Kelly Canyon
740 acres, 51 runs near Idaho Falls. No expert terrain, night skiing, family-friendly since 1957.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
4 Dec 2026
Closes
14 Mar 2027
Days open
100
Annual snow
200in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Kelly Canyon's summit reaches 6,601 feet, dropping 1,001 vertical feet to a base at 5,600 feet across 51 runs spread over 740 acres near Idaho Falls, Idaho. Terrain splits 45 per cent intermediate, 35 per cent beginner and 20 per cent advanced, with no expert-rated runs. Average annual snowfall is a modest 200 inches, and the resort carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation. Five lifts, including four double chairs and one surface lift, serve the mountain.
The absence of expert terrain and heavy beginner-to-intermediate weighting give Kelly Canyon a clear identity as a family and learning mountain for eastern Idaho. Night skiing is a significant part of its offering, extending the ski day for the nearby Idaho Falls population. The double-chair-dominant lift network reflects the resort's mid-sized, community-focused scale rather than destination-resort ambitions.
Kelly Canyon was established in 1957 by a local investor group led by E. Bud Johnson, in a canyon originally known as Cedar Creek before being renamed for John Kelly, an early figure in the area's skiing history. The resort relied heavily on community support and local investment through lean economic periods, preserving its family-oriented character even as larger regional resorts expanded around it.
Ownership transitioned in 2020 to Kelly Canyon Winter Park LLC under managing partner Mike VanSteenkiste, bringing renewed investment into facilities and a diversification into summer activities such as mountain biking. Snowmaking capability was added in 2022 to supplement the resort's natural snowfall. Adult daily tickets run from 99 to 119 US dollars, with a Family Season Pass from 1,899 dollars, positioning Kelly Canyon as an affordable, close-to-home option for eastern Idaho families.
1,001ft
Vertical
51
Runs
740 acres
Skiable
200in
Annual snow
The Terrain
51 runs across 740 acres skiable
Kelly Canyon is a compact local hill near Ririe and Idaho Falls, with 51 runs on about 740 acres (299 hectares) of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The base sits at 5,600 feet (1,707 m) and the summit at 6,600 feet (2,012 m), a vertical of around 1,000 feet (305 m). Intermediates take 45% of the trails, beginners 35% and advanced skiers 20%, with no expert terrain classified. Four double chairs and a surface lift move skiers, so lift rides are unhurried. Expect a friendly, mid-sized hill and not a steep, high-alpine challenge.
Gentle green and blue runs fall away from the double chairs, giving learners and families plenty of room to build confidence, while the advanced runs offer a bit of pitch for stronger skiers. Several terrain parks sit across the hill, and a tubing park adds a non-ski option for groups. The main runs are lit for night skiing several evenings a week, which is the draw for locals finishing work in Idaho Falls. Kelly Canyon suits beginners, young families and intermediates after an easy, affordable day close to town.
Terrain split
51
runs
51 runs across 4 grades
Beginner18 runs · 35%
Intermediate23 runs · 45%
Advanced10 runs · 20%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Kelly Canyon
The 2025-26 season at Kelly Canyon ran from 27 November 2025 to 29 March 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season. The resort's modest average annual snowfall of 200 inches means the addition of snowmaking capability in 2022 has become an increasingly important part of maintaining reliable conditions throughout the season. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically offers the most consistent conditions once natural snowpack and snowmaking combine to build a solid base. Night skiing extends availability for the nearby Idaho Falls population well beyond standard daylight hours, a significant part of the resort's identity as a community mountain. Weekday evenings and off-peak periods tend to be noticeably quieter than weekends.
As a family and learning-focused resort with no expert terrain, Kelly Canyon's calendar centres on ski school and youth programming rather than festival-style events. The Family Season Pass pricing structure reflects this focus, with the resort positioned as an accessible option for eastern Idaho households. School holiday periods bring the heaviest visitation given the beginner and intermediate-weighted terrain mix.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. Since the 2020 ownership change, the addition of summer mountain biking has extended the resort's operating season beyond winter alone. The combination of snowmaking and natural snowfall since 2022 has helped stabilise the length and reliability of the winter season.
Season 2026 - 2027
4 Dec 2026
Opens
14 Mar 2027
Closes
100
Days open
200 in
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Kelly Canyon, and where to stay
Kelly Canyon sits near Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho, with a base elevation of 5,600 feet and a summit at 6,601 feet across a 1,001-foot vertical drop over 740 acres. The resort's location places it within easy reach of the Idaho Falls metropolitan area, making it the primary local ski hill for the region's residents.
Idaho Falls is the nearest significant town, offering lodging, dining and services for visitors, with most Kelly Canyon skiers day-tripping from the city rather than staying at the resort itself. The surrounding eastern Idaho region includes agricultural communities and the broader upper Snake River valley, with skiing as one part of a varied outdoor recreation scene that also includes the nearby Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Local roads connect Idaho Falls to Kelly Canyon, with the drive typically taking well under an hour depending on starting point within the metropolitan area. Winter driving conditions on the approach roads can include snow and ice, though the routes are well used given the resort's role as the area's primary local mountain. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Idaho Falls Regional Airport is the nearest airport with commercial service, offering a practical option for visitors flying in rather than driving from further afield. Most Kelly Canyon visitors, however, are eastern Idaho locals rather than fly-in travellers, given the resort's identity as a community mountain rather than a destination resort. No other regional airport offers a closer or more direct option.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Kelly Canyon, powered by Stay22.
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Kelly Canyon Snow Report
Snow Report
Awaiting live data
6,601ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
-°F / -°F · - -
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
-
Season total
-
Total lifts5
Live open status isn’t available right now.
4 Dec 2026 - 14 Mar 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 48 hours· Updated Nov 8, 2026 at 5:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
6,401 ftUpdated Nov 8, 2026 at 5:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
1.9"
Sun, Nov 8
Overcast
Temp49° / 35°°F
Snow0.0"(1%)
Wind13 mph SE
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Kelly Canyon snow report
Track current conditions at Kelly Canyon in Idaho. This report covers snowfall totals, base and summit depth, and the forecast across 51 runs.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Kelly Canyon is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 305m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Kelly Canyon's base and summit.
Data sources
Kelly Canyon snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 5 lifts in total.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.