2021 Best Ski Resorts in the USA

Our annual ranking of the Best Ski Resorts in the USA can help you decide which slopes to tackle this season. To identify the country's top ski and snowboard destinations, we evaluate hundreds of data points, such as skiable area, vertical drop, average snowfall, mountain operations and amenities to provide unbiased recommendations. In addition to these factors, we've taken into account adjustments many resorts are making to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We hope our ski resort rankings will help you plan your next ski trip. Enjoy the slopes and stay healthy!

#1
  • Vertical Drop 3,226 ft
  • Skiable Area 7,300 ac
  • Number of Lifts 44
#2

Big Sky

Big Sky, MT

  • Vertical Drop 4,366 ft
  • Skiable Area 5,800 ac
  • Number of Lifts 38
#3

Aspen-Snowmass

Aspen, CO

  • Vertical Drop 4,406 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,339 ac
  • Number of Lifts 22
#4

Vail

Vail, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,450 ft
  • Skiable Area 5,317 ac
  • Number of Lifts 33
#5

Telluride

Telluride, CO

  • Vertical Drop 4,425 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,000 ac
  • Number of Lifts 18
#6

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

Olympic Valley, CA

  • Vertical Drop 2,850 ft
  • Skiable Area 6,200 ac
  • Number of Lifts 42
#7

Steamboat

Steamboat Springs, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,668 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,965 ac
  • Number of Lifts 18
#8

Breckenridge

Breckenridge, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,398 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,908 ac
  • Number of Lifts 34
#9

Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Lakes, CA

  • Vertical Drop 3,100 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,500 ac
  • Number of Lifts 28
#10

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Teton Village, WY

  • Vertical Drop 4,139 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,500 ac
  • Number of Lifts 13
#11

Beaver Creek

Avon, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,340 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,832 ac
  • Number of Lifts 23
#12

Heavenly Mountain

South Lake Tahoe, CA

  • Vertical Drop 3,500 ft
  • Skiable Area 4,800 ac
  • Number of Lifts 28
#13

Keystone

Keystone, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,128 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,148 ac
  • Number of Lifts 21
#14

Killington

Killington, VT

  • Vertical Drop 3,050 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,509 ac
  • Number of Lifts 21
#15

Crested Butte

Crested Butte, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,062 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,547 ac
  • Number of Lifts 15
#16

Mount Bachelor

Bend, OR

  • Vertical Drop 3,365 ft
  • Skiable Area 4,323 ac
  • Number of Lifts 15
#17

Crystal Mountain

Enumclaw, WA

  • Vertical Drop 3,100 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,600 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#18

Snowbird

Snowbird, UT

  • Vertical Drop 3,240 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,500 ac
  • Number of Lifts 14
#19

Deer Valley Resort

Park City, UT

  • Vertical Drop 3,000 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,026 ac
  • Number of Lifts 21
#20

Bridger Bowl

Bozeman, MT

  • Vertical Drop 2,700 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,000 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#21
  • Vertical Drop 2,353 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,000 ac
  • Number of Lifts 14
#22

June Mountain

June Lake, CA

  • Vertical Drop 2,590 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,500 ac
  • Number of Lifts 6
#23

Sun Valley

Sun Valley, ID

  • Vertical Drop 3,400 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,054 ac
  • Number of Lifts 19
#24

Alta

Alta, UT

  • Vertical Drop 2,538 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,614 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#25

Sugarloaf

Carrabassett Valley, ME

  • Vertical Drop 2,820 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,240 ac
  • Number of Lifts 13
#26

Solitude

Solitude, UT

  • Vertical Drop 2,494 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,200 ac
  • Number of Lifts 8
#27

Snowbasin

Huntsville, UT

  • Vertical Drop 2,900 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,000 ac
  • Number of Lifts 12
#28

Kirkwood

Kirkwood, CA

  • Vertical Drop 2,000 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,300 ac
  • Number of Lifts 13
#29

Alyeska Resort

Girdwood, AK

  • Vertical Drop 3,200 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,610 ac
  • Number of Lifts 9
#30

Powder Mountain

Eden, UT

  • Vertical Drop 2,205 ft
  • Skiable Area 7,000 ac
  • Number of Lifts 9
#31

Brighton

Brighton, UT

  • Vertical Drop 1,875 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,050 ac
  • Number of Lifts 7
#32

Copper Mountain

Frisco, CO

  • Vertical Drop 2,738 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,490 ac
  • Number of Lifts 23
#33

Mount Hood Meadows

Mt Hood, OR

  • Vertical Drop 2,777 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,150 ac
  • Number of Lifts 13
#34

Bear Valley

Bear Valley, CA

  • Vertical Drop 1,900 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,280 ac
  • Number of Lifts 10
#35

Northstar California

Truckee, CA

  • Vertical Drop 2,280 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,170 ac
  • Number of Lifts 19
#36

Sugarbush

Warren, VT

  • Vertical Drop 2,600 ft
  • Skiable Area 484 ac
  • Number of Lifts 16
#37

Discovery

Anaconda, MT

  • Vertical Drop 2,388 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,200 ac
  • Number of Lifts 8
#38

Loveland

Georgetown, CO

  • Vertical Drop 2,210 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,800 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#39

Purgatory Resort

Durango, CO

  • Vertical Drop 2,029 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,635 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#40

Winter Park Resort

Winter Park, CO

  • Vertical Drop 3,060 ft
  • Skiable Area 3,081 ac
  • Number of Lifts 23
#41

Sugar Bowl

Norden, CA

  • Vertical Drop 1,500 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,650 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#42

Brundage Mountain

McCall, ID

  • Vertical Drop 1,921 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,920 ac
  • Number of Lifts 6
#43

The Summit at Snoqualmie

Snoqualmie Pass, WA

  • Vertical Drop 2,280 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,994 ac
  • Number of Lifts 25
#44

Schweitzer Mountain

Sandpoint, ID

  • Vertical Drop 2,400 ft
  • Skiable Area 2,900 ac
  • Number of Lifts 10
#45

Whiteface Mountain

Wilmington, NY

  • Vertical Drop 3,166 ft
  • Skiable Area 314 ac
  • Number of Lifts 11
#46

Timberline Ski Area

Government Camp, OR

  • Vertical Drop 3,690 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,415 ac
  • Number of Lifts 8
#47

Silver Mountain

Kellogg, ID

  • Vertical Drop 2,200 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,600 ac
  • Number of Lifts 7
#48

Red Lodge Mountain

Red Lodge, MT

  • Vertical Drop 2,400 ft
  • Skiable Area 1,635 ac
  • Number of Lifts 7
#49

Stowe Mountain

Stowe, VT

  • Vertical Drop 2,360 ft
  • Skiable Area 485 ac
  • Number of Lifts 12
#50

Jay Peak

Jay, VT

  • Vertical Drop 2,153 ft
  • Skiable Area 385 ac
  • Number of Lifts 9

Best Ski Regions in the USA

Highest Vertical in USA