7 Incredible Utah Ski Resorts for Families (2023) All Ages
Planning your next winter vacation? Struggling to pick a resort where you know everyone will be looked after and have fun, regardless of their age or ski ability? Well, we’ve got you covered with our list of the best Utah ski resorts for families.
Utah has some of the best snow in all of the US. Resorts like Alta, Deer Valley, Powder Mountain, and Solitude offer excellent options for families that want a more ski-focused holiday. You will find no shortages of off-slope activities at resorts like Brian Head, Park City, and Snowbird for the kids.
We are reader supported. We may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Our Top Picks
7. Solitude
Another reasonably priced ski resort in Utah is Solitude Mountain. Solitude Mountain features 1,200 acres of terrain, well-groomed slopes, open bowls, and steep chutes. It has some great treeline runs.
It is often referred to as a hidden gem due to the relatively low population of vacationers. Most of the time the slopes are populated with locals who love the calm, quiet Solitude’s 80 available runs. The difficulty levels of which are nicely balanced from beginner to intermediate.
Fun for Kids
Solitude is another resort focused more on the skiing experience. Most fun for the kids will be found on the slopes, whether that is skiing or snowboarding on their own or in the ski school.
The school offers group adventures for kids ranging from four to 13 years old. The Fly Like an Eagle course is also a great course for kids wanting to learn new skills on the slopes.
Family Skiing
Bearing that in mind, you might wonder if Solitude is the right place for families with more advanced skiers. Well, Honeycomb Canyon is the answer. Here you’ll find some challenging runs for the more skilled riders to enjoy.
Another feature of Solitude to get adventurers excited is the Challenger run, the steepest groomed run in the entire state.
With a good mix of beginner and some more challenging runs, Solitude is a great option for families. Solitude is also part of the IKON pass program, meaning free access for existing members.
Off the Slopes
Moreover, Solitude recently came under Deer Valley ownership, meaning there will be serious changes for the ski resort in the coming years - most likely all done under the keen eye for detail that Deer Valley is known for.
Currently, you spend your time shopping and eating out between skiing. For those wanting some TLC, they also offer a full day spa, ready to pamper your stresses away.
Guests can also enjoy great lodging rates at the ski-in/ski-out luxury condos, as well as a free fourth night when staying for three. Who doesn’t love free stuff?
By the way, we did a comparison of Solitude vs Brighton (a nearby resort) which tends to be better suited to beginner skiers.
What We Love About Solitude:
- A balanced variety of runs
- Excellent lodging deals
- Ski-in/ski-out feel
- Peace and quiet
Solitude Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 10488 ft / 3197 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 1200 acres |
| Lifts: | 9 |
| Runs: | 87 |
6. Brian Head
A big change of pace from our other entries, Brian Head Resort offers a more laidback skiing experience that’s enjoyable for the whole family.
Fun for Kids
Activities for the kids include archery, bungee trampolining, disc golf, tubing, and zip-lining.
Tubing is also a very popular activity here, especially for families with kids that don’t yet ski or snowboard. A fair warning, it’s so popular you might have to book in advance to save a spot for you and your family.
Family Skiing
Brian Head offers the most beginner and child-friendly terrain of all. Most of their 71 runs spread over 650 acres are great for those still learning the ropes or who want a relaxed experience on the slopes.
While the majority of the runs feature great terrain for beginner to intermediate riders, experts might find themselves wanting a little more.
Quaint is a great way to describe the small village of Brian Head and its accompanying slopes. This makes for relatively crowd-free skiing, again making it a great option for those who aren’t that confident yet.
Off the Slopes
Lodging is another perk of Brian Head as you will easily find affordable accommodation. For those wanting a more luxurious hotel experience, The Grand Lodge has you covered with features like day spas, hot tubs, sauna, steam room, and indoor swimming pool.
If the cozy small-town vibe isn't for you, further lodging options can be found just 40 minutes away in neighboring Cedar City.
What We Love About Brian Head:
- Relaxed vibe
- Perfect for beginners and intermediate riders
- Very affordable
- A lot of activities for the kids
Brian Head Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 10970 ft / 3343.66 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 650 acres |
| Lifts: | 8 |
| Runs: | 71 |
5. Snowbird
Snowbird is one of the most scenic and iconic ski resorts in all of Utah. Here you will find breathtaking views amongst some of the best slopes in the state. Just like its neighbor Alta, Snowbird can be subject to up to 42 feet of snowfall per year as a result of warmer up funneling up the valley.
Family Skiing
Featuring a lot of technical and challenging terrain means Snowbird is more geared towards skiers and snowboarders with a decent amount of experience. They have some of the most notorious steeps around, as well as great off-piste terrain.
For families with keen snowboarders set on coming to this area, Snowbird is the best option.
Another awesome feature Snowbird has is the fact that it boasts the only ski tunnel in the whole of North America. Skiing or snowboarding through a mountain is definitely one for the bucket list.
Off the Slopes
Just like Alta, Snowbird is less than an hour’s drive from Salt Lake City.
Snowbird also has a huge list of activities available to guests. These feature some of your typical ski resort items like ski and snowboard lessons, helicopter skiing, and snowcat rides, but there’s even a cliff spa fitted with a rooftop pool, hot tub, fitness center, and even yoga studio!
That’s not something you get at many ski resorts, and it’s a great way for the family to unwind.
What We Love About Snowbird:
- Epic views
- Plenty of other activities
- Excellent snowfall and powder
- Only ski tunnel in North America
Snowbird Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 11000 ft / 3352.8 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 2500 acres |
| Lifts: | 14 |
| Runs: | 140 |
4. Deer Valley
Another ski-only resort, Deer Valley is one of the best options for a family looking for a luxurious time on the slopes. Their first-class lodging and facilities mean your family will be able to enjoy not just excellent skiing, but excellent wining and dining.
Deer Valley features over 2,000 acres with 100 runs spread over six mountains. Coupled with the fact that they keep the crowds small means you’re likely to experience undisturbed skiing throughout your stay.
Fun for Kids
An award-winning ski school is a great option for the kids. Lessons are custom-tailored depending on skill levels for both kids and adults, which will make them enjoyable and leave the kids wanting more. There is also an excellent daycare center.
Knowing your children are in the highly-rated care of the staff means you can enjoy what you want without worrying.
Family Skiing
They offer a great balance in terms of run difficulties, making it a great choice for the whole family. Their ski school is also a great option for families with kids from three up to 17 years old.
Off the Slopes
Deer Valley aims to please with some of the best restaurant experiences available of any ski resort in Utah. Most notably, The Mariposa has been rated the #1 restaurant throughout the entire state. Their customer service and attention to detail are also touted to be among the best.
If excellently groomed runs and on-hill fine dining with the family is your idea of a good trip, Deer Valley may be the ski resort for you.
What We Love About Deer Valley:
- Incredible customer service
- Luxurious facilities
- Superb dining experiences
- Good variety of runs
Deer Valley Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 9570 ft / 2916.94 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 2026 acres |
| Lifts: | 21 |
| Runs: | 103 |
3. Alta
Alta Ski Area is quite a unique resort for this list as it is a ski only resort. Sorry, snowboarders. Aside from that, Alta offers excellent groomed runs but is geared more towards those who like a bit of backcountry adventure.
Fun for Kids
Beginners and kids can easily spend hours on their well-groomed runs, while the more experienced skiers in the family can head out for snowcat or helicopter skiing.
Thankfully for families with snowboarders, Alta is right next to Snowbird. This means you can hit two excellent resorts and mix it up all on the same day. That being said, if the kids find themselves needing a break from skiing, there is a children’s daycare.
If your kids would prefer a little more excitement than daycare, Alta also has a ski school.
Family Skiing
Families can enjoy the ski-in/ski-out hotels that populate Alta, most of which provide all meal packages. This is great for large families who want to avoid the stresses of planning.
Off the Slopes
In comparison to some of the other entries on this list, Alta is definitely more of a purist's destination. They offer several racing events, backcountry adventures, and naturalist tours. Skiing is everything at Alta.
If you’re looking for challenging technical skiing, Alta is the resort for you as almost half the runs are black diamonds.
Another great feature of Alta is its immense snowfall, with about 42 feet of snow each year! It’s not uncommon to be greeted with fresh powder regularly.
What We Love About Alta:
- Skiiers only
- Great backcountry
- Alpine feel
- Fresh snow very often
Alta Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 11068 ft / 3373.53 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 2614 acres |
| Lifts: | 6 |
| Runs: | 119 |
2. Powder Mountain
Another gigantic resort located just outside of Salt Lake City is Powder Mountain, the biggest ski resort in the US. And what’s better than being the largest resort in Utah?
How about the fact that they keep it relatively uncrowded, offering only 1,500 lift tickets daily. This means Powder Mountain truly is one of the best parks for an adventurous young family.
Fun for Kids
Powder Mountain also features a snow sports school for beginners, children, and anyone who wants to brush up on their skills. From classes for first-time skiers or snowboarders and a children’s powder club to the intense all-mountain adventure team, the school has something for everyone.
Family Skiing
Powder Mountain is known for its relaxed vibe, being described as a sleepy hollow. Families who are mainly seeking a skiing or snowboarding outing will be just fine here, but those looking for fine dining and a lot of extra activities may want to try another resort.
Off the Slopes
As you can imagine from its name, Powder Mountain has some of the best powder snow you can find in Utah, as well as the country. The resort offers two terrain parks and 153 runs covered by nine lifts, but for those who are willing to go on the paths less traveled, there’s a whopping total of 8,464 acres to play on.
When you’re dealing with a resort that massive, why not hop on a guided snowmobile tour to get a lay of the land?
What We Love About Powder Mountain:
- Huge variety of terrain
- Great backcountry experience
- Uncrowded slopes
- Only an hour from Salt Lake City
Powder Mountain Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 9422 ft / 2871.82 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 8464 acres |
| Lifts: | 9 |
| Runs: | 154 |
1. Park City
One of the largest ski resorts in the United States, Park City Mountain offers a huge amount of skiable terrain. Park City boasts 341 runs across 7,300+ acres of some of the best snow in the whole of the US.
That being said, Utah is known for having some of the best powder in the country, so that’s a common theme for all of the resorts on this list.
Fun for Kids
The kids will love activities like alpine rollercoasters, dog sledding, tubing, zip-lining, and more. There are also countless restaurants out there for a quick lunch in between skiing sessions.
Family Skiing
The majority of the runs at Park City are geared towards more intermediate skiers, but because of its size, there are still close to 550+ acres of runs appropriate for beginners and kids. That’s bigger than some entire resorts!
They also have an excellent ski school for ages three and up. And for families with kids under three years old, drop them off at the Little Adventures Children’s Center if you want to hit the slopes or shops for a few hours alone.
Off the Slopes
Park City Mountain is located just 35 minutes away from Salt Lake City, meaning affordable accommodation is very easy to find for the whole family. For families wanting to stay in the resort, there is a huge host of lodging options, including gorgeous vintage hotels.
What’s more, being a full-blown historic mining town, Park City offers great things to do for those who want to take a break from the slopes.
What We Love About Park City:
- It’s absolutely massive
- Plenty to do on and off the slopes
- Close proximity to Salt Lake City
Park City Stats
| Summit Elevation: | 10026 ft / 3056 metres |
| Skiable terrain: | 7300 acres |
| Lifts: | 44 |
| Runs: | 341 |
Why Choose Utah for Skiing
The numerous ski resorts in Utah have everything a family will need to have a great ski and snowboard session. From licensed daycare services that care for young children, trails that cater to all degrees of skill, ski and snowboard schools, and other activities to keep the parents and the children engaged throughout the day. Round it out with a tasty dinner and sleep the fatigue away comfortably before rising up on a new day, energized and eager for a new adventure with the whole family.
How Did We Order This List?
To help rank our top selection of ski resorts for this list we compared the following ranking factors:
| 👨👩👦 Ranking Factor | 📈 Power to affect Rank | |||
| Amount of Beginner Trails (Mi) | 4x | |||
| Amount of Skiing Area (Mi) | 3x | |||
| Cost of two adult tickets + child ticket | 1x | |||
| How many magic carpet lifts | 1x |
We gave each factor its own weighting depending on how important we feel it is for family fun across all ages. For example, a resort with more beginner trails is higher ranked than a resort with a lower-priced family ticket - with all else being equal. That's because while cost is a factor, it's not a primary one. We may also use our editorial judgment to remove or add resorts that we believe should make a list.
When taking all of this into account, gives us our awesome list above. We hope it was helpful in planning your next family ski vacation.
View Map
Best Ski Resorts for Families In Utah
About Us
Hello, I'm Simon & I love skiing. I started skiing in 2007 and I founded this website to help new skiers learn everything there is to know about skiing. NewToSki.com has grown to be a trusted resource for over a million skiers to plan their ski trips each year and learn more about every aspect of skiing. Be sure to join my email list for the best tips and handpicked deals each week.
Featured In
Subscribe & Follow
