Winter Park

Closed
Jack Lee
SnowPak Local Insider
Jack Lee
Pros
  • Easily accessible from Denver including the weekend train between Denver Union Station and the resort
  • Excellent range of terrain for different abilities including mogul runs
  • Family-friendly resort with great ski school programs and tubing activities
Cons
  • Smaller base area compared to larger Colorado resorts

Overall

4.8

Colorado’s longest continually operating ski resort, Winter Park Resort opened for business way back in 1940 and has been putting smiles on the faces of skiers ever since! Famed for its monster moguls, if you’re a fan of knee-shocking bumps the size of small cars then you’ll love it here, but that’s not all. The terrain on offer is vast, with a rare combination of very different types of trails. High alpine chutes and powder bowls, glade skiing and backcountry runs, secluded powder stashes and spacious groomers, all this and more makes Winter Park Resort a truly diverse mountain. Skiers and snowboarders who want to get a taste of off-piste and backcountry style riding while still keeping within ski area boundaries should look no further than Winter Park Resort!

Best month to go

January to February

Locals here enjoy a wonderfully long ski season, the high elevation soon turns the peaks white once fall turns to winter. Generally, the slopes and lifts on the lower parts of the mountain are open for a full five months, sometimes even a little longer, from mid-November to late-April. As with all of Colorado, the best months for snow are January and February. It takes a big dump of powder before the expert-only terrain at the top of the mountain is ready to be shred, so if this is a big draw for you then time your visit during February. While weekdays can be surprisingly quiet, weekends can see droves of skiers and snowboarders from Denver descend on Winter Park Resort, particularly during the peak season of December to February.

FLY TO

Denver International Airport

DRIVE / SHUTTLE TO

Winter Park (2 hours)

Base of Winter Park Resort (Walk)

  • Several lodging options
  • Quiet area, limited nightlife
  • High-end accommodation

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Winter Park (4-5 mi)

  • Cheaper accommodation than at the base
  • Range of dining, shopping and nightlife options
  • Shuttle service to the ski resort

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Old Town (1-2 mi)

  • Sits between base and town of Winter Park
  • Variety of accommodation from condos to rental homes
  • Shuttle service to the ski resort

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Fraser (5-6 mi)

  • Cheaper lodging than at Winter Park
  • Wide range of accommodation from hotels to AirBnbs
  • Has grocery stores and other outlets

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For beginners

The Winter Park Territory is best suited for beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. There's plenty of terrain to work on your technique and control, however, the area does gets quite congested during busy season.

More beginners tips

For intermediates

Parsenn Bowl Territory is where the intermediates will want to go! Enjoy the 360 degree vistas atop the 12,000 ft peak before testing your limits on the blue runs here.

More intermediates tips

For experts

For experts, head to the Mary Jane territory where the majority of the runs are black diamond. Only one run in this area is groomed so head off into the trees and enjoy the powder and pumps as you navigate down the slope. Our favorite here would be the High Lonesome Trail before veering right into the seemingly endless and well-spaced trees!

More experts tips

Find freshies

For powder stashes head to Eagle Wind territory, it's difficult to access, which means its often last to be tracked out! Or check out Parsenn Bowl and The Cirque as well as Vasquez Ridge territory after a big dump. 

Ditch the crowds

Most of the family-friendly terrain is close to the amenities, so escape the crowds and head up the mountain to Parsenn Bowl, The Cirque and Eagle Wind territories.  

Non skiers

Non-skiers can try the old-fashioned thrill of tubing at the Historic Fraser Tubing Hill or the Colorado Adventure Park. The resort also offers dog sled, snowmobile and snowcat tours during the winter seasons.

Families

Winter Park Resort makes for a great skiing destination if you're after a quiet family getaway. Most of the family-friendly terrain is close to the the amenties in the Winter Park territory but if you're a family of intermediate skiers and snowboarders, you'll have tons to explore!

Save up to 39% when you book a Winter Park package!

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Winter Park Reviews

Fabulous 4.4 / 5
based on 107 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Superb!4.6 / 5Oct 15, 2021
CRCheryl R.
beginner skier
Great ski village and community. Family friendly and accommodates all ski levels. Try the SnoGo! Awesome experience!! Kathy and Alex were amazing! I would definitely recommend this beautiful resort. Super fun.... More
Fabulous!4.5 / 5Oct 11, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsTom D.
expert snowboarder
We’ve been going to winter park since I was a little kid. The backside of the mountain is where we tend to stay. We love this mountain! The abilities of our group range from beginner to expert, and there is plenty of runs for all ages and abilities. Mary Jane and Winter Park will always be in our selections during both winter and summer!!... More
Fabulous!4.4 / 5Apr 20, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsKaren B.
intermediate skier
We love Winter Park. However, we CAN NOT RECOMMEND IKON PASSES OR IKON INSURANCE PROGRAM. We arrived the night before they closed the parks due to Covid 19. We had skied 3 days in January and were to ski 5-6 days during Spring Break. Yet we got NO Discount on our next year's WInter Park Season Pass - as they asked us to UPGRADE to a multiple park... More
Very Good!4.2 / 5Apr 20, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsSally H.
intermediate snowboarder
Lots out terrain variety with great programs for lessons from beginner to advanced... Easy to navigate mountain. Good variety of groomers and bump runs. Only a 1 ¹/² hour drive from Denver.... More
Good!3.8 / 5Mar 22, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsNick L.
expert snowboarder
This is a really cool resort that has been able to hold onto the local vibe as much as one can in this location. Maybe it is because of the more challenging terrain. Maybe because of the dangerous pass one must make to get there. I don't know.... More
Good!3.6 / 5Feb 25, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsBrian V.
intermediate skier
Many consider Winter Park Resort to be a locals resort due to its proximity to Denver, Colorado and it's casual feel. It is less crowded and pretentious than more well known resorts such as Vail or Breckenridge. Lots of varied terrain, it has runs for everyone.... More
Superb!4.8 / 5Jan 05, 2020
Winter Park ReviewsFatima S.
beginner skier
Winter park is great! From the parking, to the restaurants, to the friendly staff, it’s all in all amazing! Definitely going to be coming back and bringing my friends along with me!... More
Superb!4.7 / 5Nov 19, 2019
Winter Park ReviewsTory F.
intermediate snowboarder
Winter park has a lot of affordable hotels right off the mountain, tons of different runs so you will never get bored. AND it’s a short ride away from Denver which is perfect for a weekend getaway.... More
Fabulous!4.4 / 5Nov 13, 2019
Winter Park ReviewsZada H.
advanced skier
The first mountain in Colorado I ever skied! It was breathtaking! I enjoyed how some of the runs had an “Alice in wonderland “. The summit was incredible! Definitely a great mountain!... More
Average!3.3 / 5Nov 04, 2019
Winter Park ReviewsPatrick P.
beginner snowboarder
WP and all its glory are the reason and first resort I started boarding. I am going to learn to ski here too(at 27 yrs old and never done it yet.)... More