A lot of people think they’d have to drive or fly for hours to find a good ski resort. But what if we told you that there are plenty of great ski resorts right in your own backyard?
In this post, I’ll give you a quick rundown of 3 of the closest ski resort to Dallas. These are just 30 min away from Dallas, Texas! Additionally I’ll list a few areas that are a bit further away but have some amazing resorts.
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Bluewood Resort
Located on the American Rockies in Dallas, Texas, Bluewood ski resort caters to beginner to intermediate-level skiers. The resort is approximately a 33-minute drive away from Fort Worth airport, Dallas.
The mountain is not that big (5,670 ft) but has a number of runs perfect for beginners and intermediate skiers. Plus, the views are absolutely breathtaking and the resort itself is really nice too, with plenty of amenities. The powder is great too, it’s light and fluffy and perfect for carving.
The resort is served by a total of 3 ski lifts, the highest at 1728 meters and the lowest at 1385 meters. The lifts can uplift about 4200 skiers an hour.
The resort has a total of 23 runs, 8 red pistes for intermediate-level skiers, and 10 blue and 5 green pistes for beginners.
Also read our guide on the best resorts in Montana.
Breckenridge Resort
Breckenridge ski resort is located at an altitude of 2930 meters in the American Rockies at Summit, Colorado, within a 3-hour drive from Dallas Fort Worth airport.
The resort is usually open from late November to Late April and has a total of 152 marked runs, 22 blue pistes for beginners, 55 red pistes for intermediate-level skiers, and 80 black pistes for the advanced skiers.
Resort’s altitude is 2930 meters, and that is the altitude of the lowest run too. The highest lift is 3960 meters, and the maximum vertical elevation is 1030 meters. There are 23 lifts, capable of uplifting 36680 skiers and snowboarders an hour.
The nearest airport to the Breckenridge ski resort is Vail/Eagle, which is an 85-minute drive away. Dallas Fort Worth Denver International, Steamboat Springs, Colorado Springs, Aspen, Yampa Valley, Gunnison-Crested, Butte, and Grand Junction airports are all within a three-hour drive.
Denton Resort
Denton ski resort is in Davidson, North Carolina, United States, at an elevation of 550 meters. The resort is about a 38-minute drive from the Fort Worth airport in Dallas.
Denton contains 19 marked ski runs, 6 blue pistes, 6 red pistes, and 7 black pistes, as well as a total length of 100 kilometers of cross-country trail. The lowest run of the resort is at an elevation of 550 meters, and the highest is at 700 meters.
There are a total of 5 lifts in operation, with the capability of uplifting 3850 skiers an hour. Additionally, there are 125 snow cannons, making snow-making a possibility.
Tahoe, California
Split between Nevada and Colorado and bordering around Lake Tahoe, Tahoe has 16 ski resorts, the most concentrated collection of ski resorts in the US, giving you the advantage of not having to stick to any one resort and trying different resorts in the area to satisfy your needs best.
Tahoe is about an hour’s drive from Reno’s airport. The fastest way to travel from Dallas to Reno is to take a flight, which will take around three hours. There are direct flights from Dallas Fort Worth to Reno. To drive there via 1-40 W would take about 25 hours.
Taos, New Mexico
A direct Toas Air flight from Dallas Love Field airport could take you to Taos within two hours and you will be able to choose one of the four resorts in the area:
- Taos Ski Resort
- Angel Fire Ski Resort
- Red River Ski Resort
- Sipapu Ski Resort
The Taos Ski Valley Resort has 110 trails, half of which are designed for skiers at beginner and intermediate levels. It will take around ten hours to drive from Dallas to Taos.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is another good ski destination from Dallas. It will take around 12 hours to drive to Denver from Dallas. Flying there will cut that time about in half.
Echo Mountain, Eldora Mountain, Loveland ski area, Arapahoe Basin Ski area, Winter Park, Keystone Resort, Copper Mountain, Granby Ranch, Vail Mountain Resort, Beaver Creek Resort, and Ski Hopper can be considered the best ski resorts around Denver.
Read our comprehensive guide on copper mountain vs winter park here.
Salt Lake City, Utah
The skiing experience you can get in Salt Lake City is unparalleled. It is not called Ski City for nothing. There are eleven ski resorts within an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City airport, nestled in the Wasatch mountain range.
The four major resorts in Salt City are:
- Solitude
- Brighton
- Snowbird
- Alta
Most of these resorts are known to be family and budget friendly too. You can read our comparison of Utah against other resorts here.
You can fly directly from Dallas to Salt Lake City within 4-6 hours, and driving will take around 20 hours on the road.
Final Thoughts
If you are a ski enthusiast from Dallas looking for resorts that are within convenient distances, you have a few options.
If proximity is your main concern, there are three resorts within 30 minutes to 3-hour drive away from Dallas Fort Worth airport, namely Bluewood, Breckenridge, and Denton.
But, if you are the kind of person who would value the skiing experience over the proximity, there are destinations further but conveniently away, calling for 2-6 of flying or 10-25 hours of driving, such as Tahoe, Taos, Denver, and Salt Lake City. These ski destinations contain many resorts close to one another and could offer you a more versatile, flexible, and enjoyable skiing experience.
