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The 10 Biggest Ski Resorts in North America
Is bigger better? When it comes to ski resorts, the answer's a firm maybe. A few well-placed two-seater will handily satisfy the soul when the terrain's interesting, but vast chairlift fleets provide variety that smaller resorts can't touch.
However you feel about the glitz and glamor of larger-than-life resorts, there's an undeniable thrill to knowing that you could spend a week or more discovering a ski area's every nook and cranny. So, without further adieu, these are North America's largest ski resorts. If you're searching for the skiing equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet during your next winter vacation, you're in the right place.
Powder Mountain's skiable terrain stretches far beyond the reaches of its numerous chairlifts.
Photo: Indy Pass Media Kit/Powder Mountain
1. Powder Mountain, Utah
Skiable acres: 8,484
From a skiable acreage standpoint, Powder Mountain is the largest resort in North America. However, a few caveats carve up its 8,000 acre-plus pie. For one, much of Powder Mountain's terrain is served by snow cats rather than chairlifts. Two, per a recent update to its operating policy, some of the resort’s terrain will become private—only available to on-mountain homeowners—starting next winter. Still, Powder Mountain boasts 5,050 acres of public terrain, earning it a position on North America's coveted largest ski resort leaderboard, no matter how you slice it.
Blackcomb Mountain (left) and Whistler Mountain (right) extend more than 5,000 feet above the valley floor.
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2. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Skiable acres: 8,171
Sprawling across two distinct mountains—Whistler and Blackcomb—Whistler Blackcomb is a behemoth. The record-breaking, 2.7-mile-long Peak 2 Peak gondola connects Whistler and Blackcomb, making it easy to scope both mountains in a single day. And, when your quads finally give out, the resort's thriving base area is known for serving up plenty of après thrills in the form of nightlife and world-class restaurants.
Some of Park City Mountain Resort's trails end downtown.
Photo: Kruck20/Getty Images
3. Park City Mountain Resort, Utah
Skiable acres: 7,300
When it comes to lift-served skiable acres in the U.S., Park City Mountain Resort is the top dog. Located near the urban center of Salt Lake City, Utah, the resort's a quick drive from an international airport that connects to nearly 90 destinations with non-stop flights. On the slopes, visitors will find a glut of intermediate and expert terrain at Park City. With seven terrain parks, freestylers are covered, too.
Looking at Palisades Tahoe's iconic West Face and KT-22 lift. Lake Tahoe can be seen in the background.
Photo: raclro/Getty Images
4. Palisades Tahoe, California
Skiable acres: 6,000
Like Whistler Blackcomb, Palisades Tahoe encompasses two mountain zones: Alpine and Palisades. At Palisades, the KT-22 Express transports skiers to a freeride paradise immortalized by the high-flying likes of Robb Gaffney and Shane McConkey. Catch the lift on the right day, and you might catch a crowd of pros descending "The Fingers," a series of spiny cliffs and chutes adjacent to KT-22's towers. Extreme isn't the only option here, though. Plenty of groomers and intermediate runs abound, too, and the Base-To-Base Gondola provides a simple way for acreage hunters to rack up runs between Alpine and Palisades.
Big Sky's Lone Peak stretches high and wide for thousands of acres and vertical feet to descend.
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5. Big Sky Resort, Montana
Skiable acres: 5,800
With the increasing popularity of Yellowstone, Montana's having a moment in the limelight, but The Treasure State isn't just home to familial drama and ranch hands. Big Sky Resort—about an hour's drive from Bozeman, Montana—features a bevy of options for diehard skiers best illustrated by the Lone Peak Tram, which climbs to an impressive 11,000-plus feet.
From atop Lone Mountain, gnarly's the name of the game, with several double and triple black runs to choose from. More of a leisure skier? Head to one of Big Sky's beginner-oriented options, like the Lewis & Clark 4, instead.
Vail is known for its Legendary Back Bowls, long groomers, and expansive peaks.
Photo: Adventure_Photo/Getty Images
6. Vail Ski Resort, Colorado
Skiable acres: 5,317
The name "Vail" is regularly associated with the sprawling Vail Resorts empire. Unsurprisingly, the conglomerate's eponym—Vail Ski Resort—is seemingly boundless, too. Vail Ski Resort's big draw is the Back Bowls, a 3,017-acre zone that offers skiers a backcountry-lite experience with rolling glades and powder stashes aplenty.
Like other popular destinations, Vail Ski Resort can get crowded, but its massive footprint means there are plenty of ways to dodge other skiers and find pockets of solitude if you're in the know.
Heavenly Resort is known for its stunning views of Lake Tahoe.
Photo: George Rose/Getty Images
7. Heavenly Mountain Resort, California/Nevada
Skiable acres: 4,800
Palisades Tahoe might be Lake Tahoe's primary freeskiing cultural melting pot, but several ski areas throughout the region are more than worth visiting, including Heavenly Mountain Resort, which boasts killer views. These views are accentuated by the fact that Heavenly is Lake Tahoe's highest ski resort at 10,067 feet. To soak in the majestic scenery with the best vantage possible, head to Cal Trail or Ridge Run.
Mt. Bachelor offers the unique experience of skiing nearly 360 degrees off the top of a volcano.
Photo: Karl Sanchez/Getty Images
8. Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
Skiable acres: 4,323
Mt. Bachelor's centerpiece is a 9,065-foot tall stratovolcano accessible via the Summit Express. Fret not: the volcano last blew about 9,500 years ago, so instead of worrying about getting caught in a lava river, you can focus on which way to head off Mt. Bachelor's peak, which is skiable in every cardinal direction.
A word of caution, though—the Summit Express sometimes closes due to high winds, nixing a significant portion of Mount Bachelor's terrain. Still, the ski area's lower mountain, gladed areas—and terrain parks—can keep things plenty interesting without the Summit Express spinning.
Sun Peaks Resort offers skiing on both sides of the valley, a unique experience in North America.
Photo: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
9. Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia
Skiable acres: 4,270
With 4,270 skiable acres, Sun Peaks Resort is Canada's second-largest ski area. Its vast network of impeccably groomed runs is its selling point, making it a strong pick for families with a crowd of groms in tow. The proximity to Kamloops, British Columbia—which has an airport with connecting flights from major hubs—helps, too.
Audi FIS Ski World Cup Women's 2021 downhill skiing championship race at Lake Louise Ski Resort in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
10. Lake Louise Ski Resort, Alberta
Skiable acres: 4,200
Located in the picturesque Banff, Alberta, area, Lake Louise Ski Resort has a varied mix of beginner, intermediate, and expert terrain alongside knock-you-flat-on-your-*ss views of the surrounding peaks. And, across the road from the resort is the actual Lake Louise, a stunning, glacial lake that'll further satisfy scenery gluttons. Visitors to Lake Louise can also take advantage of other nearby resorts like Banff Sunshine Village and Mt. Norquay Ski Resort for a true ski area hopping experience.
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