Winter Wonderland

The greatest snow on earth.

Utah truly has the greatest snow on earth. Due to the elevation of the ski resorts, when the winter storms come, the snow doesn’t start to melt until mid-April. The temperature at the elevations maintain a light fluffy snow which is ideal for powder skiing. The location of the ski resorts are also a key factor. Located on the west side of the mountains, where the airstream flows, the snow dumps heaviest and longest as the storm systems try to clear the wasatch front.

The Layton area is among the closest lodging to Snowbasin and Powder Mountain.  Ski or board during the day then walk to all of the restaurants and shops at night.  

Right in the middle of Utah’s best resorts - North Salt Lake is the mid-point between the Cottonwood Canyon and the northern Utah resorts. It is a short drive to Snowbird, Solitude, Alta and Brighton to the south and Powder Mountain and Snowbasin to the north. In fact, Layton hotels are among the closest lodging to Powder Mountain and Snowbasin, which is where the Olympic downhill racing events were held.

Snowshoeing and cross country skiing in Farmington Canyon is a favorite activity of locals. Stop by local ski shops to learn about conditions and the best trails. If you want to avoid exercise but love the winter wonderland, try snowmobiling. Local businesses rent snowmobiles, but first timers should make a reservation with a local outfitter, such as Red Rock Ranch in Huntsville. They specialize in Monte Cristo, Utah’s most popular snowmobiling site. Adventurers may want to schedule a pick-up by Diamond Peaks heli-skiing to discover untracked snow at Powder Mountain.

Park City, famous for Sundance Film Festival, is only a 30 minute drive. Two of the area’s ski resorts, Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort, were Olympic venues. If you are headed that way, a stop at the Utah Winter Sports Park is a must. The park was the Olympic site for ski jumping, nordic combined, bobsled, skeleton and luge. Watch future olympians practice or try the bobsled out for yourself. Midway, Utah is just around the corner, which is where the cross-country skiing events took place during the 2002 Olympics at Soldier Hollow. On your way to the Park City resorts, take advantage of Gorgoza Winter Tubing Park just over Parley's Summit. End the day with a balloon ride over the Rockies with Morning Star Balloon 801-685-8555.

See the area map for the locations of the resorts.

See our Ski Resort Statistics Chart for more information.

Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort
World-class ski resort and site of Olympic Winter Games in February 2002.