How big is Vail?
Vail has 195 pistes served by 31 lifts — 4th for pistes of the 15 resorts we track in the USA. On lifts it ranks 5th of the 15.
Vail resort guide
Colorado, USA
America's largest single-mountain ski resort
Vail at a glance
195
Pistes
31
Lifts
3,528m
Top
2,475m
Base
1,053m
Vertical
EGE
Nearest airport, 47 km
18% beginner29% intermediate53% advanced
Vail is America's largest single-mountain ski resort, offering legendary Back Bowls, extensive terrain, and world-class facilities.
Your questions about Vail, answered
How high is Vail?
The lifts run from 2475m at the base to 3528m at the top, a vertical of 1053m. Of the 15 resorts we track in the USA, that is the 4th highest, with the 8th biggest vertical.
A base above 1,800m is high by Alpine standards, so the runs back to the village hold their snow better than at lower resorts.
Is Vail good for beginners or experts?
The pistes at Vail split 18% beginner, 29% intermediate and 53% advanced, against an average of 19% beginner and 42% advanced across the resorts we track in the USA.
On those numbers it suits confident skiers and riders looking for steep terrain.
For off-piste, our guide documents 4 zones at Vail, with the lift to take and the avalanche risk for each.
When is the ski season at Vail?
Over the last ten winters Vail has typically held skiable snow at mid-mountain from around 5 December to 29 May, about 177 days.
March is the best all-round month on the record, with an average base of 93cm, 51cm of new snow and 3.3 bluebird days.
Month-by-month snow history →What is the nearest airport to Vail?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Eagle County Regional (EGE), 47km away in a straight line. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field) (ASE) is 63km, Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (BJC) is 112km, Denver (DEN) is 147km. Road distances are longer, often much longer in the mountains, and the nearest airport is not always the one with the most flights.
How much is a lift pass at Vail?
A 6-day adult Vail lift ticket costs US$2,244 for 2026/27, or US$374 a day. For value it ranks 7th of the 15 resorts we price in the USA.
Full lift pass prices and history →Airports near Vail
Airports with scheduled flights, nearest first. Distances are straight-line; by road they are longer, and in the mountains often much longer.
- Eagle County RegionalEGE47 km
- Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field)ASE63 km
- Rocky Mountain MetropolitanBJC112 km
- DenverDEN147 km · major airport
Travel time to Vail
Pick the airport you fly from for an estimate of the journey to the resort.
- Fly to Denver (DEN)Quickest
- Flight
- 9h 55m · 7,497 km
- Transfer by road
- 3h 5m · 198 km
- Total
- ≈ 13h
- Fly to Eagle County Regional (EGE)
- Flight
- 10h 5m · 7,639 km
- Transfer by road
- 1h · 63 km
- Total
- ≈ 13h 35m
Likely needs a connection: 2h 30m added
- Fly to Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field) (ASE)
- Flight
- 10h 10m · 7,673 km
- Transfer by road
- 1h 20m · 85 km
- Total
- ≈ 14h
Likely needs a connection: 2h 30m added
Estimates from straight-line distances, not timetables: flights at typical cruising speed plus taxi and climb, transfers at an average 65 km/h by road. They leave out check-in and baggage time, and mountain roads in snow can take much longer. Check with airlines and transfer companies before booking.
Vail lift pass 2026/27
US$2,2446-day adult Vail lift ticket · ≈£1,682
US$374 per day · 0.7 km of piste per € · #7 of 15 for value in the USA
Dynamic pricing — book early for lower prices
21value scorePremium price
Vail piste map 2024/25
2024/25 seasonThe official Vail piste map, published by Vail Mountain. This map covers the front side; the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin are a separate sheet. It shows every run, lift and sector across 195 pistes served by 31 lifts, from 2,475m at the base to 3,528m at the top.
Vail Mountain publishes the Vail map on their own site rather than as a file we can show here. The links below go straight to it.
Always check the resort's live piste status before setting off. Runs shown on a map are not necessarily open, and off-piste terrain is never patrolled unless the map says so.
Why go to Vail
- Largest single-mountain ski resort in America
- Legendary Back Bowls terrain
- Extensive groomed runs
- World-class facilities
- Excellent snow conditions
- Vibrant village atmosphere
Things to know
- Can be very expensive
- Can get crowded during peak season
- High altitude may affect some visitors
- Limited beginner terrain
- Long lift lines on weekends
Skiing and snowboarding Vail by ability
Beginners
Vail offers some beginner terrain, but it's limited. The resort is better suited for intermediate and advanced skiers. Beginners should stick to the front side groomed runs and consider taking lessons.
Intermediates
Vail is excellent for intermediate skiers! The resort offers extensive groomed runs, perfect for cruising. Explore the front side and venture into the Back Bowls on good weather days.
Advanced
Vail is a paradise for advanced skiers! The legendary Back Bowls offer some of the best expert terrain in America, with steep chutes, powder stashes, and challenging off-piste opportunities.
Our take on Vail
Food & dining
Après-ski
Price level
Luxury
Facilities
Official resort website: vail.com
More on Vail
- Vail snow reportLive conditions, snow depth and the 7-day forecast by elevation
- Vail snow historyTen seasons of snowfall, snow depth, powder days and when the season ends
- Vail lift pass pricesDay and week pass prices, how they have changed, and value for money
- Vail off-piste guideWhere the powder is, which lift to take and the avalanche risk
- Ski resorts in the USALive snow reports and a map of resorts, cities and airports in the USA
Ski resorts near Vail
Distances are straight-line, not by road.