Big Sky Ski Resort — SKI Magazine’s 2026 Resort Guide is out with the top 50 resorts in North America. | Photo: Big Sky Resort

Every year, SKI Magazine releases its Resort Guide, where its readers rank the top 50 resorts in North America—30 in the west and 20 in the east. It is one of the most comprehensive and longest-running rankings in the industry. These rankings are unique because they are based solely on surveys from its readers, and one might argue that there is no better way to gauge how good a resort is than from the people who are visiting.

How the results are determined

The rankings for the 2026 Resort Guide are based on the results of SKI’s Reader Resort Survey, which is distributed electronically to approximately 200,000 SKI readers each spring. During the survey process, respondents rate resorts on 18 distinct criteria, from the quality of the snow and grooming to the available lodging and après-ski options, with a score between 1 and 10 assigned in each category to create an overall score.

Importantly, the methodology was adjusted to place a higher value on core ski-related metrics like challenge and lifts, ensuring the ranking prioritizes the actual ski experience, and resorts must receive a minimum number of responses to be included. Furthermore, the publication emphasizes that the rankings are solely determined by reader votes—not by editors—and unequivocally states that resorts cannot pay or advertise their way onto the list, safeguarding the survey’s integrity.

Related: The 9 Best Ski Resorts in North America According to the Condé Nast Traveler 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards

Top 5 Resorts in the East

#5 Bretton Woods, NH

Bretton Woods is considered the pinnacle of refined, classic New England skiing, offering an exceptional experience characterized by fast lifts, perfect grooming, and arguably the best snowmaking in the East. | Photo: Bretton Woods Resort

#4 Holiday Valley, NY

Holiday Valley, Western N.Y.’s beloved destination resort, is renowned for its perfect snowmaking and grooming capabilities, offering excellent slopes complemented by a charming ski town that truly pleases all comers. | Photo: Holiday Valley Ski Area

#3 Whiteface Mountain, NY

Whiteface Mountain makes a triumphant return to the rankings and nabs a bronze medal for its rad terrain and well-rounded vacation experience, offering visitors a genuinely challenging ski experience complemented by the charming village of Lake Placid. | Photo: Whiteface Mountain

#2 Sugarloaf, ME

Sugarloaf Mountain offers plenty of terrain with the East Coast’s only lift-serviced above-tree-line snowfields, plus plenty of skier amenities and that certain soulful vibe that turns a ski trip into a memorable vacation. | Photo: Sugarloaf

#1 Saddleback, ME

maine — The East’s new No. 1 resort, Saddleback, is an independent-minded ski area that values the local community and prioritizes the on-slope ski experience. | Photo: Saddleback

Top 5 Resorts in the West

#5 Grand Targhee, WY

Deep, soulful, and undyingly authentic, Grand Targhee’s is still enjoying under-the-radar status, but that secret might not last for long. | Photo: GTR Media

#4 Aspen Snowmass, CO

Encompassing Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk, Aspen Snowmass offers four distinct mountains that provide a complete spectrum of terrain for every ability, plus access to a world-class ski town that transcends the stereotypes with its unique blend of cultural sophistication, gourmet dining, and genuine mountain heritage. | Photo: Aspen Snowmass

#3 Snowbasin, UT

Though Snowbasin is a destination resort that consistently gains momentum every winter with its world-class grooming and service, it uniquely lacks lodging at the base area. | Photo: Snowbasin Resort

#2 Banff Sunshine, AB

sunshine village — Banff Sunshine Resort offers an exciting, high-alpine ski experience with reliable natural snow, diverse terrain spanning three mountains and two provinces, and breathtaking views just minutes from the vibrant town of Banff, all while boasting one of the longest non-glacial ski seasons in North America. | Photo: www.banfflakelouise.com

#1 Big Sky, MT

big sky, lifts, green — The West’s new No. 1 resort, Big Sky, serves up a massive, uncrowded ski experience with tons of terrain and stunning scenery that lives up to its name, offering 5,850 skiable acres and a 4,350-foot vertical drop. | Photo: Big Sky

The SKI Magazine Resort Guide offers a genuine, skier-vetted look at the best mountains North America has to offer. By prioritizing core ski experience metrics and relying solely on thousands of reader votes, this list provides unbiased resort rankings to help you plan your own unforgettable trip this season.

Complete List

Top 30 Resorts in the West	Top 20 Resorts in the East
1. Big Sky, MT	1. Saddleback, ME
2. Banff Sunshine, Alberta	2. Sugarloaf, ME
3. Snowbasin Resort, UT	3. Whiteface, NY
4. Aspen Snowmass, CO	4. Holiday Valley, NY
5. Grand Targhee, WY	5. Bretton Woods, NH
6. Alta, UT	6. Killington, VT
7. Mammoth Mountain, CA	7. Smugglers’ Notch, VT
8. Sun Valley, ID	8. Mad River Glen, VT
9. Deer Valley, UT	9. Jay Peak, VT
10. Whistler Blackcomb, BC	10. Sunday River, ME
11. Jackson Hole, WY	11. Gore Mountain, NY
12. Vail, CO	12. Stowe, VT
13. Telluride, CO	13. Cannon Mountain, NH
14. Snowbird, UT	14. Sugarbush, VT
15. Lake Louise, AB	15. Waterville Valley, NH
16. Breckenridge, CO	16. Mont Tremblant, Quebec
17. Beaver Creek, CO	17. Stratton, VT
18. Arapahoe Basin, CO	18. Loon Mountain, NH
19. Winter Park, CO	19. Okemo, VT
20. Copper Mountain, CO	20. Seven Springs, PA
21. Keystone, CO
22. Whitefish, MT
23. Taos Ski Valley, NM
24. Loveland, CO
25. Steamboat, CO
26. Solitude, UT
27. Powder Mountain, UT
28. Revelstoke, BC
29. Heavenly, CA
30. Park City, UT

SKI Magazine Reveals Top Resorts in North America for 2026, with New #1s in Both the East and West

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