Vail is the Epic Pass flagship and the kind of mountain that quietly explains why Colorado became Colorado. A Bavarian-style village at the foot, immaculate Front Side groomers above, and behind the ridge, seven legendary Back Bowls of open powder that have hooked skiers for sixty years.
Vail is a ski-in/ski-out resort (most of the village is genuinely on the snow) in United States, in the Colorado Rockies. The village sits at 2475 m and the lifts top out at 3527 m, with 285 km of pistes and 31 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 93/100, and the season usually runs Nov 22 → Apr 21.
How we score and classify resortsRun counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Excellent · 7.6k reviews
A polished, high-end base for Vail when you want to be properly looked after after a day on the snow.
Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.6/5 from 7,645 reviews). It sits about 4.2 km from the slopes. A luxury option for Vail, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Very good · 921 reviews
A long-standing favourite in Vail, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Ski-in/ski-out is the rule rather than the exception in both Vail Village and Lionshead, with several flagship hotels sitting metres from the lifts. The Front Side runs feed straight into the village base.
The domain stretches over 285 km of marked terrain, but Vail's real signature is the geography behind the ridge. Sun Up, Sun Down, China Bowl, Tea Cup, Siberia, Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia and Blue Sky Basin further back: these are the names that experienced skiers come for, vast treeless faces that hold powder for days after a storm and reward strong legs and decent altitude tolerance at 3 527 m. The Front Side, by contrast, offers some of the most consistent and well-pitched intermediate cruising in the world, perfect for groups skiing at mixed levels. Life in the valley is split between Vail Village, an entirely pedestrian replica of an alpine village commissioned in the 1960s, and the more contemporary Lionshead. Both connect directly to the lifts. The clientele leans toward East Coast families, international visitors and second-home owners, which sets the tone for restaurants, retail and après-ski. Denver International Airport is roughly two hours east by I-70, and that proximity makes Vail a serious destination resort that still works for a long weekend.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Vail: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Vail offers 285 km of pistes across 31 lifts, from 2475 m to 3527 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Nov 22 to Apr 21, with a snow score of 93/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
Ski-in/ski-out is the rule rather than the exception in both Vail Village and Lionshead, with several flagship hotels sitting metres from the lifts. The Front Side runs feed straight into the village base.
Vail has 285 km of marked pistes served by 31 lifts, between 2475 m and 3527 m of altitude.
Vail counts about 195 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.
Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
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