Most Beautiful Ski Areas in North America
When it comes to a typical ski vacation, you’re mainly booking for the slopes, not the views. But not at North America’s most beautiful ski resorts. The most picturesque mountains in the US and Canada aren’t just about the sports of skiing and snowboarding, but about the entire experience of the location itself, with views so incredible they’ll rank among the most breathtaking sights visitors may see in their lifetimes.
So where are these stunning slopes located? Well, in this article, we’ll go through our picks for the most beautiful ski resorts in North America, and we’ll share what makes each mountain stand out.
#18: Mount Baker
First up on this list, we have Washington State’s Mount Baker. One of the smallest and most remote ski areas on this list, Mount Baker isn’t your typical destination ski resort; instead, it’s a more locally-focused ski area that’s literally off the grid. But despite its modest boundary size, Mount Baker sits alongside some of the most extraordinary views one can find at any ski resort.
Located in far northern Washington just outside North Cascades National Park, Mount Baker offers stunning scenery, with the nearby namesake peak and the even more striking Mount Shuksan stealing the show. Rising over 4,400 feet in prominence, Mount Shuksan towers directly over many of Baker’s slopes and serves as a backdrop that almost feels too beautiful for us to be deserving of it.
It’s also worth noting Mount Baker is famous for often being the snowiest ski area in North America. It even holds the record for the most snowfall in a single season, with an unbelievable 1,140 inches during the 1998–99 winter. Due to the high amount of snowfall, many days at Mount Baker will be shrouded in clouds and fog, but on the days when the sun comes out, you’ll be treated to extraordinary views into the wilderness on all sides.
#17: Panorama
Next up on this list, we have Western Canada’s Panorama resort, which sits within the heart of the Purcell mountains in southern British Columbia. Extending over 4,000 feet in vertical drop, the resort sits just across from a range of particularly stunning peaks, with these jagged mountains plainly visible throughout the entire vertical drop.
Advanced skiers and riders will want to make sure to check out the View of 1,000 Peaks trail, a ridgeline off the summit that not only allows for some of the best views of the surrounding mountains, but also down into the Columbia Valley, which is about 5,200 feet below the summit. But even if you’re not up to runs of advanced proficiency, there’s plenty of cruising terrain to soak in the views as well. Panorama’s layout is such that guests can find themselves in very isolated terrain pods—whether via lift service, a short hike, or snowcat service—and the resort’s far reaches offer very few guests, a spectacular one-with-nature feeling, and less tracked snow.
#16: Jackson Hole
Next up on this list we have Wyoming’s Jackson Hole, which is located on the east side of the Teton Range. And if you know anything about the east side of the Teton Range and its extraordinary elevation profile, you already know that Jackson Hole is going to be one crazy-looking resort.
Jackson Hole offers a staggering 4,000 foot vertical drop into the namesake valley, with stunning cliffs, couloirs, and rock features found throughout the ski area along the way. And because the base of Jackson Hole has no foothills, guests will see views of a flat floodplain that stretches for miles out from the mountain. To the north of the ski area sits Grand Teton National Park, which offers views of some of the most famous mountains in the US, including Grand Teton itself.
The town of Jackson also offers some unique Western vibes, with ranching heritage permeating through many aspects of the town and ski area’s culture. Overall, Jackson Hole combines national park views, cowboy vibes, and beautiful, rock-lined slopes to stand out above the vast majority of others in the North American ski scene.
#15: Revelstoke
Next up we move up to Canada for British Columbia’s Revelstoke.
Revelstoke starts out as what might look like an unassuming ski area at its base, but the views here just get better and better as you head up the mountain. The out-of-base gondola has two stages, and once you get to the top of the gondola you’re treated to expansive views of the valley below, the nearby town, and the surrounding mountains. However, your journey isn’t at its end, as there are chairlifts that bring you further up the mountain, and eventually to over a mile above where you started.
Revelstoke’s vertical drop is the largest on the continent, and this makes for huge variations in both the skiing and the weather between the bottom and the top of the mountain. You can start the day under the clouds and end up a few minutes later looking out across the Selkrik Mountains, with rocky peaks and snowfields for miles in all directions. Hiking to the top of the Sub-peak gets you over 6,000 ft above the base, and the views on clear days make you feel like you’re on top of the world.
#14: Mount Bachelor
Located on the eastern side of the Cascades, Mount Bachelor is no ordinary ski resort. Rather than a face of a mountain, Mount Bachelor offers a unique 360-degree skiable footprint on its namesake peak, which also happens to be a dormant volcano. On days when every lift is open, the summit lift at Bachelor offers lift service to the peak, and you can choose any line to ski down.
Over 4,200 acres are available to explore, and the terrain changes in an almost surreal way as you make your way down from the summit, starting with jagged, volcanic rock features and open bowls, filtering into thinly wooded glades, and then finally dense woods and tree-cut runs. On days when the backside is open, you could ski for miles and not see another skier or rider. The views down into the forests below are expansive, and other Cascade peaks such as the Three Sisters and Diamond Peak are plainly prominent from parts of the resort.
So why isn’t Bachelor any higher on this list? Well, unfortunately, Mount Bachelor’s summit has one of the most fickle opening schedules on the continent, so in practice, the open bowls and back side aren’t available as often as one might hope. In addition, the clouds and fog typical of the Cascade range can certainly make for less than ideal views. That said, when the Summit chair is open, the resort delivers an aesthetic experience that’s truly among the best on the continent.
#13: Vail
Perhaps the most infamous ski area on this list, Vail is often correlated with its ritzy pedestrian village and high ticket costs. But as much as some might hate to admit it, the resort also hosts some of the most unique and beautiful slopes in North America as well.
Vail might just blow away some visitors with its sheer size—and for good reason. With 8,100 acres between its boundary ropes, the resort has the largest boundary-to-boundary footprint of any ski resort in the United States. The Back Bowls offer some of the most stunning in-bounds terrain on the continent, with a vast series of wide-open snowfields that seem to stretch endlessly—and notably, these bowls are largely accessible for intermediates, setting them apart from many other iconic ski resort zones that are often reserved for advanced and expert skiers and riders.
Another really unique aspect of Vail is the ski area’s stacked layout; the resort extends over multiple sets of mountains, with not just a front side and the Back Bowls, but Blue Sky Basin extending another ridge further. Within the furthest reaches of the resort, you are miles away from the nearest roads, towns, and human settlements. This layout gives you the feeling of an epic journey across a vast expanse, rather than the typical up-and-down laps you’d usually get at other ski resorts.
#12: Snowbird
Next up on this list, we have Snowbird located in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. If you’ve never been out west before, this resort will blow you away with its striking peaks, massive ridges, and views of Salt Lake City in the distance on a clear day. The resort’s Mineral Basin back side offers a special, one-with-nature sense of isolation, as well as views of some of the tallest mountains in the state.
But the most extraordinary part of Snowbird might be its one-of-a-kind ski tunnel, which literally transports you through the mountain from one side of the resort to the other. Other resorts might be able to take you higher or offer more vertical, but no other North American ski mountain will provide you the opportunity to go in it. Paired with the dramatic prominence of its terrain, very few ski destinations have the same big mountain feel as Snowbird.
#11: Whistler Blackcomb
With over 8,000 acres of skiable terrain, Whistler Blackcomb isn’t just the largest ski area in North America, but it’s also one of the most extraordinary looks-wise. Whistler Blackcomb covers two separate mountains, with both rising more than 5,000 feet above their respective bases, and with the massive Peak 2 Peak gondola between the two reaching over 1,400 feet above the valley floor, guests can experience one of the most unique lift rides on the entire continent.
The views at Whistler Blackcomb are nothing short of spectacular, with many jagged peaks in the Coast Range plainly visible, and some upper parts of one peak giving you a nearly complete view of the other and its associated slopes.
Whistler Blackcomb also has plenty of other unique aspects, such as the mile-vertical Peak to Creek run, and an ice cave in Blackcomb Glacier. One downside is that much of Whistler Blackcomb can be covered in fog or clouds during the winter, especially in lower mountain areas, though during these times, the upper mountain can have incredible inversion views above the clouds.
#10: Le Massif
Next up, we have Quebec’s Le Massif. This may be the only East Coast entry on this list, but don’t let the lack of mountain views and elevation fool you.
Le Massif has one of the lowest base elevations on the continent, as the ski area goes almost all the way down to the shores of the St. Lawrence River, a massive waterway that provides one-of-a-kind views—with the actual flow of the river being one of the most surreal things you’ll ever see at a ski resort.
In addition, the base area is at the top of the ski area, which allows you to soak in the full majesty of the aesthetic essentially as soon as you slap on your gear. Le Massif also hosts some fantastic glades for the east, which allows for unique tree skiing with river views as a backdrop. From the top of the Hors-piste hike, which is about a 15-minute jaunt from the slopes, you can get expansive views almost 2,500 ft above the river, which is truly breathtaking.
#9: Alta
Located at the head of Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta is best known for its snow, but the views and vibes you’ll find here are just as stunning as the powder.
The isolation you’ll find skiing here is some of the best on the continent, with each lift individually serving hundreds of acres of terrain. Combine this with the incredibly unique vibe you’ll find here, strengthened by a number of independent lodges at the base and lack of commercialization, and you’ll have yourself an unforgettable ski trip. The views themselves are stunning as well, as Alta is surrounded by miles of some of the most stunning peaks in the Wasatch Mountains.
While the ban on snowboarders may be a huge negative to some, the upsides of the views and isolation will make it worth it for the vast majority of skiers making the trip.
#8: Banff Sunshine Village
Located in Banff National Park, Banff Sunshine Village offers stunning views of the Canadian Rockies while also providing world-class isolation from the outside world.
The only access to the resort is through a striking canyon that takes a 45-degree turn about a quarter of the way up, making it impossible to see down to the base—and any sign of civilization besides the lifts, facilities, and mid-mountain village itself. On clear days, much of the upper part of the resort offers staggeringly beautiful facades of the iconic, glacier-carved Continental Divide mountains.
But it’s not just the peaks outside the resort that stand out—upper-mountain areas also boast a near-360-degree skiable footprint, affording guests near-complete bird’s eye views of neighboring mountain pods that’s really hard to come by elsewhere in North America. If you’re looking for an escape from the outside world to almost-surreal-looking mountain peaks, Banff Sunshine won’t let you down.
#7: Big Sky
Next up on this list we have Montana’s Big Sky, and it might be crowned by the single most iconic peak of any resort on this list. Towering 11,166 ft above sea level, Lone Peak is the centerpiece of Big Sky, and man, is it a beautiful sight.
This mountain is visible from almost every resort zone, and its distinct shape gives it almost, we’d dare say, a Matterhorn vibe. And that’s not even mentioning the pièce de résistance, the tram to the top, which allows unobstructed views of southern Montana. You do unfortunately have to pay extra to ride the tram if you go with an Ikon or Mountain Collective product, but that doesn’t change just how astonishing these vistas are.
When it comes to skiing and riding off Lone Peak, the trails themselves are one-of-a-kind, with chutes formed by the unique ridges in the mountain that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere in-bounds on the continent. It’s also worth noting that some pods allow views into the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club, giving most people the closest taste of that resort they’ll ever get.
#6: Heavenly
Next up on this list we have Heavenly, which sits on the California-Nevada border and provides otherworldly views of both Lake Tahoe and the nearby Carson Valley.
The California side of the resort looks directly over the lake, which has a deep blue hue and never freezes, and at times, it feels as if you’re looking down into a completely different season. To the east, the Carson Valley is even lower than the lake, and from some viewpoints, you can see both the lake and the valley, which showcases this unique geographic difference.
Additionally, at the top of the resort, you get to ski through unique trees such as the Whitebark Pine, one of the oldest living species on the planet. These trees have crooked, winding trunks that are pretty special to see, and it’s cool to think you could be skiing or riding among thousand-year-old organisms.
A downside is that the upper mountain of Heavenly can be pretty fickle with opening, especially during storms (which also makes for some logistical challenges, but that’s for another article), but on a clear day, the views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding valleys are one-of-a-kind.
#5: Telluride
Next up, we move to what’s arguably the most impressive-looking destination in the U.S. Rockies: Telluride, Colorado. The town and ski area are surrounded by stunning jagged peaks, and several mountain pods, most notably the Revelation Bowl, provide incredible isolation and uninterrupted views of the San Juan Range.
Perhaps the most iconic feature of Telluride are the runs into the namesake town, which provide views of the stunning box canyon surrounding the town with red-rock cliffs and the charming old-west mining town on the valley floor. While some runs have a bit of a moneyed vibe due to the mansion-filled Mountain Village, the extraordinary peaks and beautiful traditional town make for an experience that’s hard to beat.
#4: Alyeska
Located in the small town of Girdwood, Alaska, Alyeska is one of the most unique ski areas on the continent.
Located just a few miles from the ocean, Alyeska is one of the only ski areas where you could theoretically see whales from the slopes, as the stunning Cook Inlet is visible from much of the terrain. Steep, jagged peaks and glaciers surround the ski area, and descents on the expert-oriented North Face are especially tough as you’ll want to keep looking at the views while skiing or riding down.
Once the day is done, the town of Girdwood is one of the few true ski towns left, with a local vibe that is all-too rare these days. Overall, Alyeska provides the rare combination of an incredibly beautiful ski resort with a low-key vibe, and visitors will not be disappointed.
#3: Homewood
Taking the bronze spot on our list is California’s Homewood resort, which is the closest ski area to Lake Tahoe. The slopes end just a few hundred feet from the lake, which stays stunningly blue year round thanks to a surface that doesn’t freeze over. The lake is visible from every mountain area, and other surrounding peaks just frame the picture perfect lake view.
However, the ski area will not be operating for this coming 2024-25 season, as the operator has cited permitting problems for their soon-to-be-installed gondola and traffic issues, as you have to pass by the much more popular Palisades Tahoe and Northstar ski areas to get to Homewood. Homewood has stated they intend to return to ski service next year, though these recent operating changes are definitely not good news for Homewood fans.
#2: Kicking Horse
Our pick for the second most beautiful ski area on the continent is Kicking Horse, located in inland British Columbia.
Kicking Horse offers views of some of the most stunning and jagged peaks in Canada, some of which are within the skiable footprint itself. The gondola at the ski area rises over 3,500 feet from the base, and during its ride, you’ll likely spend the whole ride looking at the beauty surrounding you. The peak of the ski area is one of the most beautiful sights we’ve seen at a ski area, as wilderness extends for miles off the backside of the area.
All these combine to put Kicking Horse in place to beat all other ski areas as the most stunning in North America, except one.
#1: Lake Louise
That’s right, Western Canada’s Lake Louise is our pick for the most beautiful ski resort in North America.
Located in the center of Banff National Park, visitors to Lake Louise will find themselves surrounded by glacier-carved mountains that feature towering cliffs and snowcapped peaks. The views of the surrounding mountains feel like those you’d see in movies; in fact, we’d argue there isn’t a single place at the resort that doesn’t feel absolutely gorgeous.
The lake itself is visible from many frontside areas, and while it’s completely covered by ice at this time of year, it’s hard to find a more jaw-dropping aesthetic than this frozen body of water paired with the towering mountains adjacent to it. The back side of the ski area allows for complete isolation from human activity, and you might be able to stare at the horizon for hours and not get bored.
This isn’t just a ski resort—this is a place that will change your view of how beautiful the world really can be.
Final Thoughts
So that’s our rank-order of the most beautiful ski resorts in North America. Sure, beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, but we’d argue that nobody who visits one of the resorts on this list will leave disappointed with the sheer aesthetic experience. You can always book a ski vacation for the skiing and riding, but at all of these resorts, we’d argue you’ll experience a sightseeing vacation with a solid serving of winter sports on the side.
What do you think about this ranking? Are there any we completely missed out on? Let us know your favorite views at a ski area with a comment below.
If you're interested in more than just the aesthetic experience but want to stay in the United States, check out our overall USA ski resort rankings—or our video ranking of the major destinations below.
If you want to explore the mountains with Peak Rankings this winter, check out our Peak House trips, which will visit many of the mountains on this list, and see some stunning sites across the pond in Italy as well!
