Stowe

Closed
Joretta Wong
SnowPak Local Insider
Joretta Wong
Pros
  • There’s plenty of challenging terrain to explore
  • The lifts are efficient and fast, meaning you can get up the mountain faster
  • Endless dining and drinking options are available in downtown Stowe
Cons
  • Most expensive resort in the East and crowded on the weekends

Overall

3.9

Consistently ranked as one of the top-ranking ski resorts in Vermont, Stowe is as posh as it is popular. The expert terrain draws quite some attention in the Northeast with challenging trails and incredible out of bounds skiing. Off the mountain, it's all quite glamorous with everything from luxurious accommodation to fine dining. 

Best month to go

January and February

When there has been a decent snowfall, the best months to visit Stowe are January and February. You should avoid going on President's Week because all of New England will be on school vacation.

FLY TO

Burlington Airport

DRIVE TO

Stowe Mountain Resort (1 hour)

Stowe Village (8 mi)

  • Budget to luxurious accommodation available
  • Offers a variety of restaurants and facilities
  • Free shuttle to the ski resort

Find accommodations around here

Stowe Mountain Lodge

  • High-end ski-in/ski-out accommodation
  • Offering everything from studios to suites with full kitchen
  • Full service spa

Find accommodations around here

For beginners

Given the high prices of everything here, Stowe is probably not the best value for beginner skiers. Nevertheless the base of Spruce Peak has a beginner area while for boarders, there are 6 terrain parks within Midway Small Park to practice at. The best beginner run is Toll Road to Lower Toll Road - it goes from summit to bottom, is long and winding, and a good challenge for beginners who are ready for to step it up. It's also the longest run at Stowe!

For intermediates

Stowe is perfect for intermediate skiers and snowboards with 55% of the trails being blues! The best intermediate trails are the long cruisers like Main Street which is wide with great views from all directions. Boarders will enjoy the Lower Standard Medium Park.

For experts

Serious skiers will be thankful for how steep Stowe mountain is. Stowe is known for its infamous Front Four double-black diamond trails (National, Goat, Starr and Liftline). They are the most challenging trails, narrow, with boulder drops and ledges on one and ungroomed terrain so be prepared for moguls. Expert boarders should try out Tyro Large Park for massive jumps, boxes and rails.

Find freshies

Access the woods by taking the Sensation Quad for the best freshies and evenly spaced tree skiing! You can also hike off the Gondola to the summit towards Hourglass Chute and Hellbrook.

Ditch the crowds

Crowds can be found near the Adventure Center and Toll House Double because it services the less experienced skiers. You can avoid the crowds by sticking with the trails off the Fourrunner Quad since it is more suitable for advanced skiers. Be sure to also jump on the lifts as they open before the crowds start rolling in!

Non skiers

Stowe is a great pick for non-skiers, as there is so much to do outside of skiing. The nearby historic village of Stowe, accessible by the free shuttle bus, is great for shopping and dining. For the adults, there are luxury spas, a great après-ski atmosphere, and Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, which hosts various cultural events. If you fancy something a bit more active, there is also ice-skating, indoor rock-climbing, hiking one of the best winter hikes in Vermont, and snowshoe tours.

Families

If you've got little ones starting out on the snow for the first time, Stowe has an amazing ski school! For families with varied ski levels, the Mount Mansfield area has a simple gondola crossover, allowing easy access to beginner/intermediate/advanced terrain all in one area.

Save up to 35% when you book a Stowe package!

View Stowe packages

Stowe Reviews

Fabulous 4.3 / 5
based on 30 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Fabulous!4.5 / 5Oct 15, 2021
HSHeidi S.
intermediate snowboarder
What a beautiful mountain with tons of options for all levels! I am an intermediate snowboarder and I was able to board all day and never felt like I didn’t have options. Also, I love the gondolas....... More
Very Good!3.9 / 5Mar 22, 2020
Stowe ReviewsJoe J.
intermediate skier
Fantastic mountain with tons of natural snow and snow making abilities. The trails are fun and a good challenge for casual skiers looking to take the next step. The only negative thing I have to stay was the weather didn’t cooperate that day, haha. Definitely the best mountain I’ve been to in years!... More
Superb!5 / 5Feb 25, 2020
Stowe ReviewsReverie W.
beginner skier
Stowe is a beautiful Resort all Season, nice people, picturesque ski town, nice restaurant around and a very Nice Stay, feels like a dream, I'm visiting Stowe every year Especially on Autumn & Winter... More
Fabulous!4.3 / 5Sep 04, 2019
Stowe ReviewsKeith S.
expert skier
Boujee? Definitely, you are gonna run into jumpsuit wearing, ski racing, audi driving, New Englander's for sure. There is as many black cards there as black diamonds, but you do get what you pay for, right? Look there is no doubt this is the most expensive ski resort on the east coast but it really does have some top notch terrain and when the snow... More
Superb!4.6 / 5Aug 08, 2019
Stowe ReviewsTory S.
expert snowboarder
Absolutely loved riding at Stowe!! Went last January with a couple friends. We didn’t have the best luck with the snow conditions, so other than lift line, the front four were closed. That did not stop us from having a great time, as we still managed to find secret pow stashes in the trees. Lodging was top notch, and staff was friendly. Definitely... More
Good!3.8 / 5Apr 26, 2018
Stowe ReviewsWendy B.
intermediate skier
Conditions were supreme this season! Best in the East! Ski, board or play, Stowe had it all. Blue bird days were spectacular ! Patrol and staff had a blast too! March was amazing.... More
Average!3.4 / 5Apr 26, 2018
Stowe ReviewsCharles W.
advanced skier
Stowe is the quintessential Vermont Ski Resort. Picture perfect but boy was it cold! The locals said it was spring conditions but it was 11 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow mix was all over the place from light powder, to firm courderouy to bullet proof ice. If you can ski here you can ski anywhere. Also taking a dip through the trees is not to be missed... More
Very Good!4 / 5Dec 03, 2017
JNJohn N.
expert skier
As a college student in Vermont I pinched pennies year long in order to afford my college pass at Stowe. This was before it was acquired by Vail Resorts last year. Now at 25 it is much harder without the college discount! I strictly ski at Vail Resorts mountains. Vail and Bever Creek are some of my favorites where I worked my first year out of... More
Superb!4.9 / 5Nov 24, 2017
ASAdrian S.
advanced snowboarder
Awesome. Classic mug mountain resort that has everything you looking for. Nice grooms even better Glades 5 star. Beautiful town that is worthy of the tallest peak in Vermont. I'll be coming back 100%... More
Very Good!4 / 5Nov 23, 2017
JRJason R.
expert skier
My favorite place to ski in the eastern US. Loaded with ski history and beautiful scenery. It's gotten more upscale and fancy over the years but the great terrain what keeps me coming back. Star, Goat and terrain that doesn't appear on the map!... More