Best Ski Resorts in Colorado

Colorado is known for its snow-capped mountain peaks, varied terrain and lively ski towns. With more than 30 world-class ski resorts in the state, there are plenty of destinations to choose from. Here are some of our favorites.

• Base elevation: 8,120 feet.

• Highest elevation: 11,570 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 5,317 acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $221 to $295, varies by date.

With 5,317 skiable acres and 3,450 feet of vertical drop, Vail Ski Resort is the largest mountain resort in Colorado. Second only to Big Sky in Montana, Vail is also the second-largest ski resort in North America.

Unlike the mining towns of Aspen and Breckenridge, Vail started as a ski town. Seasoned skiers and snowboarders as well as first-timers will have plenty of trails — 278 to be exact — for carving out the best day ever on the slopes.

• Base elevation: 10,800 feet.

• Highest elevation: 13,010 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 1,800 acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $119.

Loveland Ski Area is divided into two mini-resorts: Loveland Basin and Loveland Valley, the latter being a separate area for beginners with green and blue runs, which makes it one of the best places to ski in Colorado for first-timers.

Loveland Valley chairlift operators have experience with loading novice skiers and snowboarders, and you can be sure that an expert rider won’t be bombing down the hill and putting your safety in jeopardy mid-slope.

At $50 per adult ticket for Loveland Valley-only access, it’s one of the more affordable mountains for practicing your “pizza” and “French fry” moves. Loveland is also just 53 miles west of Denver, so if you decide that winter sports aren’t your thing after all, you have the city at your fingertips for all your après-ski activities.

• Base elevation: 10,520 feet.

• Highest elevation: 13,050 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 1,428 acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $63 to $140.

For this category, we didn’t go with a relatively unknown ski area that sells the least expensive daily lift ticket in the state, but rather a resort that offers a good price-to-quality ratio, and that is Arapahoe Basin near Keystone, Colorado.

With about 73% of the terrain being classified as advanced to expert, Arapahoe Basin provides some of the most challenging terrain in Colorado. However, experienced riders won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to access the mountain.

Multi-day packs come in three-day, four-day and five-day options and cost $259, $309 and $339, respectively, which brings down your daily cost to as low as $68.

A-Basin also claims to have the longest ski season in the state with its latest closing day on record being Aug. 10 in 1995. However, a typical season lasts from October to June.

• Base elevation: 8,604 feet.

• Highest elevation: 12,510 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 3,342 acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $179 to $264, varies by date.

To show off your diamonds while skiing black diamonds, head to Aspen, Colorado. The luxurious Aspen Snowmass resort is a four-mountain resort for skiers and snowboarders with expensive taste.

A-list musicians and movie stars tend to frequent the Aspen slopes, and some even own homes in the area to be closer to some of the best skiing in Colorado.

Aspen Snowmass is home to four distinct mountains, all of which are connected: Aspen Mountain (aka Ajax), Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. A lift ticket allows you to hop between all four resorts, but we don’t recommend attempting to ski four mountains in one day because getting from one end to the other will take time.

Aspen Mountain is closest to town, where you can experience some of the best Michelin-starred dining and high-end shopping the ski village has to offer after you’ve taken off your mittens for the day.

• Base elevation: 8,725 feet.

• Highest elevation: 13,150 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 2,000-plus acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $245, varies by date.

If you’re looking for that iconic Wild West vibe, consider Telluride Ski Resort in southwestern Colorado for your next ski trip.

The old mining town turned ski town is hard to get to from a major airport — both Denver and Salt Lake City international airports are more than 350 miles away — but when you do get there, you won’t regret it. The scenery from town is simply unmatched, and it’s not as crowded as some of the big-name resorts off Interstate 70.

In Telluride, you can ski directly into town and still be able to find a cheap beer. The resort also offers some of the best alpine (above tree lines) skiing in the state.

• Base elevation: 10,790 feet.

• Highest elevation: 11,952 feet.

• Skiable terrain: 800 acres.

• Daily lift ticket cost: $69 to $79 most days, with some Saturdays at $129.

Monarch Mountain in Salida, Colorado, is the smallest resort on our list, but it’s a great off-the-beaten-path ski destination. Most people are unaware this resort exists, and those in the know want to keep it that way.

Monarch is a no-frills, mellow place to ski and snowboard, and you can still go cat skiing there in search of untouched powder in the backcountry (for expert levels only). But because the mountain can’t compete with the more popular resorts in central Colorado, it’s probably not an ideal option for a fly-in ski trip. It’s better suited for a road trip if you’re within driving distance.