Elsie Halvorsen

Family, variety, and affordability — Winter Park caters to family vacationers along with Denver day trippers. Visitors can take the one-of-a-kind Winter Park Express train directly from Union Station in Denver. There are activities for all ages of children (the tubing hill is a hit), though the accessibility of this resort makes its tradeoffs in the form of limited dining, shopping, and night scene options. The skiing itself is a major upgrade from the low-key base area. With more than 3,000 acres, there are trails of every type and level. The snowfall is amongst the highest in Colorado and coverage is reliable due to early-season snowmaking.

Mary Jane, long known for its bumps, and more recently, its glades, will keep the advanced skier challenged. The Winter Park side has an abundance of mellow terrain. Most of the lifts provide access to an assortment of trails, allowing skiers of varying abilities to easily stay together. For those looking for more, there are several large terrain parks, backcountry access, a large lift-accessible bowl, and a Cirque with over a mile long ridge where skiers and boarders may drop in wherever they desire! While lacking in luxury, this resort is accessible, diverse, family-friendly and affordable for skiers and riders of all levels. Winter Park offers unlimited access to all Ikon Passholders.

> Get to know the Winter Park Ski Patrol in our related post