USA TODAY 10Best
Choose the perfect ski resort for your next vacation: Our top 10 picks
Best Ski Resort (2023)
Ski areas all across the U.S. and Canada are prepped and ready for their winter season. To help you plan the perfect ski vacation, we asked a panel of experts to nominate their top picks for ski resorts. Then, readers voted for their favorites to determine the winners.
These 10 ski resorts took top honors because they offer mountains with serious snowfall, varied terrain, lots of lift access, and so much more.
- Alta Ski Area - Alta, Utah
- Cannon Mountain - Franconia, New Hampshire
- Sun Valley Resort - Sun Valley, Idaho
- Vail Ski Resort - Vail, Colorado
- Palisades Tahoe - Olympic Valley, California
- Heavenly Mountain - South Lake Tahoe, California
- Lutsen Mountains - Lutsen, Minnesota
- Winter Park Resort - Winter Park, Colorado
- Banff Sunshine Village - Banff, Alberta
- Mount Bohemia - Lac La Belle, Michigan
Photo courtesy of Alta Ski Area, Rocko Menzyk
No. 10:
Alta is famously for skiers only, with snowboarding forbidden at this Utah resort, but this old-school ski area features plenty of modern conveniences, like its six-pack Sunnyside chairlift. With an average of 538 inches of snow each winter, Alta's 2,614 acres and 116 runs get plenty of coverage, with runs like Rock & Roll perfect for a first taste of powder skiing and Westward Ho beckoning those who like to ski the trees.
Photo courtesy of mihailomilovanovic / E+ Getty Images
No. 9:
Cannon Mountain looms more than 4,000 feet above New Hampshire's scenic Franconia Notch. The highest summit of any ski area in New Hampshire is accessed by an iconic 70-passenger Aerial Tram, one of 10 lifts serving Cannon's 97 trails and glades. Visitors can get in touch with history at the New England Ski Museum at the Cannon base area before immersing in classic New England skiing on the "front five" trails: Avalanche, Paulie’s Folly, Zoomer, Rocket, and Gary’s.
Photo courtesy of Hillary Maybery
No. 8:
If you love bluebird days and nonexistent lift lines, you'll love America's oldest destination ski resort. Sun Valley Resort was the first in the world to open a chairlift — way back in 1936 — and today, the resort operates 18 lifts servicing 2,054 skiable acres, 121 total runs, and a 22-foot superpipe. Over a third of the terrain caters to beginners, yet expert skiers and riders will find plenty of challenging runs on Bald Mountain.
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Photo courtesy of Max Ritter // Vail Mountain
No. 7:
Elevations as high as 11,570 feet, more than 5,000 acres of powdered terrain, and challenging back bowls make Vail Ski Resort an irresistible destination. As North America's fourth-largest ski area, this resort is not only popular with advanced skiers, but also a perfect choice for families, thanks to plenty of entertainment, lodging, dining, and recreational offerings.
Photo courtesy of Ben Arnst / Palisades Tahoe
No. 6:
Palisades Tahoe sits between Truckee and Tahoe City, where skiers and riders enjoy some 6,000 acres of terrain. The area includes 16 bowls, 170-plus trails, and more than 30 lifts ferrying visitors to the tops of both Palisades and Alpine Mountain, accessible on the same lift ticket.
Photo courtesy of Jack Morris/Heavenly Mountain Resort
No. 5:
Heavenly offers the best of both worlds: comfortable gondola access to trails from the heart of South Lake Tahoe, plus 34 miles of groomed trails, powder-filled fields and canyons, excellent gladed runs, and spectacular views of Lake Tahoe at seemingly every turn. Spanning two states, the resort makes exploring part of the fun. Start the day on sunlit morning trails like Orion, grab a beer and a brat at Steins, work on your turns on the 5.5-mile Olympic Downhill, then test your skills on the steeps in Mott Canyon or The Face.
Photo courtesy of Lutsen Mountains
No. 4:
The emphasis is on the plural at this Minnesota ski resort near the western shore of Lake Superior. Lutsen Mountains includes four interconnected peaks and, while the vertical drop of about 825 feet won't blow you away, there are 95 trails spread across 1,000 acres here, with some runs hitting 2 miles in length. A family-friendly resort known mostly for wide groomed cruisers, Lutsen also has 60 acres of glades for more advanced skiers.
Photo courtesy of Winter Park Resort
No. 3:
Winter Park is the closest major ski resort to Denver, offering 3,000 skiable acres, which sit amid 765,000 acres of public lands. A six-person chairlift called the Wild Spur Express makes it easier to access the resort's Vasquez Ridge, while the Panoramic Express lift carries skiers to top-of-the-world views at 12,060 feet above sea level. Varied terrain includes the mogul-filled Outhouse trail, the Ash Cat Terrain Park, smooth cruising on Butch’s Breezeway, and tree skiing in Eagle Wind, one of the seven "territories" that comprise the resort.
Photo courtesy of Banff Sunshine Village
No. 2:
Skiers and snowboarders at Sunshine Village in Banff are treated to Canada’s only heated chairlift. The resort’s three mountains — Goat’s Eye, Lookout and Mount Standish — offer more than 3,500 acres of skiable terrain.
Photo courtesy of Joey Wallis / Mount Bohemia
No. 1:
Powder skiing in the Midwest? That's the promise from Mount Bohemia, where lake effect snow in Michigan's Upper Peninsula averages 273 inches a season and tends toward the light, fluffy stuff that skiers further west adore. In addition to having the longest runs and most vertical drop of any ski area in the Midwest, Mount Bohemia features open runs, glades, and chutes — all with natural conditions since the resort doesn't groom any of its trails.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor... Read More
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Constance Beverley
A former Wall Street lawyer turned winter sports... Read More
A former Wall Street lawyer turned winter sports activist, Constance Beverley joined the Share Winter Foundation as the CEO in 2017. Share Winter Foundation strives to (1) improve the lives, health and fitness of youth through winter sports, and (2) create a more diverse and inclusive winter sports community. In addition to her work with the Share Winter Foundation, Constance has worked with other winter sports organizations including the Kelly Clark Foundation, SheJumps, STOKED, and Boarding for Breast Cancer.
Constance Beverley
A former Wall Street lawyer turned winter sports activist, Constance Beverley joined the Share Winter Foundation as the CEO in 2017. Share Winter Foundation strives to (1) improve the lives, health and fitness of youth through winter sports, and (2) create a more diverse and inclusive winter sports community. In addition to her work with the Share Winter Foundation, Constance has worked with other winter sports organizations including the Kelly Clark Foundation, SheJumps, STOKED, and Boarding for Breast Cancer.
Kristen Lummis
Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in... Read More
Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website braveskimom.com in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook.
Kristen Lummis
Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website braveskimom.com in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook.
Laura Sutherland
Laura Sutherland is a veteran travel writer who... Read More
Laura Sutherland is a veteran travel writer who specializes in culinary, craft beer, wine, ski, and family travel. She's the author of six travel guidebooks, including "The Best Family Ski Vacations in North America." Her articles have appeared in publications like Real Simple, Taste and Travel International, Parents, Family Fun, Writer's Digest, The Dallas Morning News, and Miami Herald. An avid skier since the age of four when she strapped on a pair of wooden skis at Yosemite's Badger Pass, she's since explored dozens of snow sports resorts through the United States, Canada and Europe.
Laura Sutherland
Laura Sutherland is a veteran travel writer who specializes in culinary, craft beer, wine, ski, and family travel. She's the author of six travel guidebooks, including "The Best Family Ski Vacations in North America." Her articles have appeared in publications like Real Simple, Taste and Travel International, Parents, Family Fun, Writer's Digest, The Dallas Morning News, and Miami Herald. An avid skier since the age of four when she strapped on a pair of wooden skis at Yosemite's Badger Pass, she's since explored dozens of snow sports resorts through the United States, Canada and Europe.
Snow Brains
Built to Inspire, SnowBrains is the best source of... Read More
Built to Inspire, SnowBrains is the best source of intelligent ski & ride news, editorials, weather, photos, and videos. Our goal is to keep you, our friends, informed in a smart and easily digestible way. Connect with SnowBrains on instragram, Facebook, X/Twitter, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Linkedin or the podcast app.
Snow Brains
Built to Inspire, SnowBrains is the best source of intelligent ski & ride news, editorials, weather, photos, and videos. Our goal is to keep you, our friends, informed in a smart and easily digestible way. Connect with SnowBrains on instragram, Facebook, X/Twitter, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Linkedin or the podcast app.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
