The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Park City spans 7,300 acres across a base elevation of 2,073 metres and a summit of 3,056 metres, delivering 983 metres of vertical drop. The resort claims 341 trails served by 43 lifts, making it the largest ski area in the United States following the 2015 merger of Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort via the Quicksilver Gondola. Annual snowfall averages 355 inches, supported by snowmaking coverage across 18 per cent of terrain.
Terrain divides into 8 per cent beginner, 41 per cent intermediate, 28 per cent advanced, and 23 per cent expert runs, with intermediate cruisers dominating the mountain. The longest run stretches 3.5 miles from summit to base. Jupiter Peak provides expert terrain with steep chutes, whilst the Canyons side offers wide-open bowls across Iron Mountain and Tombstone zones. Six terrain parks and a halfpipe serve freestyle skiers.
Two distinct base villages anchor the resort: Park City Mountain Village connects directly to historic Main Street via the Town Lift, whilst Canyons Village offers modern slopeside lodging 6.5 miles away across the ridgeline. The resort hosted snowboarding and alpine events during the 2002 Winter Olympics, with U.S. Ski Team training courses still operating on-mountain. Summit House at 2,804 metres serves as the primary mid-mountain dining hub.
Park City operates on the Epic Pass alongside Vail Resorts' network of North American and international destinations. The season typically runs late November through early April, with January and February delivering peak snow conditions. The resort suits intermediates and mixed-ability groups, though limited beginner terrain requires first-timers to progress quickly or stick to designated learning zones at High Meadow Park and Hay Meadow Park.
3,225ft
Vertical
341
Runs
7,300 acres
Skiable
30ft
Annual snow
Epic
Pass
The Terrain
341 runs across 7,300 acres skiable
Park City spreads 341 runs across 7,300 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 41%, with 27 beginner runs to find your feet and 173 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
341
runs
341 runs across 4 grades
Beginner27 runs · 8%
Intermediate140 runs · 41%
Advanced95 runs · 28%
Expert78 runs · 23%
Time it right
When to visit Park City
The 2025-26 season opened 22 November 2025 and closes 5 April 2026, spanning 19 weeks of operations. Park City typically opens in late November depending on snowmaking conditions and closes mid-April as spring temperatures thin coverage on lower-elevation runs. Night skiing operates on select evenings throughout winter.
Average annual snowfall reaches 355 inches, with the resort receiving 636 inches during the record-breaking 2022-23 season. January delivers the heaviest accumulation, averaging 63 inches, followed by February's 62 inches. Base elevation at 2,073 metres and summit at 3,056 metres provide a reliable snow climate, with Utah's dry powder benefiting from high-elevation cold air. Snowmaking covers 18 per cent of terrain, concentrated on lower runs and key connector trails between the two village bases.
January and February offer peak powder conditions, with consistent storms and cold temperatures maintaining quality snow across all elevations. March transitions to spring corn snow by month's end, with morning freeze-thaw cycles requiring strategic timing for soft snow between 10am and 2pm. December sees limited terrain as snowmaking crews build base depth, with full mountain access typically achieved by early January. April conditions deteriorate rapidly, with lower runs closing progressively and slushy afternoons dominating.
The Sundance Film Festival runs late January through early February, bringing crowds to Main Street but surprisingly light lift queues as festival-goers focus on screenings. Presidents' Day weekend in February matches Christmas week for congestion. Spring break crowds peak in March, though improved weather and longer days offset wait times. The resort closed select lifts early in recent seasons due to unseasonably warm conditions, making January and February the most reliable months for full terrain access.
Season 2025 - 2026
22 Nov 2025
Opens
5 Apr 2026
Closes
134
Days open
30 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Park City, and where to stay
Park City sits on the Wasatch Back, the eastern slope of the Wasatch Mountains in Summit County, Utah, 35 miles east of Salt Lake City. The town occupies a valley at 2,134 metres elevation, surrounded by peaks exceeding 3,000 metres that once fuelled a 19th-century silver mining boom. The resort's two base villages, Park City Mountain Village and Canyons Village, lie 6.5 miles apart along the ridgeline, connected by the Quicksilver Gondola spanning Thaynes Canyon.
Park City's Historic Main Street sits 200 metres below the Park City Mountain Village base, accessible via the Town Lift which deposits skiers directly onto groomed runs. Coalville, the Summit County seat, lies 19 miles north, whilst Heber City in neighbouring Wasatch County sits 21 miles southeast. The Snyderville Basin, an unincorporated area housing roughly 15,000 residents, spreads between Park City and Canyons Village, forming the primary residential corridor for resort workers and commuters to Salt Lake City.
Interstate 80 provides the primary access route, with drivers following the highway 29 miles east from Salt Lake City before exiting onto Utah State Route 224 at Kimball Junction. The final 6-mile stretch along Route 224 climbs into Park City, passing Canyons Village en route to the town centre. Travel time averages 40 to 45 minutes under normal conditions, though winter storms through Parleys Canyon can extend the journey to over an hour. Parleys Summit crests at 2,134 metres, requiring winter tyres or chains during active traction restrictions.
Salt Lake City International Airport lies 37 miles west, offering direct flights from major U.S. cities and international destinations as a Delta Airlines hub. Ground transport options include rental cars, rideshares averaging $60 to $75, and shuttle services ranging from $90 to $170 per person. Utah Transit Authority operates the PC-SLC Connect bus requiring a transfer at Kimball Junction, whilst Park City's free transit system serves all resort base areas, lodging zones, and Main Street year-round.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Park City, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026