Canyons Vs Park City, Which is Best For Your Next Ski Trip?

by Laura Penrose | Updated: October 27th, 2022 |  Best Ski Resorts

Planning your next ski vacation in Utah and trying to decide between Canyons and Park City? With two main ski areas, it can be difficult to decide if you should ski at one or the other or both!

Canyons and Park City Mountain Resort have several similarities and being interconnected you can enjoy them both. Canyons is larger, whereas Park City has more amenities, activities, and accommodation but it can also be busier. 

About Canyons Ski Resort

Canyons Ski Resort is located just outside of Park City in Utah, close to Snyderville. In the past, the resort has also been known as “The Canyons” or “Park City West”. Since 2015-16, Canyons has also been connected with Park City Resort, with the two of them making the largest combined ski area in America. 

For simplicity, the former Canyons Ski Resort and Park City Mountain Resort are now known as Park City, a combination of the two resorts. 

Skiing at Canyons Ski Resort

Each year, Canyons receives on average 355 inches of snow and what’s even better it’s great quality. 

With a total of 21 lifts and 4,000 acres of skiing, there is certainly no shortage of scope in skiing at Canyons. Although there is some terrain for beginners, it is mostly at intermediate and advanced levels. As such, Canyons is better suited to more intermediate and advanced skiers. 

There is also easy access to side-country (out of the ski area) skiing for experts looking for adventure. With so much terrain, just visiting the Canyons side of the mountain will be sure to keep most riders entertained during their vacation. 

Canyons Ski Resort Amenities

The Canyons side of Park City has all of the amenities that you could be looking for. It has rental shops, and ski schools, as well as several restaurants and bars, to choose from. If you are looking for some retail therapy, there is a selection of stores to browse. 

Closer to the resort, there are other winter activities such as snowshoeing, cat skiing, sleigh rides, or even zip-lining. 

Canyons Ski Resort Accommodation

The nearest accommodation is in Canyons Village itself. There are plenty of options at Canyons, where you can choose between hotels and luxury properties. Comforts such as slopeside skiing, or very close to it, make staying at Canyons a great option. 

In contrast, staying in Park City offers a greater range of accommodation to choose from. In addition, the range of restaurants, bars, and shops is more extensive. 

Staying in Park City is closer if you are looking to ski on the Park City side of the mountain as well. The two are interconnected by a gondola, so you would have the chance to start your day on the Park City side.

Canyons Ski Resort Transportation/Getting There

The great advantage of skiing at Canyons is that the village is only 33 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, with its varied connections. This makes getting to Canyons a great option for a ski vacation and there are several transfer options from the airport to the village. Some prefer that bit of extra independence & hiring a rental car from the airport is straightforward.

About Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort located next to Park City town in Utah. Together with Canyons, the two areas make up the Park City Ski area.

As of 2015-16, the two areas were interconnected and combined into one, making it the largest skiing destination in America. The two combined create 7,300 acres of terrain to ski, serviced by 41 lifts. 

Skiing at Park City Mountain Resort

Each year, Park City Mountain Resort receives an average of 355 inches of snow. Park City Mountain has such reliable snow that it was the location for the Winter Olympics in 2002. Park City Mountain Resort hosted the giant slaloms. The resort also hosts several training courses for the U.S. Ski team. 

Similar to Canyons, Park City is a great location for intermediate skiers with 41% of the trails rated intermediate, 28% advanced, and 23% considered expert. That means that only 8% of the trails are beginners. 

However, in general, Park City is also great for beginners, but intermediate skiers will really thrive. For the advanced skiers, there is a great mix of tree-skiing, as well as on and off-piste areas. 

Park City Mountain Resort Amenities

Park City has a lot of amenities from rental hire, to the ski school, as well as day-care for children, similar to Canyons. There are also various family activities such as the Alpine Coaster, a rollercoaster located above the Park City base.

The Park City Mountain Resort side of Park City is closer to the town, which offers a lot of great restaurants, bars, and shopping. With Park City town being slightly larger than Canyons, there are certainly more options available, and the nightlife is that much more lively. 

Park City Mountain Resort Accommodation

Park City has plenty of good accommodations ranging from budget to luxury. Some accommodation is slopeside, close to the base of the Park City Mountain Resort. However, the price of staying at these locations will be more on the expensive site.

In the downtown area of Park City (the city), there are also a lot of accommodation options to suit all budgets.  The alternative option would be to stay at Canyons, the village at the base of the Canyon’s side of Park City. 

Park City Mountain Resort Transportation/Getting There

Located only 37 miles away from Salt Lake City International Airport, Park City is a great location for a ski vacation. There are a variety of transfer options from the airport such as a direct shuttle service or a bus. 

You can also hire a rental car and drive which takes approximately 45 minutes from the airport. 

How Interconnected Are The Resorts?

As these two resorts are now interconnected they have become one massive resort. However, they still retain their separate individuality and you can choose to ski more on one side or the other. There are more accommodation choices at Park City, so If staying close to the ski areas is a priority for you then Park City will most likely be best. 

There is plenty of flexibility between the two resorts, so it should be easier to find the optimum selection of skiing and accommodation for your requirements. 

FAQ: Can you ski between Canyons and Park City?

Since 2015-16, the two ski resorts have been interconnected where you can ride a gondola between the two. You are able to ski at both Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons (combined now known as Park City) with a Park City lift pass. 

About Us

Hello, I'm Simon & I love skiing. I founded this website to help you get prepared for the slopes. 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