Colorado has more than thirty ski areas, and most of them are referred to as the best. So how can you possibly pick from some of the best resorts in the world?
The real question is not which mountain is the best, it’s which mountain is best for your trip. Depending on how many days you have, whether you’re driving or flying, who you’re skiing with, what pass you have, and how much you want to spend.
I’ve spent more than eight months in Colorado over the past six years. So this is the list I wish someone had handed me before my first trip. From all twelve mountains worth knowing, what each one is actually good at, and which pass you need.
If this is your first Colorado ski trip, then you should start with what you need to know before skiing in Colorado. From altitude, weather, and road conditions, I share everything you need.
Quick answer: the best Colorado ski resort for you
| Resort | Best for | Pass | Drive from Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breckenridge | Best all-rounder; every level, great town | Epic | ~1.5-2 hrs |
| Vail | Biggest terrain and the best views | Epic | ~2 hrs |
| Aspen Snowmass | Variety; four mountains, one ticket | Ikon | ~3.5-4 hrs |
| Steamboat | Powder, tree skiing, and families | Ikon | ~3 hrs |
| Winter Park | Denver trips and moguls (train access!) | Ikon | ~1.5 hrs |
| Copper Mountain | Mixed-ability groups | Ikon | ~1.5 hrs |
| Keystone | Families and night skiing | Epic | ~1.5 hrs |
| Beaver Creek | Relaxed luxury, short lift lines | Epic | ~2 hrs |
| Arapahoe Basin | Experts and the longest season | Ikon | ~1.25 hrs |
| Telluride | Scenery and a special-occasion trip | Epic (7 days) | ~6.5 hrs |
| Crested Butte | Steep expert terrain, no crowds | Epic | ~4 hrs |
| Loveland | Value and the shortest drive | Independent | ~1 hr |
Drive times are in good condition. I-70 on a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon is its own weather system; always add an hour (or more).
How to decide which ski resort
There are four things that help you narrow down this list right away:
Your pass. If you have one, then this will definitely narrow down your choices. You should decide on this before you book anything else. Epic and Ikon split Colorado right down the middle. If you’re getting one, the cheapest time is in spring and early fall. I’ll share more details below.
How you’re getting around. If you’re not renting a car, your realistic options shrink to Winter Park (there’s a train), or a resort where you can shuttle in and stay put, like Breckenridge.
How many days you have. Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper, A-Basin, and Loveland are all within about forty minutes of each other. You can base yourself once and ski four different mountains. Aspen, Steamboat, Telluride, and Crested Butte are destinations; you go there and you stay there.
Who you’re skiing with. A group of experts and a family with a five-year-old want genuinely different mountains, and there’s a section at the bottom breaking that down.
Getting to Colorado’s ski resorts
If you’re flying into Colorado, then you’ll probably be landing at Denver International Airport. I would recommend booking your flights with Skyscanner if you want to find the best rates.
Renting a car is the easiest way to get around Colorado, especially if you want to ski more than one mountain. I’d highly recommend using DiscoverCars to book since they share the best rates and let you filter for 4-wheel drive and winter tires.
Those features are essential for driving in Colorado. While the main highways are plowed well, ski towns have their own definition of “clear roads.” Most of them stay snowy all winter.
My friend’s SUV even flipped down a hill because they had the wrong tires on a winter day in Colorado. Everyone was alright (thankfully), but take the advice.
If you’re worried about driving in Colorado’s winter weather, there are other options. A lot of these resorts have their own shuttle services and there are tons of transfers from Denver. The only downside is losing the flexibility to chase the snow between the mountains.
The 12 best ski resorts in Colorado
1. Breckenridge: the best all-around ski resort in Colorado
My favorite and one of the largest resorts in Colorado is Breckenridge Ski Resort, and I lived there for a full season.
This resort has the highest chairlift in North America: the Imperial Express SuperChair. The Imperial summits 12,840 feet, and you can hike the last 100 feet to the very top. The views at the top are insane, and the runs are my favorite bowls in the US.
The reason it’s my favorite is because of how all the five peaks are split up. Peak 9 is a great place for beginners to start, with learning terrain at the base and wider runs up top. Peak 8 has a bit of everything, and that’s where the Imperial lift is above the treeline. Peaks 6, 7, and 10 have all the other things you would want from steep groomers to glades to moguls.
A group of mixed level skiers can thrive on this mountain, all experiencing different terrain for a great day.
The town is the rest of the appeal. It’s a cute historic mining town, not one that was built to be a base for the mountain. It’s got a free and super convenient bus system, and it’s a friendly, more down to earth and affordable base than Vail or Beaver Creek. That combination makes it the best pick for your stay.
- Best for: first-timers to Colorado, mixed groups, longer trips
- Pass: Epic (unlimited)
- Where to stay: I’ve written a full guide to where to stay in Breckenridge, from downtown to ski-in/ski-out to the genuinely affordable options
- Also worth reading: what to do in Breckenridge if you don’t ski
2. Vail: the biggest terrain and the best views
If you’ve ever skied in the US or looked into it at all, you’ve probably heard of Vail. It’s a huge and gorgeous resort with tons of variety. There are seven legendary Back Bowls that cover more than six miles amongst the 5,200 acres that make up Vail.
Vail feels like a neverending resort, with some of the best views in the area, and absolutely unbeatable on a powder day. The glade skiing is incredible and the bowls feel endless.
While Vail isn’t the tallest mountain, it is still quite tall at 11,527ft, so altitude can still be a bit of a concern. Since the town sits at 8,000ft, it’s easier to acclimate in town before heading up to ski.
Vail town is super adorable, with amazing dining and shopping options available. As a result of that, it is also one of the most expensive places to stay in Colorado, but for many people the convenience is worth it. I personally prefer Vail as a day trip rather than the whole trip since it’s an easy drive from Breckenridge and Keystone.
If you’re planning to stay, make sure you book your accommodation early. Not only do prices climb as you get closer to the season, most options book out fast, especially over school holidays.
Keep in mind that Vail gets brutally cold when it’s windy, so it’s very important to pack properly. I wrote a full ski trip packing guide here based on my experience skiing in Summit County.
- Best for: big-mountain skiers, powder days, a splurge, and families
- Pass: Epic (unlimited)
- Where to stay: Book in Vail Village for the best experience.
3. Aspen Snowmass: the most variety in one place
Aspen Snowmass is actually just four separate mountains included on one lift ticket, so it’s hard to beat.
The largest one is Snowmass, and it has a lot of long cruisers that suit families and intermediates very well. Aspen Mountain (called Ajax by locals) comes out of downtown and is incredibly steep with no beginner terrain. Then there is Aspen Highlands, which is home to the Highlands Bowl, a famous hike-to-run experience for expert skiers. Finally there is Buttermilk which is the gentle beginner mountain, and is where the Winter X Games is hosted.
There is something for every level across all of these mountains, which is why Aspen is on every “best of Colorado” list. The main trade off is that Aspen is the most expensive base town in Colorado.
- Best for: variety, experts, and the iconic Aspen scene
- Pass: Ikon, and read the fine print here. The full Ikon Pass gets 7 days split across all four mountains. Ikon Base only gets you 5 days at Snowmass, with blackout dates & Aspen Mountain, Highlands, and Buttermilk aren’t included on Base at all. If Aspen is the reason you’re going, you need the full pass.
- Where to stay: Snowmass Village is noticeably more affordable and family-friendly than downtown Aspen. You can book that area of Aspen here.
4. Steamboat: powder, trees, and a real Western town
Steamboat has two main things it’s famous for. First is the Champagne Powder, which is a type of snow that is especially light and dry. The resort actually holds a trademark on it. The other is the tree skiing, which is noted as some of the best in the state.
The mountain is family-first, so it’s very big and welcoming. Plus, the base is a Western ranching town instead of a purpose-built village like Vail or Aspen. This gives Steamboat a homier, less polished feel, which draws a lot of people there.
Steamboat recently expanded, adding the Mahogany Ridge terrain. It also added the Wild Blue Gondola which is the longest and fastest 10-person gondola in North America. This means there is more terrain and you can explore it faster than ever before.
The main downside of Steamboat resort is that it’s about three hours drive from Denver, and it’s not off of I-70 like most of the other resorts are. That means, it’ll be difficult to combine the other Summit County resorts on this trip.
- Best for: families, powder hounds, tree skiers, and anyone who wants a more soulful town
- Pass: Ikon
- Where to stay: Steamboat Springs town or the mountain base. You can book that area of Steamboat here!
5. Winter Park: the easiest trip from Denver
Winter Park is only around 67 miles from Denver, making it one of the closest resorts. It’s actually the only one in Colorado you can reach by train too, and it’s the longest continually run resort in the state too. The Winter Park Express heads from Denver’s Union Station right to the base.
Last season this train ran from Thursday to Sunday for most of the winter. That means a trip to Winter Park can be genuinely car-free. It’s a great option if you’re worried about mountain driving. Check the schedule before you book a trip around it. Amtrak will confirm the dates every autumn, but keep in mind it changes every year.
Beyond the car-free convenience of Winter Park, it is also a varied, family-friendly resort with two connected mountains. Mary Jane is known by locals for its steep, ungroomed mogul runs, and you might hear the phrase “No pain, no Jane” in association to it.
Winter Park has massive terrain, incredible snow, and a much more down-to-earth feel than some of the other major resorts.
- Best for: Denver day trips, bump skiers, travelling without a car, better value
- Pass: Ikon
- Where to stay: the town of Winter Park or nearby Fraser. You can book Winter Park here.
6. Copper Mountain: the best mountain for mixed groups
Copper Mountain is well-known for its naturally divided terrain. The mountain is set up so beginner runs are on one side, with intermediate in the middle, and advanced and expert on the other.
This setup means that it’s very rare for someone to end up over their head by accident. It’s really good for a mixed-ability group, since everyone can split up across the mountain, and meetup for lunch.
Copper is about 75 minutes from Denver, and it isn’t a very flashy or crowded resort compared to the others. Locals love it for that reason, as well as the various events that take place there.
- Best for: mixed-ability groups, intermediates, a no-pretense ski day
- Pass: Ikon
- Where to stay: Copper’s base villages, or nearby Frisco for better value. You can check out accommodation near Copper Mountain here.
7. Keystone: best for families and night skiing
Keystone is a much smaller resort than the other resorts mentioned here, but that is part of the appeal. This resort has a lot of different types of runs and it’s very family friendly with wide areas to ski.
A major appeal for skiing at Keystone is that they are the only resort in the area to offer night skiing. If you’ve ever wanted to watch the sunset from the top of the mountain before, then Keystone is your chance. It’s incredible to see it from that high up, and then ski under the lights.
Keystone also has a snow fort and a mountaintop bar, so it’s great for kids and for adults. In spite of the size, there are plenty of trails here, and they all have different appeals.
- Best for: families, beginners, night skiing, later-season trips
- Pass: Epic (unlimited)
- Where to stay: Keystone itself, or base in Breckenridge about 25 minutes away over Swan Mountain Road. Book your Keystone accommodation here.
8. Beaver Creek: relaxed luxury and short lift lines
Very close to Vail, just a bit west, is Beaver Creek, which is a similarly high-end mountain. While it isn’t my personal favorite, it’s huge, and it has tons of terrain to choose from.
The mountain is suitable for all kinds of skiers, with variety across all levels. Beaver Creek is known distinctly for being groomed very well and incredibly organized. These features are why it’s such a great spot for families and intermediates who want something easy to navigate.
The base village here is definitely much quieter than Vail’s village, and the lift lines are considerably shorter.
When I visited, I stayed over at the Park Hyatt, and it was perfect. This hotel was the ideal ski-in/ski-out accommodation with all the features you’d want after a long day. On a different trip I stayed at The Block in Silverthorne, which offers hostel and hotel rooms at a better value but located much further away.
- Best for: families, intermediates, groomers, avoiding crowds
- Pass: Epic (unlimited)
- Where to stay: Book near Beaver Creek Village here for the best experience.
9. Arapahoe Basin: experts and the longest season in Colorado
In Colorado, you hear about A-Basin constantly. It’s everyone’s favorite, with its high, raw, no-frills skiing. Every year it is the last Colorado ski area to close, last year it ran for 194 days. It is 10,780 feet with tons of high-alpine expert terrain in the East Wall and Montezuma Bowl.
Every year is different and depends on the snow, but it frequently closes very late. In a good year, it can run far into June. Last season was memorably bad throughout all of Colorado, so it closed in early May (still later than all the other resorts).
