes sure to replenish the calories burnt on the slopes. The Alaskan halibut is a favorite, and the trio of wild game (buffalo, venison, and elk) is a chance to sample local flavors.

Yama Sushi

Accustomed to eating currywurst in the Austrian Alps, I’ve never really associated sushi with skiing — but Yama Sushi at Montage Deer Valley changed my view of winter dining forever. Epic signature dishes include the Wasatch roll with spicy avocado aioli and the truly unmissable Surf N Turf roll, which combines A5 wagyu with king crab. You can't go wrong with the chef's choice sashimi, either.

Dos Olas

Located inside the Pendry, Dos Olas offers affordable Mexican favorites inspired by the Mexico City childhood of executive chef Carlos Segura. Try the chicken tinga tacos, inspired by Segura's mom's recipe, and wash them down with a spicy mezcalita.

Harvest

For breakfast and lunch, there are few better options than Harvest. This Australian-style cafe has locations in the center of town and at the base of Park City Mountain, both serving up fair-trade espresso and healthy mains like avocado toast piled high with sautéed spinach and mushrooms.

Where to Après-ski

High West Distillery

As a big fan of an Old Fashioned, I was thrilled when I found out that I was at my first ski resort with a ski-in bourbon distillery. Accessed via a challenging yet enjoyable blue run down the face of the mountain — or an easy stroll from Main Street, if you'd rather walk in — High West Distillery's downtown saloon offers the classic cocktail in a variety of forms.

No Name Saloon

Located just a few blocks away, No Name Saloon is an institution. Stop by for local draft beers, buffalo sliders, and a party scene that's known as one of Park City's wildest.

The Après Lounge at Montage Deer Valley

For the most elevated of après-ski experiences, don’t miss the Veuve Clicquot yurt (formally known as The Après Lounge) at Montage Deer Valley. Here, you’ll find a log-burning fire and all the yellow-label Champagne you could ever need to celebrate a memorable day spent knee-deep in pow.

Off-mountain Activities

As the home of one of Hollywood's swankiest film festivals — Sundance, held here each January — Park City is, perhaps unsurprisingly, filled with great places to shop. Main Street offers both boutique stores (like the high-end knitwear shop We Norwegians) and big names from the snow world, such as The North Face and Helly Hansen.

For the most memorable shopping in town, though, head to Burns Cowboy Shop, in business since 1876. Here, I was fitted for my first custom cowboy hat, complete with my initials branded into the brim, all done while I was comfortably seated on a big leather saddle. The store is full of beautiful leather boots and traditional Western accessories so that even a Brit can leave confident that he will blend in with the locals.

If shopping isn't of interest, don't worry: there's plenty more to do. You can enjoy both celebrity spotting and great movie viewing if you're lucky enough to visit during the aforementioned Sundance Film Festival — and, for the rest of the year, you can always stop by the fest's downtown HQ, the Egyptian Theatre, for live music and plays.

Sports fans, meanwhile, will love the Utah Olympic Park. This complex built for the 2002 Winter Games houses museums dedicated to skiing and Olympic history in addition to ski-jumping and bobsledding facilities where Olympians still train today. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even pay to rocket down the sledding track with a professional bobsled, luge, or skeleton athlete.

How to Ride

Tickets

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single pass that will give you access to both Park City and Deer Valley. (The former is on the Epic Pass and the latter, Ikon.) However, lift tickets and day passes are available at each. At Park City Mountain Resort, one-day lift tickets start at $299, and at Deer Valley Resort they start at $199.

Deer Valley also offers season passes independent of the Ikon system. Season passes without blackout dates cost around $3,500 per adult, but you can save on that significantly if you're willing to confine your visits to weekdays. The Midweek Season Pass offers unlimited Monday-through-Friday skiing for just over $1,800 — a great deal for locals or anyone wanting to avoid weekend crowds.

Rentals

Park City and Deer Valley both run comprehensive rental programs serving riders of all ages and abilities. Each resort has two different rental-center locations, and they all offer delivery to most accommodations in the area.

If you don't want to rent your gear straight from the ski resorts, though, there are independent options. Aloha Ski & Snowboard has eight locations around town, and many large hotels have rental centers, too. (At the Montage, for instance, guests can rent gear through the on-site outfitter Compass Sports.) Just remember if you go the independent route that Deer Valley is a ski-only mountain — so skip the snowboards if that's where you're headed.

Skiing and Snowboarding Info

Both ski mountains in Park City have impressive claims to fame. Park City Mountain Resort holds the title of America's largest ski area, thanks to its whopping 7,300 skiable acres and 40 lifts. There are more than 330 runs here, of which half are advanced and another 42 percent are intermediate. Yes, that means just 8 percent of the trails are suited for beginners — but with so many trails in total, that means even beginner riders have more than 20 different runs to explore.

Over at Deer Valley, meanwhile, the unique trait is the resort's snowboarding ban. Deer Valley is one of just three skier-only mountains in the U.S. (and the only one west of the Mississippi), giving it particular appeal for skiers in search of an experience they can get almost nowhere else. The resort has just over 2,000 skiable acres, 103 runs, and 21 chairlifts, and the terrain is well-suited for all kinds of skiers. Around 27 percent of the trails here are beginner, 41 percent are intermediate, and 32 percent are advanced.

Programming

Beginners are in good hands at Park City and Deer Valley, since both resorts run well-regarded training programs. At Deer Valley, you can choose between traditional lessons at the ski school and more unique "Ski with a Champion" clinics. In the latter, you'll be taught (either one-on-one or with your family and friends) by a decorated Olympic skier, like freestyle legend Fuzz Feddersen or mogul skier Shannon Bahrke, who won a silver medal right here at Deer Valley during the 2002 Games.

Across town at Park City, the ski and snowboard school offers a wide array of programs for kids, teens, and adults of all skill levels. Additional offerings include a six-week women's ski program and intensive three- and five-day courses for riders looking to make significant improvements to their technique.

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