As one of the country's most beloved winter destinations, Park City never disappoints. Now a far cry from its quaint mining-town past, vibrant Park City not only offers world-class skiing—thanks to the mega Park City Mountain Resort and upscale Deer Valley Resort—but provides plenty of excitement off-piste, too. Action-packed Main Street features dozens of restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries to explore, and additional outdoor activities and adventures abound. Whether you're visiting for a few days or a few weeks, we've gathered dozens of insider tips to help you make the most of your winter vacation.
On the Mountain
Navigating Park City’s ski resorts in search of the best snow while also avoiding crowded areas can be a challenge because the amount of terrain is amazingly extensive. Check out our tips for traversing the slopes like a local.
To get started in the right direction at Deer Valley, look for mountain hosts stationed at popular spots if you have a question or need orienting. You can also hire a guide at the Deer Valley Resort Ski School (435-645-6648, deervalley.com) to help you quickly locate the best pockets of powder.
The most popular launch point at Deer Valley is from the Snow Park Base Lodge, with the Silver Lake Express up to the Silver Lake Lodge base area. Here, you have access to Bald and Flagstaff Mountains for a variety of terrain and Empire and Lady Morgan bowls for expert skiing. For a blissful opener, head toward the Wasatch Express on Bald Mountain. Take a run down Tycoon to the Sultan Express, then check out the scenic views on Stein’s Way. Typically groomed on a daily basis, these trails offer good vertical for advanced and intermediate skiers, as well as beautiful views of Jordanelle Reservoir and the Uinta Mountains.
If you’re skiing with the family, the centrally located Flagstaff area offers something for every level of skier. Star Gazer is a mellow favorite for many, especially in the early morning. For kids, check out Last Chance on the lower mountain off of the Silver Lake Express; this mellow blue trail features life-size bear sculptures and totem poles.
On powder days, the Mayflower lift also serves great fall-line skiing for experts. If you’re looking for even more powder after most of the obvious snow is long gone, try exploring the trees. Although the resort is well known for its impeccable groomed terrain, Deer Valley has tons of amazing gladed skiing; in fact, it makes up about 45 percent of the resort’s total acreage. Triangle Trees and Sunset Glade off of Bald Mountain are great spots to check out. The Flagstaff area also has some new low-angle introductory tree skiing in the Northside area.
Offering 330 trails spread over 7,300 acres, Park City Mountain Resort has something for everyone with its abundance of wide, groomed intermediate slopes, big bowls with moguls, and a beginner area at the base of Park City Mountain Village.
Locals often head to Eagle lift when there are lines at the Payday or Crescent lifts. This route offers direct access to the bottom of the high-speed, six-person King Con lift via the Spiro trail, where you can ski frequently groomed intermediate runs like Sitka, Shamus, Chance, and Liberty. The nearby Motherlode express quad rarely has lines and services longer, fun intermediate terrain like Parley’s Park and Sunnyside, perfect for mastering your carved turns. Consider ending your day via King’s Crown, a beautifully wide-open intermediate run that makes for an ideal finale with its stunning views of town.
There's no shortage of scenic terrain to explore at Park City Mountain Resort.
Over at Canyons Village, the heated Orange Bubble Express or the Red Pine Gondola both provide a quick way up to the vast terrain at Canyons Mountain. If you’re skiing or riding on a crowded day or a powder day, head to the Dreamscape and Dreamcatcher area, which has a variety of fun intermediate and expert terrain—it takes the masses at least a couple of hours to find this spot, so you can have the place to yourself until then.
Advanced skiers will enjoy Bogeyman, Pipedream, and Fools Paradise, while the intermediates can play in the network of trails including Harmony, Sanctuary, and Serenity. (Be sure to also check out the homemade doughnuts at Cloud Dine while you’re there.) The new Over and Out lift from the Tombstone area gets you back to Canyons Village faster. Otherwise, end your day at the Super Condor area for more quick laps before après hour.
Another option to consider: you can easily explore both Park City and Canyons in one day by using the Quicksilver gondola.
More Alpine Advice
Visit the Rossignol Test Center at Deer Valley Resort to test ride a few pairs of skis.
Take a photo with an adorable Avy Dog at one of the Deer Valley patrol shacks, and collect their new trading cards.
Download the EpicMix app for Park City and Canyons. It clocks your vertical and offers up-to-date info on lift line times, weather delays, and closures. Also follow @ParkCityMtnAlert on Twitter.
Check out Park City’s free, easy-to-use bus system to avoid parking headaches.
Be gracious and responsible. Refer to current mask guidelines and Covid restrictions listed online at each resort before hitting the slopes.
Beware of the altitude: take time to acclimate, get plenty of rest, and stay well hydrated, especially during your first two days in town.
Don’t forget sunscreen! Try local company Helen Knows Best Extreme Weather Face Balm (helenknowsbest.com) to prevent chapping on cold, blustery days.
Beyond the Slopes
White Pine Touring Nordic Center (435-649-6249, whitepinetouring.com) has a large network of groomed ski trails for skate or classic cross-country skiing. The area also offers fat biking and snowshoeing. For even more adventure, book a backcountry trip to the Uinta Mountains.
Get into the Olympic spirit by heading to the Utah Olympic Park (435-658-4200, utaholympiclegacy.org) for the ride of your lifetime on a bobsled, with speeds reaching 70 mph. The cost is $195 per person with three people to a sled—plus a professional pilot, of course.
All Seasons Adventures (435-649-9619, allseasonsadventures.com) offers guided dog sledding rides through the scenic Wasatch Mountain Range. The whole family will enjoy meeting the friendly sled dogs, many of them rescued by Arctic Rescue.
In the nearby town of Midway, the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center (435-709-3469) features 25 kilometers of groomed trails. The area offers introductory biathlon lessons and tubing. Be sure to check out the Homestead Crater, a geothermal hot spring at the Homestead Resort (435-654-1102, homesteadresort.com), and the Utah Ice Castles, a fantastic fantasy-like ice castle display, opening in January (icecastles.com/utah).
Eats & Drinks
Whether you’re craving a fine dining experience or something quick and casual, there’s no shortage of delectable establishments to be found throughout town.
Soak up the rays and sip on bevvies at Lookout Cabin.
For lunch at Park City Mountain Resort, ski down the Silver Star or Ligety Split runs to the Silver Star Café (435-655-3456, thesilverstarcafe.com) for soups, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. On the Canyons side, Lookout Cabin (435-615-2892, parkcitymountain.com) is a prime spot for a seated lunch with table service and an outdoor deck with views worth lingering over, while Tombstone Grill (435-658-9454, parkcitymountain.com) has outdoor seating, plates good barbecue, and is reasonably priced.
After a day of fresh powder, enjoy fresh oysters at RIME Raw Bar.
It’s also worth checking out the Canyons Village area for dinner: the Waldorf Astoria’s posh Powder Restaurant (435-647-5500, waldorfastoriaparkcity.com) serves winter cocktail specials and elevated dishes like confit of duck carbonara and grilled filet mignon. Kuchu Shabu (435-649-0088, kuchushabu.com) offers a fun family experience, serving traditional Japanese hotpot dishes and rice bowls.
Over at Deer Valley, take the funicular up to the St. Regis for drinks or dinner at the Mountain Terrace (435-940-5700, srdvdining.com), which overlooks Deer Valley and Deer Hollow Run—the views and sunsets are spectacular. And don't miss Deer Valley's RIME at the top of the gondola, popular with locals for its raw bar. Slurp down $2.50 oysters during daily happy hour from 2 to 3 p.m.
From the Quittin’ Time Ski Run at PCMR, you can slide right up to dinner at High West Saloon (435-649-8300, highwest.com), the world’s first ski-in gastro distillery. Kick things off with a whiskey flight, then chow down on hearty fare like schnitzel, rib eye steak, or corn and shrimp chowder. The Alpenglobe at Nelson Cottage, also owned by High West, provides a cozy setting for a prix fixe dinner.
Beloved by locals, Sammy’s Bistro (435-214-7570, sammysbistro.com) has become so popular that they opened a satellite Sammy’s Bistro Express in Kimball Junction. Order the savory chicken bowl or the Chivito Club Sandwich—both dishes were featured on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.
Wet your whistle at Wasatch Brewery (435-649-0900, wasatchbeers.com), which offers craft beers and bar bites like breaded pickles and buffalo wings. Get your beef fix at Burgers & Barley (435-602-1170, burgersandbarleyutah.com), which dishes up handmade, half-pound patties on brioche buns with regular or Cajun fries. Head to Blind Dog (435-655-0800, blinddogpc.com) for steak, seafood, and sushi; stop by Tuesday–Saturday, 5 to 6 p.m. for half-price appetizers. And don’t miss the scones, quiche, and chicken noodle soup, at Windy Ridge Café & Bakery (435-647-2906, windyridgebakery.com).
Be among the first to experience the newest boutique destination in town when you book a room or suite at the chic Pendry Park City (435-800-1990, pendry.com). Located in the heart of Canyons Village, this modern mountain getaway boasts ski-in/ski-out convenience, all-day dining, a rooftop lounge and pool, and the Spa Pendry.
Also in the Canyons Village area, YOTELPAD Park City (435-731-5090, yotel.com) offers 20-percent off on stays of three nights or more for studios and one-bedrooms. This family-friendly hotel features sleek rooms, ski valet and storage services, a pool, and a fireside lounge and games room.
Perched just steps from Main Street, the Washington School House Hotel (435-649-3800, washingtonschoolhouse.com) is a hidden gem. The boutique hotel provides delights such as a heated pool, in-room massages, a complimentary hearty mountain breakfast, and aprés-ski bites and drinks.
For something off-the-beaten path, the luxe Lodge at Blue Sky (435-571-0349, aubergeresorts.com/bluesky) is tucked away on a 3,500-acre ranch near Park City and offers high-octane experiences like winter fly fishing and heli-skiing. Accommodations vary from rooms with private terraces to Creek Houses: freestanding one-bedroom suites on the banks of Alexander Creek. Guests can hitch a ride on the hotel’s luxury transfer vehicle to the private Blue Sky Ski Lounge at the base of PCMR.
If you’re staying longer than a weekend, take advantage of the Stay & Play package at Montage Deer Valley (435-604-1300, montagehotels.com/deervalley), which gives you a $500 resort credit for dining, Spa Montage, and more when staying five consecutive nights. Stein Eriksen Lodge (435-649-3700, steinlodge.com), Stein Eriksen Residences (855-428-1515, steineriksenresidences.com), and The Chateaux at Deer Valley (435-658-9500, the-chateaux.com) also offer resort credit deals when you book three or more nights.
