Whether you’re an avid snowboarder or you’re just learning, going to snowboarding resorts for a getaway can be some of the most fun and exciting experiences. There are so many amazing places worldwide where you can go snowboarding, and some incredible places within the USA as well.
If you’re planning a solo snowboarding trip or a family snowboarding vacation, we have a list of all the top American snowboarding destinations you should try! We’ll walk you through what the resorts have to offer, what the snow and terrain are like, if they have trails for beginners and children, the quality of the resorts, the entertainment they offer, and much more!
13 Best Snowboarding Resorts in the USA
Here are the top 13 snowboarding resorts in the USA:
1. Park City Mountain Resort, Utah
Park City Mountain Resort in Utah is the largest ski resort in all of the USA and consists of over 7000 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain. If you’re looking for a memorable snowboarding experience, this is the place to go. There are over 330 trails, 14 bowls, and eight separate terrain parks. Most of the terrain is well suited for expert snowboarders, but there is enough space for new and intermediate boarders to practice and fine-tune their skills. The Ski and Snowboard School at the Park City Mountain Resort gives you private and group lessons to help you get to a higher level of snowboarding skills.
The Three Kings terrain park is great for snowboarders that like to jump or jib. It also has night lighting so that you can snowboard late into the evening. The Ridge park is great for kids who are learning to snowboard and want to practice the new tricks they learn. King’s Crown is one of the best parks for advanced-level snowboarders with huge jumps and jib features.
Some of the best snowboarders in the country actually train at the Park City Mountain Resort, including some big names like Olympic gold medalists Shaun White, Torah Bright, and Sage Kotsenburg.
2. Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon
Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort in Oregon is just an hour and a half out from Portland, making travel easy and cutting down on time spent on the road. In fact, you can take a round-trip bus from Portland to the resort for just $35.
The resort offers over 2000 acres of snowboarding and skiing terrain and has over 2500 feet of vertical mountain slopes. The Heather Canyons offer great steep terrains for experienced snowboarders, and those who are new to the sport have plenty of smoother slops to practice on. There are some great, open, and tree-lined slopes suited to novices.
Some of the exciting features to look out for include the 18-foot Superpipe and creative features in the Zoo, Fireweed, Shipyard, and Forest Park. The Zoo Park is family-friendly, and a great place to take your kids, and the Forest Park is best suited for intermediate and advanced snowboarders.
3. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole in Wyoming is one of the best places for snowboarding in the USA. Jackson Hole actually refers to an 80km long valley running through the mountains of Grand Teton National Park and is globally famous for its white-knuckle terrain.
Jackson Hole comprises around 2500 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, with 116 runs. There is a 4,139-foot vertical drop on the mountains, a half-pipe, and two separate terrain parks. The resort is best suited for intermediate and advanced snowboarders.
Overall, Jackson Hole is one of the best snowboarding resorts for expert snowboarders, with the longest skiable vertical in the USA and 3000 acres of backcountry terrain.
4. Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado
The Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado is great for expert snowboarders as well as those who are learning and trying to hone their skills. There is the Plunge trail and the Palmyra Peak for expert snowboarders, with an elevation of 13,000 feet. The Ute Park and the Prospect Bowl are great sites with quick and gentle slopes for newer snowboarders.
Telluride is just a forty-five-minute drive from the canyons and sits above a historic mining town. The resort is never too crowded, and the Mountain Village offers over 60 restaurants, coffee shops, and bars to visit during downtime.
5. The Canyons, Utah
The Canyons is the largest ski resort in Utah and is one of three resorts in Park City, with over 4000 acres of terrain that has lots of natural features for snowboarders to jump and jib on. The Canyons has nine peaks, six gulleys that serve as natural half-pipes, 182 trails, and new terrain parks.
There is an average of 300 inches of snow in winters, leading to soft and fresh terrain for skiing and snowboarding. The Canyons Village is also a convenient thirty-give-minutes from the Salt Lake City airport. It is a family-style, guest-centric village that is perfect for your family snowboarding vacation. There are lifts, a ski school, live music, and fine dining to look forward to.
6. Breckenridge, Colorado
The Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado is a relatively expensive location but has a great resort with a variety of terrain for snowboarding and great local services. There is a trail for everyone, whether it is your first time snowboarding or if you’re a seasoned expert. There are four huge peaks to enjoy, five different terrain parks, and two half-pipes, all suited for beginners and experts.
Peak 6, especially, is well-known among snowboarders and skiers because of its versatility and suitability for people with different skill levels. It has over 543 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain. Peak 9, on the other hand, is best suited for first-time snowboarders, with gentle slopes and easy terrain. The Freeway Park has a brand new 22-foot Olympic-style half-pipe added recently that is worth checking out.
7. Whiteface Mountain, New York
The Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort in New York is one of the most popular American snowboarding destinations and has famously hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1932 and 1980. The resort boasts the highest vertical drop you’ll find east of the Rockies. There are 86 trails spread across 22 miles of terrain. All snowboarders will find a suitable trail regardless of their skill levels.
Whiteface Mountain has terrain for all levels of skiers and snowboarders in its six different parks. The terrain parks include Broadway, Danny’s Bridge, Brookside, Fox, Flying Squirrel, and Wolf & Wolf Run parks. Whiteface also offers training programs for adults, kids, and athletes. If you’re planning a family snowboarding vacation with the kids, then Whiteface should definitely be on your list.
8. Vail, Colorado
Vail in Colorado is one of the most famous American snowboarding destinations and is best known for hosting the annual Burton U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships at its Golden Peak Terrain Park. The resort boasts famous back bowls, two half pipes, nine jumps as high as 50 feet, and 30 jibs that make it exciting and fun for the most adventurous snowboarders.
The three terrain parks that snowboarders absolutely have to visit at Vail include Golden Peak park, Bwana, and Pride. Golden Peak has dozens of jumps, an 18-feet-high Superpipe, a 13-feet-high mini Superpipe, and a 13-feet-high quarter pipe. Pride is one of the best terrain parks for snowboarding beginners, with its user-friendly features and gentle slopes.
As for the apres-ski, the Vail Village has lots to offer for a vacation. There are a number of galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and lodges to visit. There are also lift-chairs and horse-drawn sleigh rides to enjoy.
9. Mammoth Mountain, California
Mammoth Mountain Ski resort is the highest ski resort in California, at an elevation of over 11,000 feet. The resort has 3,500 acres of snowboarding and skiable terrain, gets 300 days of sunshine and 400 inches of snow every year.
There is also a variety of terrain, including Alpine bowls, groomers, the above-treeline runs, and many great terrain parks, which draw in snowboarders of all skill levels. Mammoth Mountain also has the largest ski school in all of California, so it is the perfect place for beginners and children. You can also go on snowmobile rides and gondola rides. The Town of Mammoth Lakes is just ten minutes away from Mammoth Yosemite Airport and has a wide range of restaurants, bars, and shops to visit during downtime.
10. Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
The Mt. Bachelor Ski and Snowboarding resort in Oregon offers 4,300 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain. The terrain ranges from easy, gentle slopes to extreme and difficult trails so that snowboarders of every skill level have reason to visit Mt. Bachelor. The resort is completely surrounded by two million acres of the Deschutes National Forest, so that it is the perfect wilderness retreat. What is extremely unique about Mt. Bachelor is that there is no lodging on the mountain or a village at the base so that the snowboarders can feel completely one with nature.
11. Taos, New Mexico
Taos in northern New Mexico has been a popular snowboarding destination for the past sixty years. The resort gets around 300 sunny days throughout the year and an average of 305 inches of snowfall, making it a great place to snowboard for most of the year. The resort has over 100 trails and a freestyle terrain park that is well suited for snowboarders of different skill levels. The Kachina Peak is particularly popular amongst the more extreme snowboarders who love a challenge because of its 12,000-foot-high trail.
12. Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows, California
Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows in California, which were previously known as Squaw Valley, have over 4,000 acres of snowboarding and skiing terrain. The resorts receive around 270 sunny days and 450 inches of snowfall every year so that the skiing and snowboarding season is long and the slopes are soft, snowy, and white.
The resorts boast open bowl terrain, six peaks, twenty-nine lifts, six terrain parks, and also a half-pipe. They also have amazing views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All of these features make Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows very attractive snowboarding resorts.
13. Big Sky Resort, Montana
The Big Sky Resort in Montana consists of 5,800 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, which is suited for beginners, intermediate-level snowboarders, and experts. The seven terrain parks offer different terrain and trails for everybody who is interested. Big Sky receives an average of 400 inches of snow annually and has varied terrain made up of glades, high-Alpine steeps, the Headwaters rocky ridge, a 4000-foot vertical drop, and the 11,000 foot Lone Peak Summit.
Our Final Thoughts
Whether you’re just starting with snowboarding or having been at it for years, there are so many amazing places to go for snowboarding in the USA. The 13 top destinations we mentioned should be on any snowboarder’s list of places they have to visit!
So, get your snowboard ready – we suggest the Symbolic Knotty 2020 snowboard and bindings package (ASIN: B07Z29LWDN) or the System MTN Snowboard Package 2022 with APX Bindings (ASIN: B07H12D9C9) – and start packing for some of the best snowboarding trips you’ll ever go on.
If you’re taking your kids with you for a family trip, they’re in for a treat! The first time snowboarding is fun and exciting and can be one of those experiences you remember for the rest of your life. Grab them a book on learning how to snowboard to be well prepared and have the best time on the trip. Check out the book Powder Power: A Snowboarding Book For Kids by M.C.Henry (ASIN: B08BGM3W9T) to teach the kids everything they need to know.
Whichever one of the 13 snowboarding resorts we’ve mentioned you do decide to visit, we’re sure it’s going to be an incredible trip, and you can snowboard to your heart’s content! We have a resort on our list for every snowboarder, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, going on a solo trip or a family vacation, and if you enjoy gentle slopes or extreme terrains.
