Best Peaks Overall in
The rank-order of Colorado ski resorts we’ve been to based on overall mountain experience.
#1 of 20 in Colorado
VailVail, CO
Vail, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
78
- Size
- Lift infrastructure
- Terrain diversity
- One-of-a-kind Back Bowl and Blue Sky Basin aesthetics
- Lack of truly extreme terrain
- Ease of navigation
With expansive, diverse terrain and modern lifts, this top-of-the-line resort competes well with the best in the country.
#2 of 20 in Colorado
SnowmassSnowmass Village, CO
Snowmass Village, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
78
- Striking, expansive footprint
- Diverse terrain for all abilities
- Considerable lift-serviced vertical drop
- Widespread on-mountain facilities
- High-speed lifts in most areas
- Lift logistics at the main base
- Most demanding expert lines hard to find
The largest resort in the Aspen conglomerate is one of the best in Colorado, delivering a well-rounded experience worthy of the asking price.
#3 of 20 in Colorado
Beaver CreekBeaver Creek, CO
Beaver Creek, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
77
- Diverse beginner and intermediate terrain
- Long, demanding advanced terrain, including a range of both groomed and ungroomed runs
- Thoroughly modern lift infrastructure
- Price
- Lack of above-treeline terrain
- Flagrantly moneyed atmosphere in some areas
Despite its family-centric reputation and lack of above-treeline terrain, Beaver Creek delivers an experience that visitors of all ability levels will enjoy. Just don’t expect anything to be cheap.
#4 of 20 in Colorado
TellurideTelluride, CO
Telluride, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
76
- Diverse terrain for all ability levels
- Striking resort scenery
- Relatively low crowds
- Unique variety of lodging options
- Lower average snowfall than some other Colorado resorts
- Variable openings and long hikes required for some extreme terrain
- Slow lifts in some areas
Despite its modest size and reputation for extreme terrain, this beautiful, remote resort delivers an experience that can be enjoyed by everyone.
#5 of 20 in Colorado
Arapahoe BasinDillon, CO
Dillon, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
73
- Snow quality
- Extremely demanding expert terrain
- Lower crowds than other Colorado resorts
- Season regularly extends into June
- Slow, wind-exposed lifts
- Hiking required for some trails
- No on-site lodging
- Altitude that can be overwhelming for some
While slow lifts and a lack of on-site lodging may turn some people away, this local favorite offers some of the most extreme terrain in Colorado.
#6 of 20 in Colorado
CopperCopper, CO
Copper, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
73
- Excellent high-alpine terrain experience
- Natural insulation for skiers of different ability levels
- Relatively local feel
- Slow, difficult-to-load lifts outside base areas
- Altitude that can be overwhelming for some
- Lack of lodges in backside areas
This Colorado favorite offers very competitive terrain, but many lifts outside base areas are slow.
#7 of 20 in Colorado
Aspen HighlandsAspen, CO
Aspen, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
72
- Snow quality
- Isolated feel
- Extensive selection of long, demanding expert terrain
- Iconic bowl skiing
- Modest footprint
- No beginner runs
- Scant single-black terrain
- Lack of lower-mountain lift redundancies
While modestly sized, this Aspen resort offers a surprisingly local feel and a diverse, demanding expert footprint.
#8 of 20 in Colorado
Winter ParkWinter Park, CO
Winter Park, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
72
- Snow quality
- Wide variety of tree terrain
- Long, demanding mogul runs
- Available intermediate bowl terrain
- Expansive footprint
- Generous on-mountain facilities
- Lack of easily accessible advanced and expert bowl terrain
- Crowd flow in some popular areas
Although it can get crowded, this conveniently located Colorado destination has a lot to offer for a wide variety of visitors.
#9 of 20 in Colorado
BreckenridgeBreckenridge, CO
Breckenridge, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
72
- Terrain diversity
- Conveniently accessible high-alpine bowls
- Well-placed mountain facilities
- Lively town
- Ease of navigation
- High wind exposure in some areas
- Altitude that can be overwhelming for some
This high-elevation resort offers diverse terrain, including conveniently accessible alpine bowls. However, the altitude and navigation logistics will be overwhelming for some.
#10 of 20 in Colorado
KeystoneKeystone, CO
Keystone, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
70
- Solid mix of groomed, mogul, and tree terrain
- Top-tier bowl isolation
- Diverse freestyle terrain
- Night skiing
- Available snowcat experiences
- Lack of direct lift access to more than half the resort, including all bowl terrain
- Long travel time to and from furthest mountain areas
- Less demanding terrain than some competing mountains
This Colorado resort offers unique, enjoyable slopes and a class-leading terrain park, but none of the resort’s expansive bowl terrain is directly lift accessible.
#11 of 20 in Colorado
Crested ButteCrested Butte, CO
Crested Butte, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
70
- Extremely demanding expert terrain
- Iconic topography
- Isolated feel
- Natural insulation for skiers of different ability levels
- Reasonable ticket prices
- Modest, ordinary footprint for beginner-to-advanced visitors
- Lower snow totals than other Colorado resorts
- Hiking required for some expert trails
- Altitude that may be overwhelming for some
This striking Colorado resort is an expert’s paradise. Reasonable ticket prices counterbalance limited terrain offerings for other demographics.
#12 of 20 in Colorado
SteamboatSteamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
67
- Distinctive glade terrain
- Snow quality
- Lively local town
- Frustrating lift logistics, especially to and from the base
- Underwhelming bowl terrain
- Difficult-to-reach expert terrain
Unintuitive lift logistics and underwhelming bowl terrain hurt an otherwise enjoyable Colorado resort.
#13 of 20 in Colorado
Wolf CreekPagosa Springs, CO
Pagosa Springs, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
66
- Top-tier snow quality
- Excellent glade terrain
- Unparalleled early season
- Lack of crowds
- Meager vertical drop
- No on-site lodging
- Limited or impractical beginner terrain
This local ski area offers the highest average snow totals in Colorado, although its vertical drop is short compared to the destinations.
#14 of 20 in Colorado
Aspen MountainAspen, CO
Aspen, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
65
- Stunning town views
- Enjoyable intermediate cruisers
- Demanding advanced and expert terrain
- Long vertical drop for the size
- Poorly designed lift system, especially for lower-mountain areas
- Modest footprint
- No beginner or above-treeline terrain
- Lack of lodges on Shadow Mountain side
The oldest Aspen ski area offers incredible views of town on a relatively compact footprint, but the resort could use logistical enhancements in lower-mountain areas.
#15 of 20 in Colorado
LovelandDillon, CO
Dillon, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
64
- Easy access from Denver
- Heavy annual snowfall
- Wide variety of bowl skiing
- Price
- Inconsistent conditions due to wind exposure
- Slow lifts in many areas
- No on-site lodging
This local Colorado ski area doesn’t deliver the same well-rounded experience as destination resorts, but it’s hard to beat the quality for the price on a powder day.
#16 of 20 in Colorado
PurgatoryDurango, CO
Durango, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
64
- Striking, remote location
- Family-friendly terrain
- Limited crowds
- Cozy base village
- Free tickets for kids 12 and under
- Modest footprint
- Lower snowfall than some other Colorado resorts
- Some terrain zones difficult to find or reach
- Poorly placed backside lodge
This San Juan resort’s local feel, stunning vistas, and decent variety of terrain make it a strong regional choice for those in the southwest.
#17 of 20 in Colorado
ButtermilkAspen, CO
Aspen, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
58
- Top-tier terrain park experience
- High-speed lifts
- Family-friendly atmosphere
- Colorado snow
- Similar-feeling terrain with very little in the way of challenge
- No lift redundancies
- Best large terrain park features closed to public for large portions of the season
- Value
Aspen’s beginner-centric mountain offers a good learning environment and excellent terrain parks, but the area is otherwise uncompetitive and overpriced.
#18 of 20 in Colorado
EldoraNederland, CO
Nederland, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
57
- Convenient location
- Good snow preservation
- Strong terrain park offerings
- Lower snowfall than competing mountains
- Small footprint and vertical drop
- Lackluster beginner terrain
- No on-site lodging
- Extremely limited parking
This small Colorado resort is seriously outclassed by destination competitors, but its convenient location makes it a decent day trip option.
#19 of 20 in Colorado
MonarchSalida, CO
Salida, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
54
- Local feel
- Distinctive glades
- Continental Divide views
- Unique, hike-to Mirkwood expert zone
- Small footprint with diminutive vertical drop
- Outdated, low-capacity lift infrastructure
- No on-site lodging
- No directly-lift-accessed expert terrain
- Crowds on Saturdays
This Colorado ski area is way too small and underbuilt to be a destination mountain, but several facets make it a strong regional choice.
#20 of 20 in Colorado
Ski CooperLeadville, CO
Leadville, CO
MOUNTAIN SCORE
52
- Snow quality
- Lack of crowds
- Great views of multiple 14ers, and near a great mountain town
- Some of the best beginner terrain in the state
- No high-speed lifts
- Short vertical drop
- Lack of expert terrain
- Some frustrating navigation logistics
- Altitude that can be overwhelming for some
While most folks won’t want to plan a weeklong vacation here, this modestly-sized hill stands out from the destinations with an easy-to-handle footprint and lack of crowds.