7 Best Small-town Ski Destinations in America

From upscale shopping to Olympic-caliber slopes, major ski towns like Park City and Vail have plenty to offer. But if you've been there and done that, it may be time to forgo the brand-name spots in favor of some small-town skiing. After all, there are more than 450 ski resorts in the United States — and most of them lie in the kinds of little towns you won't find on your favorite celebrity's Instagram.

What these smaller destinations lack in size, they more than make up for in charm and incredible skiing. From coast to coast, here are seven of the best small ski towns to check out this season and beyond. 

Crested Butte, Colorado

Crested Butte, located four hours southwest of Denver, is by every measure a small town. It has fewer than 1,700 full-time residents and comes with a main street that looks like something from an Old Western movie. It’s also home to some of the best skiing in Colorado. Crested Butte Mountain Resort, an Epic Pass mountain just north of town, boasts 1,547 skiable acres and 121 trails — a whopping 37 percent of which are graded for experts only. The resort has more lift-served advanced terrain than almost anywhere else in the U.S., and it gets impressive snowfall, too, with an average of 230 inches per year.

Waitsfield, Vermont

Waitsfield, a northern Vermont town of about 1,800, has all the New England charm you could ask for. We're talking covered bridges, white-steeple churches, and tiny cafes ready to welcome and warm you with a cup of cocoa. Best of all, though, it's home to Mad River Glen, one of the most unique ski areas in the country. This cooperatively owned resort dates back to 1949 and comes with a host of funky features, from a near-total ban on snowmaking to a total ban on snowboarding. If you're after a more traditional ski experience, you're in luck there, too: the Ikon Pass-equipped Sugarbush is just down the road.

Bethel, Maine

Travel east to find another spectacular small-town skiing spot: Bethel, Maine. This village of about 2,600 prides itself on both its outdoor activities — the Appalachian Trail passes just outside of town — and its delicious food and beverage scene. Before heading to Bethel's restaurants and bars, work up an appetite by spending the day at Sunday River, a ski resort that sits just 11 minutes away. Spanning more than 2,300 vertical feet, the mountain has plenty of space to roam and several high-speed lifts to help you get in as many turns as possible. 

Tannersville, Pennsylvania 

Those seeking a classic American ski trip need look no further than Tannersville, a quaint community of about 2,600 people in the Pocono Mountains. The town offers year-round fun thanks to its hiking trails, ATV rentals, fishing, and horseback riding, but the proximity of Camelback Resort means that Tannersville truly shines in winter. Just five minutes from downtown, visitors will find a mountain tailor-made for beginners and intermediate riders, who can explore its 39 trails during the day or under the lights thanks to Camelback's night-skiing operation. 

North Conway, New Hampshire

North Conway, a sliver of land that sits close to the New Hampshire/Maine border, is a town of 2,400 people that serves as a gateway to White Mountain National Forest. There are delights here at any time of year, from spring wildflowers and summer hiking to fall's exceptional foliage, but winter is especially lovely with its beautiful blanket of snow. You can take advantage of the white stuff at Cranmore, the family-friendly ski hill just blocks from downtown, or at Attitash Mountain Resort, 13 minutes away by car. Though Attitash is technically in neighboring Bartlett, it offers greater thrills thanks to its two interconnected mountains, 68 trails, and 300 acres, making it worth the short drive for more experienced skiers.

Telluride, Colorado

If you’ve done a bit of skiing and snowboarding in the U.S., odds are you’ve heard the name Telluride. The mountain sees more than 300 inches of snow annually and has 2,000 skiable acres, including some of Colorado's finest backcountry. But it’s important to get to know the town behind the mountain. Just 2,500 people call Telluride home year-round, and it comes with a wildly photogenic main drag, filled with shops and cafes that look straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. The town also boasts an impressive number of hotels and inns for its small size, and locals would encourage you to use them. Like many mountain towns, Telluride is facing a housing shortage; traditional hotels are a more sustainable lodging option than the vacation rentals that residents compete with for housing.

Taos, New Mexico

Another iconic place for small-town ski adventures is Taos, a town with fewer than 7,000 full-time residents. The community, located in northern New Mexico’s high desert, is the spot to be if you like world-class dining, a rich arts and culture scene, and some of the most eco-friendly skiing in the nation. That last one is thanks to Taos Ski Valley, the local mountain. The ski resort was the first on earth to become B-corp certified, and it's carbon neutral.