The Canyons Resort in Park City is the largest single ski resort (measured by lift accessed acres) in Utah. If you’re planning on visiting this resort you should plan two days in order to ski most of it.

Be sure to get a trail map and pay close attention to my tips below as The Canyons is likely one of the most unique set ups for a resort that you’ll find.

But enjoy the challenge of skiing this mountain as the unique layout provides a wide variety of slopes and vistas to take in.

1. On a busy day when the gondola line can get unruly, skip it and ride the two person Golden Eagle chair. It’s slow and you’ll feel like you’re in the 1970′s but you’ll also get first tracks when others are still in line
2. Don’t miss Aplande off of Condor, especially if they have groomed it. This LONG fall line run is hard to beat
3. If you like trees, the Mystic Pines on the Peak 5 lift are, well, Mystical.  Hard to beat on a powder day.
4. If it’s a big snow year and you catch The Canyons on a powder day, keep to the low lands and spin laps on Golden Eagle.  Be sure to ski Lookout Ridge to Badlands!
5. Want long groomers with no crowds?  Find Upper Crowning Glory at the top of Peak 5 and follow it past Middle and Lower Crowing Glories to the bottom of Tombstone for a real leg burner.

Check out the trail map for The Canyons Resort.

Is the biggest always the best?  Well, that’s hard to say and harder to argue but one things for sure – The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah has enough terrain to last for days.  The fact that I’ve probably skied at The Canyons well over 500 days (I worked there for 8 years) and still find stashes of powder and unique vistas is evidence.

The Canyons holds 3700 acres of lift serviced skiing terrain.  It’s somewhat split by the southern end and the northern end with the Gondola and the Saddleback lift as the middle ground.  For a new comer skiing The Canyons can be a bit confusing given its shear size.  It’s one of those resorts where a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the trail map is worthwhile.

But don’t fret, if you happen to take an unintended turn chances are you’ll find a new adventure on a trail that meanders through aspens, pines or even a glade or three. Variety is the menu at The Canyons.

Kendall Card on Murdock Peak at The Canyons - photo by Erik Seo

Take for example this image above, taken on Murdock Peak by my friend and photographer Erik Seo.  Everything you see in the background is part of The Canyons, waiting to be explored.

So bring a sense of adventure and at least a couple of days to explore and you’ll likely find things I still haven’t managed to sniff out.

Lodging Options Near The Canyons Resort

Utah Vacation Homes has a number of properties in Park City and more specifically near The Canyons. Here are a few:

Vintage on the Strand
Do you like Ski In Ski Out? Vintage on the Strand is a new luxury town home slopeside at The Canyons. It doesn’t get any closer than this. Why go to the day lodge for lunch when you can ski back to the town home and cook up something nice, slip off the boots, enjoy some couch time before heading back out on the slopes? 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths will sleep up to 12 with a pile of amenities to make your stay heavenly.

Hidden Creek #1
When Ski In Ski Out isn’t in the budget, perhaps right at the base of the mountain is. Hidden Creek #1 is literally 50 yards (110 steps in ski boots) from the base of The Canyons cabriolet. No need to rent a car as you can walk to skiing or take the free town shuttle to ski Deer Valley or Park City. 4 bedrooms and 3 baths sleep up to 11 people. Soaking in the private hot tub while other skiers are waiting in traffic to get back to their hotel will remind you how very worth it Hidden Creek is.

Penthouse at Bear Hollow
There are a number of homes, town homes and condos that Utah Vacation Homes offers in the Bear Hollow Village but the Penthouse at Bear Hollow is a great option for a familyski vacation to Park City. 3 bedrooms and 2 baths sleep up to 7 within 1330 square feet. If you’re planning on skiing the Salt Lake Resorts but want to stay in Park City, this is a great location. It’s less than 2 miles from The Canyons