OVERVIEW
When Park City merged with Canyons a few years back, it became the largest ski resort in the US, which means there is a ton to explore here. We were planning on skiing here two days, but because of weather only managed one. Needless to say, we definitely didn't see all Park City has to offer, so we might have to give this resort another shot in the future.
BEFORE YOU GO | THE TOWN | THE MOUNTAIN | OTHER ACTIVITIES
VISITED: February 2020
MY RATING
3 / 5
POPULARITY
Very High
DIFFICULTY
Medium - it's so large there's a lot of variety, but I might not want to learn here
COST
High - but not necessarily because of lift tickets
VIBE
Young and fun
SIZE
Expansive - it's the largest resort in the US
BEST FOR
Big groups looking for something for everyone
AIR ACCESS
Easy - SLC Int'l Airport is only 30 - 45 min by car
WHEN TO GO
BEFORE YOU GO
PICKING DATES:
As with any ski resort, it will be busy during the holiday season and any long weekends (e.g. MLK and Presidents' Day), but in Park City, you should also look out for the Sundance Film Festival in late January and early February. Locals told us that it might not affect your skiing that much, but it will definitely affect hotels and restaurants (higher prices, prix fixe menus, etc.) Also, be sure to check the resorts' expected opening and closing dates, and know that if you get close to those, the snow quality may be lower.
GETTING THERE:
Getting to Park City is by far the easiest experience of any ski resort we've visited so far. Depending on your hotel, the traffic, and the weather, the airport is only 30 minutes to an hour away. We chose to hire a private car because of our flight times, but there are also options for a traditional shuttle or rental car. It is also worth noting that Utah has an option for Uber Ski, which will send a car capable of handling your gear.
PLANNING FOR SKIING:
Park City is owned by Vail Resorts, which means that you are able to use your Epic pass if you have one. As is true for all resorts if you don't have a pass, booking early and for multiple days will get you the lowest lift ticket price. Rentals are pretty easy, just pay attention to which side of the mountain you book.
HOTELS:
Click here for a guide to the resort's base areas and select hotels.
Waldorf Astoria
Waldorf Astoria
THE TOWN
Restaurant on Main Street
Restaurant on Main Street
THE VIBE:
Park City's bones are a result of its history as a mining town. Main Street is lined with the classic western, mountain town buildings that you expect from a place with a rich mining past. Thanks to the enormous amounts of terrain nearby, the town bustles in a way that makes it feel like that mining energy never died. It's a mix of a little bit of everything - designer-clad socialites mix with rustic locals, Olympians ski to the same base as first-timers. You'll experience both odd alcohol laws and clubby-underground bars, greasy-spoon diners and upscale sushi spots. I'd say it's one of the buzziest ski towns I've been to, but also one of the largest and most varied.
GETTING AROUND:
Going into our trip, I had heard wonderful things about the free bus system in Park City, but we had a very mixed experience. At peak times (and on busy weekends, like ours), riding the bus proved to be an exercise in patience. We also stayed at Canyons Village and thought it would be easy to get to and from the base to our hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, via the gondola, but we learned the hard way that the gondola closes about 5:30.
Ultimately we found the Waldorf's shuttle to be our saving grace. We were able to predictably and comfortably make it between the 2 Park City bases and Deer Valley by day and Main Street by night. When we weren't running on the shuttle's schedule we were also able to call an Uber or Lyft easily. I highly recommend picking a hotel that offers a shuttle - it was a game-changer!
APRES SKI & DINING:
We weren't in Park City enough to try as much food as we wanted to, but we really enjoyed The Eating Establishment for food and No Name Saloon for drinks. If we get a chance to explore more, I'll put together a more extensive guide. As a blanket statement, I highly recommend reservations in Park City, even if it is just a casual restaurant. This was another lesson we learned the hard way! I would also say, I found the food to be the most foodie-focused of where I've skied, and with that came a consistently big price tag.
THE MOUNTAIN
OVERVIEW:
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2019-2020 Dates: Nov. 22 - Apr. 12
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Base Elevation: 6,800 ft
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Summit Elevation: 10,026 ft
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Avg. Snowfall: 355 in
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Skiable Acres: 7,300+
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Trails: 330+
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Grooming: 115+ Trails
Let me start with the good stuff. The obvious sell for Park City is the size. If you spent enough time here, you would certainly be able to find whatever it is that you like. That said, the choices can be a little overwhelming for a non-regular. I liked that in addition to a variety of difficulty, there was a variety of styles - rolling, consistently steep, ridgelines with views, runs through the forest, etc. It's also really cool that a number of mining buildings have been preserved and you can ski right past them. If we go back, I would try to join up for the Silver to Slopes Mining Tour.
The biggest negative I found was the crowds. Some lift lines were long for sure and dining was crowded, but those weren't the biggest issues. Almost everywhere we skied it seemed like it was wall-to-wall people. Not only is this just less fun to ski in, but for the first time ever, I actually was hit by another guest. A snowboarder plowed into me from behind, continued going to meet up with his instructor, and just yelled back up the slope that he was sorry. That put a pretty bad taste in my mouth.
DIFFICULTY:
We didn't have nearly enough time to explore it all, but we did experience a pretty good variety. Overall I would say that Park City is in the meaty middle as far as difficulty goes. I did feel like there weren't a ton of great green runs, especially on the Canyons side; most seemed to either be cat runs or very crowded first-timer areas. As for the blues, there seemed to be a lot of variety - everything from a "green plus" to something steeper and narrower than I enjoy. I recommend asking the mountain guides to help you find what you're looking for among all the options. I would say this mountain is good for trying to make everybody in a big group happy, but I think there are better options if you're a first-timer.
FAVORITE RUNS:
Green: Claimjumper
Once you got past the super-crowded, flat upper part, this was actually a nice little run (albeit still busy). It's also nice because we stumbled upon one of the historic mining buildings that you can ski up to.
Blue: Hidden Splendor
We really enjoyed this run because its name rang true. I'm not sure why people seemed to ignore this run, but it was the only time we felt like we had any space to ourselves. It's a nice little run cut out of the forest that rolls along.
MID-DAY DINING:
We only got to eat at Miner's camp, and the food was pretty good, if standard, on-mountain fare. That said, I heard awesome things about Cloud Dine on the Canyons side, especially about the donuts, and about the Viking Yurt if you are looking for on-mountain drinks.
Skiing Past an Old Mining Building
Skiing Past an Old Mining Building
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Utah Olympic Park
Utah Olympic Park
WINTER:
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Take a bobsled ride at the Olympic Park
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Skiing at Deer Valley - click here to read my guide
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Skiing at other nearby resorts - just a short trip away discover Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, Solitude, and more
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Sleigh Rides
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Snowmobiling
SUMMER:
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Outdoor adventure park with climbing walls, zip-lining, an alpine slide, and more
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Golf
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Mountain Biking
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Hiking
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Gem Panning
RELATED ARTICLES
Park City Neighborhood Guide: PTO Travel Pro* | 3 Days in Park City: PTO Travel Pro* | Deer Valley Destination Guide: PTO Travel Pro* | Telluride Destination Guide: PTO Travel Pro*
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