Park City Ski Area

Skiing in Park City

With over 330 groomed trails, 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, a 3226 ft vertical, and a choice of two base areas (Park City Mountain and Canyons Village), Park City Mountain Resort has skiing for everyone. Park City Mountain ski area is also accessible directly from the centre of Park City town via Town Lift off Main Street.

• Ski Area Overview >
• Beginner Skiing at Park City >
• Intermediate Skiing at Park City >
• Advanced & Expert Skiing at Park City >
• Boarding & Freestyle at Park City >
• Park City Mountain Restaurants >

Ski Area Overview

Park City Mountain as the ski resort and area is known was bought by Vail Resorts in 2014. In 2015, Park City and Canyons ski areas were connected by the Quicksilver Gondola from Park City Miners Camp across Pinecone Ridge to Canyons Village, creating the biggest lift-served ski resort in the U.S.

With over 330 trails, 8% easy (green) for beginners, 48% (blue) for intermediate and 44% (black or double diamond black) for advanced and expert skiers, there is plenty of great terrain to explore and Park City Mountain has variety for all skiers of abilities.

Snowmaking covers 800 acres and helps build the snow base early season, but with an average of 355” snow each winter (and a whopping 600 inches in 2022/23), Park City Mountain has a great snow record.

The ski area is mostly treelined with plenty of freeriding off-piste and enjoyable tree skiing in Aspen glades, and skiing under the lifts is an added possibility for those who enjoy skiing moguls.

Beginners and timid intermediates will be confident on the gentle 3.5-mile-long Home Run to Park City Mountain Village (one of the longest green runs in the state) or Lower Boa to Canyons Village base. The ski area is exceptionally well-groomed with 40 snowcats grooming 115 of 330 trails daily so there are plenty of gentle green and blue trails from mountain top to bottom, and slow zones are marked.

A plethora of blue runs off the Tombstone Express on the Canyons side link with more challenging double blues off Dreamcatcher. Over at Park City, intermediates should head for the King Con lift, upgraded to a fast six-pack, with a choice of 13 routes. The Canyons ski area is best suited for the skier who likes to ski the natural mountain, with fewer wide trails and a good variety of black and blue runs

For experts, McConkey’s six-pack express, or the Jupiter Bowl lift access uncharted double blacks off Jupiter Peak, 9998 ft, and Jupiter Bowl, 10,026 ft, with the Ninety-Nine 90 Express quad or Super Condor Express at Canyons opening up acres of double blacks, many above the treeline.

With six natural halfpipes and two terrain parks, Canyons is acknowledged as a leader in the terrain park world.

Beginner Skiing at Park City

Park City Mountain’s family-friendly ski area is great for beginner skiers including two designated slow-skiing areas of easy green trails and Canyons Village has a 7-acre area dedicated to beginners. The 3.5-mile-long Home Run is one of the longest green trails in Utah.

Park City Mountain Village has two designated slow-skiing areas of green trails, one at the base, and the other off the Silverlode lift. Canyons has a dedicated 7-acre beginners’ area at the top of the Flight of the Canyons gondola.

It is possible for a beginner to ski from mountain top to base at Park City on a green trail via PayDay and Bonanza lifts, and Homerun, or Claim Jumper to the base of the Silverlode Express. At Canyons, beginners should return to the village base by Boomer, Zap and Willow Draw, before progressing on to Snow Dancer from the Saddleback Express lift.

Intermediate Skiing at Park City

There is good intermediate terrain at Park City Mountain Resort both above Park City and above Canyons village.

Half the Park City side of the ski area is intermediate terrain, many runs clustered around King Con – no longer a bottleneck with the new 6-pack express lift. Hidden Splendour, Powder Key, Assessment and Mel’s Alley are easier blues than Sunnyside, Single Jack or Parley’s Park.

At Canyons, off Dreamscape and Day Break, there are wide open blue trails with spectacular views, often deserted. Of the long blues which wind their way through tree-lined valleys, try Crowning Glory and Harmony from Peak 5 which returns to the Tombstone Express lift base. For greater challenge, seek out the Another World trail which is steeper and often mogulled.

Advanced & Expert Skiing at Park City

Jupiter Bowl and McConkey’s Bowl, with their black diamond and double black diamond trails, are Park City’s advanced and expert areas. At Canyons, Devil’s Friend is good for moguls, whilst the best powder is on Murdock Peak where there is also backcountry skiing.

Jupiter Bowl and McConkey’s Bowl at Park City, and the Ninety-Nine 90 Express quad at Canyons access the steepest, ungroomed terrain with light powder and or moguls. While backcountry skiing is not permitted here, the adventurous can take a 20-minute walk along the ridge to Jupiter Peak and down the East Face into Puma Bowl. All terrain is classed as black, or double black.

Peak 5 on Park City’s Canyons side offers great skiing for experts including aptly named Abyss Woods. Starting at the top of Mystic Pines and jumping into the woods at the third gate from the left, Abyss Woods is arguably the toughest lift-accessible terrain in Park City.

At Canyons, the Devil’s Friend off the Super Condor Express is particularly good for moguls, with the best powder off Murdock Peak.

Wasatch Mountains Backcountry

While Utah is renowned for deep, dry powder snow, the proximity between the Park City and Salt Lake City resorts is yet another benefit. From Park City to Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird, or Alta is just a 30-minute drive down one canyon and up another, but as the crow flies, they are only a few miles apart and include stunning backcountry terrain in the pristine wilderness of the Wasatch Mountains range. Backcountry terrain offers fresh untouched powder, but also hidden obstacles and avalanche danger, beyond the reach of Ski Patrol so not to be attempted without the necessary experience and knowledge to do so safely.

Park City Backcountry Access Points for Experts Only

Expert skiers trained in avalanche safety and with the proper equipment and experience can access backcountry terrain with only a small number of special access points with appropriate ski area boundary warning signs. Never duck under a rope and never go beyond a sign saying “Closed: Avalanche Danger “. If accessing the backcountry, you are leaving the ski resort and you can die, this is your decision.

The backcountry gate from the peak of the Canyons 9990 chairlift (“the deadliest” backcountry gate in Utah) was permanently closed in 2021 following several fatalities and other serious injuries from avalanches. The Peak 5 Chairlift backcountry access gate remains open to those with the necessary skills, training and equipment, but requires more hiking and planning to access the terrain and will be beyond the capabilities of most “expert” skiers and riders.

Boarding & Freestyle at Park City

Park City has four terrain parks and Canyons Village has two, and between them, they cover all levels.

There are four terrain parks of differing levels across the Park City side of the area, with two terrain parks at Canyons. Payday Park is for riding and jibbing, Pick N Shovel is under the Three Kings Lift, Jonesy’s on the upper mountain and the King’s Crown Superpark is close to the base. There is also a Superpipe with 22 ft walls off Eagle Chair. Adventure Park at Canyons has smaller features and is best suited for those learning new tricks or beginners. Respect Park, as the name implies with 22 features, is geared towards advanced skiers and riders. There are also six natural half pipes around the resort – a snowboarder’s dream – but riders must beware of flat spots on green trails!

The Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour

Ski Utah’s signature backcountry tour allows advanced and expert skiers in good physical condition the opportunity to ski seven resorts – Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Brighton, Solitude, Alta, and Snowbird – in one day without ever removing your skis and includes a few runs at each resort before skiing established backcountry routes to the next. Operating 7 days a week (conditions permitting) the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour takes around 7 hours (lunch and transportation included) and is the only way to access the Park City and Salt Lake City (Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons) resorts in the same day. For skiers only snowboarding is not permitted at Deer Valley and Alta resorts. Avalanche beacons and all resort passes are included.

The Interconnect Adventure Tour
Tel: +1.801.534.1779
Web: Ski Utah Interconnect Tour

Park City Mountain Restaurants

Park City Mountain has 16 mountain restaurants, seven Park City side of which five are on-mountain, and nine more Canyons side.

Park City Side

At the base, Legends Bar and Grill at Park City, has a range of local brews, and cocktails from 11 am, while the Legacy Cafe at the base of Payday lift opens at 7.30 am for breakfast for early bird skiers and riders.

Mid-Mountain Lodge (near the base of Pioneer and McConkey’s lifts) and Summit House (at the top of Bonanza Express) serve homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers and salads.

Miners Camp (at the base of the Quicksilver gondola linking Park City and Canyons) serves a wide range of homemade soups, chilli, salads, and fresh local fare is a popular lunchtime spot with indoor seating for 500, a huge outdoor deck and lively bar.

Viking Yurt (top of Bonanza, Silverlode and Motherlode lits) with wood-fire stove is a cosy ski-in, ski-out lunch spot (11.00-2:30 pm) also offering 5-course gourmet mountaintop dining (6-10 pm) for a maximum of 34 guests.

Snowed Inn Lodge (a sleigh ride from the base of the Payday lift) offers western-style dining with live music and a sleigh ride experience (evenings only).

Canyons Side

Cloud Dine may offer “expansive views” and “a made-from-scratch menu”, but be prepared to stand in line at any of four separate counters – grill, pizza, soup or salad – then queue to pay. Plastic chairs, metal tables and no place to put your gloves or helmet. Best avoided, especially when busy.

Lookout Cabin at the Orange Bubble mid-station offers upscale fine dining, full-service bar and splendid views. Lookout’s imaginative Rocky Mountain style menu and extensive wine list are fairly priced and better value than other standard mountain fare elsewhere. The views of the Wasatch Range are magical.

Mid-Mountain Lodge, near the base of Pioneer and McConkey’s lifts, Summit House at the top of Bonanza, Sun Lodge (base of Sun Peak Express) and the Tombstone Yurt and Grill serve homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers and salads.

Red Pine Lodge at the top of the gondola serves grills, sandwiches, pizzas and soups for lunch inside or on the sun deck. Red Pine’s standard mountain top fare is fine for refuelling between runs, but not memorable.

Red Tail Grill in the Grand Summit Hotel (entrance on the 2nd floor) is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner has a large outdoor deck with unrivalled views and is a perfect family-gathering spot. Serving traditional tap house fare including chilli wings, burgers, tacos, sandwiches, and soups and also offering a kids’ aged 12 and under menu.

Sun Lodge near the base of Sun Peak Express, is a more shabby-chic mountain experience with a lower-price menu featuring Epic burgers, Mexican-style Sonoran Hot Dog, Reuben sandwiches, salads, pizzas and soups. Somewhat hidden away and therefore less crowded, it also offers a 15% discount for season pass holders.

The Farm at the Canyons base specialises in modern American cuisine and serves inventive dishes made mostly from locally sourced fresh produce. The Bistro, located in the Silverado Lodge, serves kosher fare from 4 pm to 9 pm, Sunday – Thursday during the ski season.

Tombstone BBQ at the base of Tombstone Express lift serves brisket, pulled pork, smoked wings, homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers, salads and beer. A great spot on a sunny day to eat between runs, but it is expensive for what it is and gets crowded.