Park City Ski Resort 2023 Guide

The Resort

Park City packs a punch, so prepare to need lots of rest after this great holiday. The skiing is top-notch, the terrain parks are outstanding, and the social scene is off the chain. And everyone knows it; crowds are here.

The Ski Resort claims 7,300 skiable acres. Their terrain includes 7 terrain parks, 8 peaks, and 9 bowls; there is, without a doubt, something for every level & style of rider. There are over 300 marked runs located at this resort; challenge accepted.

With 355 inches of snow a year, Park City slams it home for a long and plentiful season. Plus, 500 acres of the country’s finest snow-making will make your ski holiday a guaranteed success. The snow will have a light and fluffy texture for most of the winter season. Spring season will be slushy, but the snowmaking comes in clutch.

The beginner terrain is minimal if you compare it to the rest of the mountain’s terrain. With only 8% of their landscape being green runs, one would think a beginner would get bored doing the same runs over and over. But, this small percentage equals over 25+ runs being manicured to accommodate a new learner.

A novice skier can take the Red Pine Gondola to High Meadow Park to reach the highest elevated custom-made beginner terrain. Views of the surrounding Wasatch mountains will knock you down if the snowboarding does not.

Non-skiing visitors have the opportunity to take the Red Pine Gondola for a scenic ride. At the top, visitors can eat lunch at the Red Pine Lounge and absorb the electric on-mountain atmosphere.

Backcountry skiers: bring your gear, or buy it in town, because things will get real. The off-piste riding is ample and accessible through the lift service at Park City. Escape the crowds by heading to the bountiful out-of-bounds terrain.

Park City has seven terrain parks. 7 TERRAIN PARKS. Lucky number seven will help you send that 720 you’ve been dying to land; 360s do not seem good enough at Park City. If you are not there yet, there are several different level parks to help park rats advance, one feature at a time.

For families and beginners, the Little Kings Terrain Park at the Park City Base will be where you head to. This park has x-small features.

Once you are ready to showcase your new skills in an intermediate park, head over to Pick Axe Park; this park offers a variety of small features.

On the Canyons Village side, cruise through Transitions Terrain Park for small and medium features to help transition your skills to the big leagues.

For those extreme park rats, 3 Kings Terrain Park will be your paradise. This park features medium and large jumps, rails, boxes, wallrides, and bonks. Bonks are like upside-down trashcans that you jump over and bonk with your board or skis, aka cool.

There is one superpipe. Experts will be sending it, and Olympians are formed here. To gain skills to advance to the superpipe, a minipipe exists. Also, the mountain’s terrain created six natural halfpipes. Ripping is what you do here.

If you are a fair-weather skier, visiting in February will not be the move for you. Clouds will be shading the place for 52% of Valentine’s month. January will be the month with the most snow days, powder-hounds we are leading you here.

January will be the busiest month of the year at Park City. Not only will skiers be flocking there to experience the new snowfall, but film lovers will also come in the thousands in the first month of the year. The Sundance Film Festival occurs annually in Salt Lake City and Park City during January.

It is important to mentally prepare to stand in a ski lift line. This resort probably will be crowded when you visit. If crowds upset you, the neighboring resort, Deer Valley, limits its lift ticket sales immensely but does not allow snowboarding.

Park City has 41 ski lifts. Nearly half of the chair lifts are high-speed. There are four gondolas, three magic carpets, and a nifty rope-pull lift. Crowds can be escaped if you utilize terrain spread out all over the mountain besides staying near the jam-packed base areas.

A few years ago, Vail Resorts purchased the northern mountain, Canyons. A year later, they bought Park City. Today, the mountains’ terrain is connected by the Quicksilver Gondola, making Park City Ski Resort the second biggest ski resort in North America, second only to Whistler.

Due to the massive size, there are two main base areas. They are located about a ten-minute drive from one another and connected by a public shuttle. It is possible to ski between the base areas, but the traverse will take up most of your ski day. We recommend dedicating separate days to each side of the mountain to soak up all Park City has to offer.

One base area is located north of the town named Canyons Village at Park City. Parking, restaurants & bars, and lodging options are available here. This used to be a separate ski mountain from Park City; amenities are present at this base.

The other base area, located in Park City, is called Park City Mountain Village. This base area will have limited parking but is close to the town’s lovely apres scene. A 5-minute drive down the road will guide you to downtown’s historic Main Street.

Use the Epic Pass to shred this mountain.

Getting There

Salt Lake City will be the closest city with an international airport to Park City. Your new favorite resort is just a 45-minute commute from Salt Lake City International Airport. The new airport services: AeroMexico, Air Canada, Alaska, American Airlines, Delta, Eurowings Discover, Frontier, JetBlue, KLM, Spirit, Southwest, and United.

Upon arrival at the International Airport, one will find any means of transportation to traverse to/from Park City. Limos, public and private shuttles, Uber, Lyft, taxis, car rentals, city buses, etc.

All-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended if you drive a car to this location. But this location has nice year-round highways that are well maintained during winter. If it is a storm day, snow chains will prevent you from slipping and sliding on the road.

Accommodation

Hotels, condo rentals, and shuttles are abundant in Park City. Lodging will be scattered around the two base areas and in town.

For your luxury 5-star accommodation, stay at the Waldorf Astoria, located at the Canyons Village. Pets, weddings, and group events are proudly hosted at the Waldorf. The spa, hot tubs, and fitness center are highlighted reasons to book your stay with them.

Hotel Park City, located downtown at the Park City Mountain Village, is your go-to ski-in ski-out resort. Featured amenities include a spa, restaurant, hot tub, outdoor pool, on-site golf course, and fitness center.

Some hotels at Park City will offer complimentary hotel airport shuttle accommodations. Check booking details to verify a shuttle is included in your lodging.

Getting around Park City is made easy by city bus. The buses are 100% electric, free, and clean. Some hotels and high-end properties will offer complimentary shuttle service if buses are not your gig. Walking will be a suitable mode of transportation if you are staying in downtown Park City. If you are up in Canyons Village or Kimbell County, a rental car may be your best bet if you do not want to use public transportation.

Facilities

Apart from the snow sports, a plethora of restaurants and bars, shopping, and non-ski-centered activities mean visitors do not need to stuff into uncomfy ski boots to enjoy Park City.

The town of Park City provides all the facilities a sports fanatic can dream up, including child daycares to drop off the “baggage.” Gyms, spas, yoga studios, and hot tubs are found within the city limits and surrounding the resort.

If skiing does not satisfy your workout desires, there are a decent amount of alternative options. The Park City MARC & Recreation offers day passes for traditional workouts, group classes, tennis courts, and a pool.

If you love fun group workout classes similar to cross-fit, drop-in passes are available at Park City Fit.

Yoga calls out to many riders after long days shredding the slopes. Visit Enlighten Wellness to unite your mind, body, and spirit. They offer hot flow, heated vinyasa, stretch & restore, power sweat, and gentle yoga classes.

Daycare options are scattered throughout the town. There is also an on-mountain licensed daycare facility for 6 weeks to 6-year-olds.

Families and Kids

Families with kids love Park City Resort, specifically for its on-mountain daycare program and excellent accredited ski school. The kid-friendly terrain and magic carpets are primarily located at the Mountain Village. The learning areas are marked as a “slow zone” to help keep beginners safe.

The ski school offers private family lessons for groups of up to 6 people. Take advantage of this irreplaceable family time with no phones, TV, or distractions.

Children’s ski&ride lessons include ages 3-14 years of age; group and private lessons are available. Lessons offered to kids have several different multi or single-day packages for half-day or full-day classes. Lift tickets are not included in lessons; the Epic Pass will unlock discounts.

The on-mountain daycare, Little Adventures Children’s Center, welcomes little ducks ages 6 weeks to 6 years of age. They are a state-licensed year-round childcare facility with arts and crafts, indoor/outdoor play, and a unique location providing access to the gondola.

Park City loves kid-friendly activities and family fun. There is a mini-roller coaster, the Alpine Coaster, for riders 38inches and above. Luna Lobos Dog Sledding should be kept a secret from your kids unless you constantly want to be asked about it.

Sign up for the Gold Pass Session at the Olympic Park if interested in zip lines, rope courses, airbag jumps, extreme sledding, and the alpine slide. However, most of these activities are available only in the summer months. The Olympic Park is free to visit, be on the lookout for Olympic athletes.

For more adrenaline-filled activities, go to Woodward Park City to experience action sports classes and camps for kids. Woodward has skateboarding, mountain biking, parkour, and tumbling.

For Beginner Riders

Park City’s Ski School rocks. Producing Olympic athletes over and over again; a lesson here is a once and a lifetime opportunity. Private ski schools have banded together to form Park City Ski & Snowboard School.

Adults have the opportunity to take group or private ski or snowboard lessons at Park City. They offer half-day AM or PM group classes for beginner and intermediate adults. The Ski School offers private full-day or half-day classes to all levels of riders, including experts.

Lift tickets and equipment rentals are a separate cost from ski school classes. Epic pass holders will have discounts. Multi-day reservations will reduce the costs as well.

High Meadow Park is a dedicated beginner learning area that has improved the natural terrain conditions to make it better for learners. Here, the gentle terrain is continuously covered with artificial snow and groomed to perfection. The Park is open to all guests.

Routine Skiers’ Guide

There are 41 ski lifts at Park City with a 31,000-skier-per-hour capacity. But crowds are real here; it may feel like there are millions of skiers and riders, and that is because there are– up to 5 million. Routine skiers should try skiing in the morning on weekdays.

Good thing there is exceptional backcountry skiing surrounding Park City so an advanced skier can escape the crowds with pristine snow conditions and views. Only skiers educated in avalanche safety and with the appropriate gear should venture past the in-bounds runs.

White Pine Touring offers guided off-piste ski adventures. The inspired Summit Adventures guides provide first-hand knowledge of the terrain. Backcountry ski rentals are available to rent here.

The most accessible backcountry skiing will be if you go up the lifts on the Canyon side of the mountain and head to the backcountry gates. But do not ski the backcountry alone unless you have extensive knowledge of the terrain. Many areas are off-limits to backcountry skiers; guides are necessary for off-piste skiing in the Wasatch Mountains.

For Snowboarders

Snowboarders, you are allowed at Park City but not the neighboring ski resort, exclusive Deer Valley. That should not bum you out because seven terrain parks are at your disposal at Park City.

Strap in and get ready to shred. Experts will thrive here, especially if super halfpipes are your thing. The advanced parks contain many features, allowing all the steeze to drip off you.

Thankfully beginners will survive here due to the multiple multi-step progression parks designed for improvement. There are several x-small park features for first-timers. Wide, groomed beginner terrain will also be available for you to practice your first “S” turns.

The Apres-Ski

Choose from over 150+ restaurants and bars; deciding will be difficult as many are highly ranked. Have a moment with yourself, imagining what kind of food you want first, then go from there. Sign up for food tours, wine tastings, and cooking classes on your ski rest day.

Park City exists to entertain its visitors. One can fly fish, ice skate, snowmobile, dog sled, snow mountain bike, and stand-up paddleboard in a 10,000-year-old geothermal crater.

Less active options include gondola rides, museums, shops, art galleries, and historic tours. The music scene is popping; during spring, stand at the Umbrella Bar at Canyons Village Base Area to listen to live music while drinking a cold beer.

The Historic Main Street in downtown Park City was listed as a non-competitive Olympic venue. The apres-ski scene is off the charts. Maybe the Olympics also booked Park City to have a fun social setting. Voted “Best Town Ever” by Outside Magazine in 2013, pack your night-out-on-the-town outfits!

In town on Main Street, The Spur Bar&Grill has live music every night. Downstairs will be your go-to popular dance club if you are trying to show off your twerk dance moves. VIP service or drink specials will be waiting for you.

Shopping Options

Most of Park City’s shopping will be located on Historic Main St in town or at the Park City Mountain Village Base Area.

If you did not pack your hottest outfits, no worries, the shopping here has got you covered. Stroll through Main Street in Park City to experience a multitude of shops. Shops range from the best mountain gear and equipment to upscale boutiques to mainstream brands.

Spend a little extra in Park City at the art galleries, jewelry stores, and western wear stores. If you came without ski and snowboard gear, leave with top-of-the-line equipment.

The Bottom Line

A ski trip here means memories for a lifetime. There is truly something for everyone at Park City. Families will find that activities endlessly fill their days regardless of skiing status. The apres ski scene at the resort and in town will make any non-skier delighted to venture out to the Wasatch mountains.

Park City’s 330+ marked ski runs indicate something for every level. Beginners, do not be discouraged that the map contains a boatload of black diamonds; stellar engineered learning terrain is at your fingertips at Park City.

Advanced riders, buckle up, and hold on tight. Park City’s shreddability level breaks the scale. The steep bowls, tight chutes, cliff drops, and terrain parks will motivate riders to up their game. Crowds can be escaped here due to the vast terrain, so come prepared to explore.

If the gnarly terrain, profuse terrain parks, and perfect beginner runs have not roped you in already, the social scene is chanting your name. Whether a young single adult shredder or a nine-person family with handicapped members, this destination is well suited for y’all.

History of Olympic Champions

Hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics, “Park City Nation” stands as the United States’ premier producer of winter sports athletes. With dozens of Olympic athletes calling Park City home, the mountain mirrors their world-class performance. In the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, if Park City were a country, it would have come in 12th place in the medal count.

The most famous Olympians from Park City include gold medalists Ted Ligety, Joss Christensen, Sage Kotsenburg, and Picabo Street. Madison Olsen is Park City’s newest Olympic freestyle skier to follow and support.

The Olympic Training Center, 10 minutes north of Park City Mountain Resort, shows visitors why Olympians are produced here. The atmosphere is buzzing with motivating energy to help athletes set world records. Admission to the center is free to visit the museum and watch the Olympic athletes train. Guided tours are available through reservations.

Snow sports’ world records are not the only thing being broken at Park City. In October 2022, Park City set the Guinness Book of World Records record for the longest “shot ski.” A shot ski is a ski with several shot glasses attached so multiple people can take a shot of alcohol at the same time off the same ski. Park City’s shot ski is 2,610 feet long and had 1,340 people tipping back shots of High West’s Double Rye Whiskey. But don’t be surprised if they don’t hold the record long, as they have gone back and forth with Breckenridge over the years for the title.