Places to Ski for Every Ability Level
A Guide to Skiing in Vermont
Whether you’re looking for the thrill of a perfect run, a tranquil connection with the outdoors, or a place to get started with your first lesson, Vermont welcomes everyone to come and experience the excitement, beauty, and joy of snow sports.
Vermont is home to over 20 alpine ski areas ranging from close-knit community ski hills to three-peak resorts that offer days of exploration. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a mountain for you and a community inviting you to join in the winter fun. Come experience winter in its original state.
A good day on the mountain starts with proper clothing. Weather can shift quickly on a mountain, so preparation is key. Ski Vermont’s Skills to Beat the Chills explains what you should wear so you can focus on the slope.
For beginner (Green Circle) Skiers And Snowboarders
The great news about skiing or riding is that we all start as beginners—and Vermont’s ski areas have planned for this. That’s why nearly every ski area has learning zones and trails for all abilities, allowing everyone to enjoy skiing or snowboarding at their ability level and progress when they’re ready.
Lessons are an important first step in learning to ski or ride as they establish fundamentals and introduce on-hill safety, an important step in joining the ski and ride community in Vermont. While friends and family members can be great teachers, they can only take you so far; a professional instructor is trained to meet you where you are and help you master the skills you’ll need for a day of fun on the mountain.
Most ski destinations have lesson programs, but some noteworthy areas include Smuggler’s Notch, a family-focused resort in Jeffersonville that is regularly rated as one of the top family ski destinations in part because of its extensive lessons program.
Mount Snow in Dover, just 2.5 hours from Boston, offers a great learning area as well as skiing for all levels. With some green circle trails running from the summit (3,600 feet) on the Main Face, beginner skiers and riders can experience a summit-to-base run on terrain that won’t intimidate. Mount Snow also boasts top-notch lift service; the Bluebird Express, a six-passenger bubble chairlift, will have you back up the mountain in no time.
Bromley, the “Sun Mountain,” is located in Peru and is New England’s only resort with south-facing trails, which often means a warmer day on the mountain. It offers skiing for every level and has a kids’ program that accepts children as young as two-and-a-half.
Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow has a Ski + Ride School for first-time skiers, children, and those who want to perfect their skills, or move on to more challenging terrain. It also has a heated bubble chairlift for cozier rides to the top of the mountain.
For a comprehensive list of mountains with lessons programs, visit Ski Vermont’s Mountain Finder.
For intermediate (Blue Square) SkierS and Snowboarders
There are plenty of notables at Killington Resort: it’s the largest independent ski area in the east (and the largest in general), has a robust sustainability program, and offers expansive learning opportunities. A draw for intermediate skiers and riders? The variety of blue and green trails that span the ski area’s three peaks and offer seemingly unending options. Combined with its legendary après scene, Killington is a top destination for skiers across the region.
Sugarbush Resort in Warren offers high-speed lifts, expansive terrain, and the longest detachable quad lift in the world, Slidebrook Express. Sugarbush sports a wide range of blue runs, as well as many black diamonds, making it another excellent option for an intermediate skier or rider. Sugarbush is also home to Vermont Adaptive’s main facility on Mount Ellen, which houses an array of adaptive equipment that their highly trained staff uses to facilitate Sports for Every Body.
Stratton Mountain Resort in Londonderry is home to southern Vermont’s tallest mountain. It offers 99 trails broken down into all levels, although novice and intermediate trails make up 75 percent. It also prides itself on its grooming and the fastest fleet of lifts in the east.
Best skiing for experts AND THRILL SEEKers (Black Diamond)
Vermont offers unique and challenging runs for experts, with extensive backcountry and glade options, along with bump trails and terrain parks. Jay Peak Resort in northern Vermont, less than five miles from the Canadian border, is known for having the most snowfall in the east. It boasts 81 trails and one of the best glade systems within designated resort areas, as well as outstanding backcountry skiing.
Backcountry skiing should never be attempted without specific training, gear, and preparation. See Ski Vermont’s page on Backcountry Safety for links to training and orientation resources.
Burke Mountain Resort has a ski-in/ski-out, bike-in/bike-out hotel, and offers in-bound terrain chock-full of blue and black trails and extensive backcountry and glade skiing for experts.
Bolton Valley is a family-friendly, family-owned resort with fantastic side- and back- country, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing. Beyond that, the Bolton Valley Backcountry Center is the only on-resort backcountry rental and lesson center in the country, offering introductory backcountry courses and guided ski trips for skiers and riders. If skiing all day isn’t enough, Bolton also offers the most expansive night skiing terrain in Vermont.
Both Stowe and Smugglers’ Notch have fantastic backcountry as well, and Smugglers’ is home to The Black Hole, the only triple black diamond in the eastern US.
For purists seeking natural snow and minimal grooming, Mad River Glen offers renowned backcountry and tree skiing courtesy of Moher Nature. It also holds the honor of being the only ski area in the nation on the National Register of Historic Places for its single-chair lift (the only remaining in the continental U.S.), and is home to a unique and welcoming community that will put this co-op at the top of your list of ski destinations (the mountain is ski-only due to minimal snowmaking).
Southern Vermont’s Magic Mountain is another hidden gem, nicknamed the ‘skier’s mountain’ (though snowboarding is welcomed). With great glades, wonderful snow, and close proximity to Boston, Magic is an excellent option for anyone seeking a challenge on the slopes.
Terrain Parks
Terrain parks give skiers and snowboarders a chance to hone technical skills and enjoy the thrill of facing down gravity to jump or use features like half-pipes, rails, or boxes. Remember ski or ride within your ability, Be Park Smart, and always wear a helmet.
Stowe Mountain Resort has two terrain parks, a standard park with both small and medium features consisting of jumps, rails, and boxes to serve beginner and intermediate level users, and a midway park with small to medium features, perfect for dialing in new and old tricks.
Killington Mountain Resort offers parks for intermediate and advanced skiers with parks like Dream Maker, Mouse Run Park, and The Stash (designed in collaboration with Burton with 65 natural features including rainbow trees and wall rides in the woods). Killington’s 8 terrain parks also feature multiple small- and medium-feature parks to help skiers and riders progress at their own pace.
At Sugarbush, discover more than 6 acres of features produced in-house, both snow features and rails, boxes, and jumps, as well as Slowpoke and Sugarbear Forest for beginners.
Handmade decks, a half-pipe, and boardercross courses entice riders at Stratton.
Two beginner parks and an intermediate/advanced course challenge skiers and riders at Jay Peak Resort.
Mount Snow’s Carinthia Terrain Parks boast more than 100 acres of features including rails, jumps, tree-skiing zone, and a monster superpipe.
Everyone likes a deal. From free skiing for fifth graders or young kids to deals for seniors, veterans, or college students, Ski Vermont’s Deals page offers a comprehensive overview of what areas are offering across the state.