The state of Utah is known for many things, but perhaps one of its most famous attractions is its long list of world-class winter sports resorts. And while skiing gets a lot of the attention, some of us prefer snowboarding as our extreme sport of choice. But not all resorts are best-suited for snowboarding, and some of the Utah resorts don’t allow snowboarding at all. How do you know where to start when you’re looking at over a dozen different options? That’s where we come in, with the Freedom National guide to the best snowboarding resorts in Utah.
In this guide, we’ll answer some of your most common questions, including:
- What ski resorts in Utah allow snowboarding?
- Which Utah ski resorts are best for beginners?
- What are the best ski resorts for snowboarding in Utah?
By the end, you’ll be ready to head out into the snow and throw on your goggles for a day of racing down the mountainside. So without further ado, here’s our list of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah for 2021 and beyond.
(Looking for more winter adventures in Utah? Check out our list of 15 fun things to do in Utah in winter.)
Park City Mountain
Let’s start with one of the United States’ largest ski and snowboard resorts. With over 7,300 acres of ridable terrain and 41 separate lifts, Park City Mountain is absolutely massive. It boasts some of the world’s best terrain parks, where gold medalists and world champions have grown up on the slopes and honed their skills.
Park City Mountain’s more hardcore terrain may not be quite as intense and rewarding as what you’ll find at nearby resorts like Snowbird, it’s still a great mountain resort for snowboarders of all skill levels to enjoy. Plus, you’re right next to Park City, one of the most famous mountain resort towns in the entire U.S. where you’ll find amazing restaurants, shops, and art galleries.
NOTE: Also located in Park City is Deer Valley Resort, where snowboarding is not permitted. Make sure that when you book your lift tickets that they are for Park City Mountain, not Deer Valley Resort.
Sundance
You may recognize Sundance from the Sundance Film Festival, though that now mainly takes place in Park City. In fact, Sundance has long dealt with a reputation as Park City’s little sibling, and for good reason. It doesn’t have the expansive ski and snowboard resort, high-class amenities around every corner, and long list of restaurants and attractions. But Sundance has plenty of excellent beginner terrain plus some truly challenging runs, as well as a great lodge, a couple of high-end restaurants, beautiful scenery, and a laid back vibe. Plus, it’s one of the least expensive resorts in Utah without sacrificing quality— and that makes it worth inclusion on this list.
Sundance is also one of the least isolated destinations on the list, less than an hour from Salt Lake City and just about 20 minutes or so from Provo, Utah, the home of Brigham Young University (BYU).
Sundance was founded by the actor Robert Redford (who also launched the Sundance Film Festival there) in 1968, named after his role in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The resort features over 5,000 acres of slopes along Utah’s gorgeous Wasatch Range.
Brighton
Brighton is a local favorite resort for snowboarders because it’s just a quick drive from Salt Lake City, so you can hop off the plane and be hitting the slopes in no time. While some of the other, larger and more popular resorts in Utah hog all the spotlight, Brighton fans are happy to enjoy the chill atmosphere, laid-back environment, and reduced crowds that come with snowboarding at Brighton. Plus, Brighton also features one of the best terrain parks in Utah and in the country.
Whatever your ability, Brighton is a great place to get on the slopes and enjoy yourself, with over 1,000 acres of terrain for snowboarding to your heart’s content. It’s simply one of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah.
Snowbasin
Located about 40 minutes northeast of Salt Lake City is Snowbasin, one of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah and the site of multiple events during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. If you don’t have a vehicle with you during your visit to Utah, there’s a shuttle bus that will take you from Salt Lake City directly to Snowbasin.
At this resort you’ll find wide open slopes with plenty of steep grades, making it a preferred choice for experienced snowboarders. Over the years, the Snowbasin ownership team has invested in excellent upgrades that include plenty of quality lifts and amenities that provide a true resort experience.
Generally, Snowbasin is less suited to beginner snowboarders as it caters primarily to advanced terrain and expert-rated bowls and chutes. If you consider yourself an experienced master of the slopes, there’s no better place to prove it than at Snowbasin.
Snowbird
If you’re looking for a resort that emphasizes family adventure and education, look no further than Snowbird resort. It’s home to the Mountain School, one of the best ski and snowboarding schools in the nation.
Snowbird also offers over 2,500 acres of slopes, and an almost perfectly even three-way split between beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs across its 169 total runs.
Just 29 miles from Salt Lake City International airport, located up Little Cottonwood Canyon, Snowbird is an accessible resort that doesn’t sacrifice amenities, featuring luxury suites, heated pools, spa services, restaurants, shopping, and the famous 125-passenger aerial tram that takes visitors to 11,000 feet in just eight minutes to access Hidden Peak and Chip’s Run. With so many runs to choose from, here are some of the most popular listed on Utah’s official website.
- Middle Emma (Green-Easy)
- West 2nd South (Green-Easy)
- Goblin Gully (Blue-Intermediate)
- Regulator Gully (Blue-Intermediate)
- Bananas (Blue-Intermediate)
- Fields of Glory (Black Diamond-Technical)
- Great Scott (Black Diamond-Technical)
- Organ Grinder (Black Diamond-Technical)
- Thunder Bowl (Double Black Diamond-Technical)
Solitude
You may not have heard of Solitude, but we bet that by the end of this section you’ll be ready for your first visit. Here’s what the official Solitude website has to say:
During the winter, Solitude Mountain Resort has something to offer skiers and riders of all abilities with an average of 500” of annual snowfall, 1,200 acres of incredible terrain, 77 named runs, three bowls and some of the most impressive off-piste terrain in the country.
If that doesn’t sell you, how about the fact that the resort features the Solitude Village, providing world-class dining at the Honeycomb Grill, St. Bernards, and the Moonbeam Lodge.
If you really want to pair your snowboarding with an experience unlike any other, you need to visit The Yurt. This one-of-a-kind journey will take you snow shoeing along a lantern-lit trail in the snow at night until you reach a yurt, where you’ll be treated to a traditional four-course meal from Mongolian chefs. How’s that for a resort experience to remember. It’s not the only reason Solitude is one of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah, but it helps.
Brian Head
With 650 acres, 71 runs, 3 terrain parks, and 8 lifts, Brain Head is a relatively small resort but a local favorite for good reason. With over 360 inches of fresh snow each year, Brain Head is also beloved thanks to its close proximity to the beautiful national parks of Southern Utah. It’s the perfect stop on a trip filled with adventures through all the natural beauty the state has to offer, and that’s why it earns a spot on our list of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah.
Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain was already slightly less-famous but one of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah, and then the 2016-2017 season hit. That’s when Powder Mountain revealed its massive 1,000 acre expansion that made it the largest resort in the United States, spanning an astonishing 8,500 acres. Locally known as Pow Mow, Powder Mountain may not be the destination for pro-level snowboarders, but it has to offer something unique— a truly laid back experience. The base area is deliberately left undeveloped, and the slopes are limited each day to a certain amount of skiers and snowboarders to keep things spaced out and sparse.
Plenty of snow without plenty of crowds— that’s what you can expect when you visit Powder Mountain, a truly unique experience, the largest resort in the U.S., and one of the best snowboarding resorts in Utah.
Need help getting around Powder Mountain? Inexpensive snowcat rides will help you reach both the inbounds and backcountry terrain the mountain resort has to offer you.
Conclusion
After exploring each of the incredible snowboarding spots on this list, it’s not hard to see why Utah is one of the premier destinations for snowboarders around the world. After all, why else would they have picked it as the destination of the 2002 Winter Olympics where huge names such as Shaun White transformed snowboarding forever.
With all the extreme and beautiful snowboarding destinations that Utah has to offer, you’ll want to make sure you’re properly insured. Freedom National can help you get a quick quote for cheap car insurance online, then customize your Utah car insurance coverage based on your unique needs. We even offer affordable coverage for people with SR-22s or negative events on their driving records. Whatever your unique insurance needs, Freedom National has you covered.
