5 Great Ski Resorts in North Carolina

The winter season is upon us once again and if you’re looking for a fun vacation to take in the southeast you should really consider heading to the ski resorts of North Carolina.  The Appalachian Mountains stretch far up the east coast of the United States but some of the best skiing of the southern region can be found in the western part of North Carolina. The following list will give you a good idea of which ski resorts you should consider visiting on your North Carolina vacation and a little bit about each one.

Appalachian Ski Mountain Resort

Appalachian Ski Mountain was the first place that I ever went skiing as a child and I have a lot of fond memories from that time hitting the slopes. The mountain is located in Blowing Rock which is a few hours from major North Carolina cities such as Greensboro, Winston Salem, and Charlotte and is a short distance from Eastern Tennessee if you are heading from that direction. Appalachian Ski Mountain Resort features twelve slopes including a balanced mixed for all levels of skiers or snowboarders and lights so you can continue your fun into the nighttime. With plenty of great skiing opportunities and great dining and lodging options Appalachian Ski Mountain makes a great choice for any first time visitor to the mountains of NC.

Sugar Mountain Ski Area

Sugar Mountain makes the list just based off the sheer size of the area which is the largest ski resort in North Carolina. Sugar Mountain features eight more slopes than Appalachian Ski Mountain Resort for a total of twenty plus other options such as ice skating and tubing. Sugar Mountain is a great place to learn how to ski or snowboard featuring friendly and competent instruction for the whole family. Slope ticket prices generally range from $30-60 for adults depending on the day and then there are the discounts for children, college students, and military personnel. Sugar Mountain is a short distance away from Boone and also not that far from Appalachian Ski Mountain so you could easily take your pick between the two.

Wolf Ridge Resort

Wolf Ridge is further to the southwest than the previous two resorts mentioned. Wolf Ridge is located in Mars Hill, NC which is roughly twenty miles or so from the city of Asheville.  The good thing about Wolf Ridge is that Interstate 26 runs very close to it so the slow mountainous driving is kept to a minimum on the trip up there the downside however is that it does not stay open as long as the other resorts do in terms of the length of the season. The area around Wolf Ridge is absolutely gorgeous and since you are so close to Asheville it would be a good idea to spend time in the city as well as hitting the slopes.

Ski Beech Resort

Beech Mountain is another ski resort within a short distance from Boone and this one is usually pretty fun.  Beech Mountain features 15 slopes for you to ski and snowboard on. I prefer to ski at Sugar Mountain or Appalachian Ski because I think that the slopes are a bit better and overall just easier to get around than Ski Beech. If the other two get really crowded this isn’t a bad option and can be really good for snowboarders in this area.

Cataloochee Ski Area

Cataloochee is located in Maggie Valley and I have had decent experiences the two times that I have gone there. It can be a pain on the weekends because the place is jam packed and you won’t get much done on those days because of bad lines and chair lift management. However, if you head up to Cataloochee on a weekday you will get plenty of time on the slopes. Cataloochee is a nice place for the inexperienced skier to learn and try to get in as many runs as they can. It definitely isn’t the quality of Sugar Mountain or Appalachian but Cataloochee is a nice option if you’re closer to Maggie Valley than to the other resorts.

North Carolina skiing isn’t anything close to the slopes out west in the Rockies but you can still have a really good time. Not everyone has the means or the time to head out west and if you’re in the southeast the mountains of North Carolina provides a wonderful experience. All five of these resorts have good and bad things about them and certain times in which you should avoid due to crowding but if you do your research and check the weather forecasts your NC ski vacation will go just fine.