The 6 Best Ski Resorts for Thanksgiving Weekend

You do, of course, need to know where to look. Many destinations throughout North America aren’t primed and ready for Thanksgiving. Some are rarely open when November rolls around—others reliably fire up the lifts as early as October. Colorado is the place to consider first and foremost, but certain states outside the Rockies, like Wisconsin and Vermont, have their own contenders, too. 

The earlier a ski resort typically opens, the better. Just keep the early-season caveat in mind as you make your selection. Mother Nature’s really calling the shots in late November, and you probably won’t be able to ski any given resort’s steepest, most interesting terrain. But when it’s been months since you last skied, groomers suffice—and then some.

These are the six best ski resorts for Thanksgiving weekend.

1. Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado

On October 22nd, 2024, Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado, became the first resort open in North America (Ski Ward, Massachusetts, had magic carpet served skiing a few days before) by a wide margin thanks to roughly two feet of fresh snow. At the time of its opening, few resorts in Colorado—and the rest of North America, for that matter—had enough coverage to think seriously about competing with Wolf Creek.

That’s the powdery magic of this place, making it a shoo-in for Thanksgiving ski trips. It’s billed as Colorado’s snowiest ski area, and season after season, it's in contention for North America’s first chairlift. Wolf Creek averages 430 inches of snow each winter, and unlike some ski resorts along the I-70 corridor, embodies a chill, off-the-beaten-path charm that takes some of the stress out of the Thanksgiving frenzy. 

2. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, is another early-season contender to watch. When it comes to getting the lifts up and running, they don’t play around. A-Basin’s earliest opening date occurred on October 9th, 2009.  While the ski resort doesn’t usually open during the beginning of October, it often welcomes skiers before the end of the month, providing ample wiggle room ahead of Thanksgiving.

A-Basin usually operates with one run and one lift—High Noon and the Black Mountain Express—during the early season. To ensure this run is skiable, it blows large amounts of snow, taking advantage of each cold snap. A-Basin is famous for its terrain beyond High Noon, though, some of which is often in play before December. In 2023, the resort had the upper mountain Lenawee Express spinning by November 18th, spreading out the Thanksgiving weekend crowds.

3. Vail Mountain, Colorado

If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving weekend ski destination with a side of resort amenities, Vail Mountain is the place to go. With a sprawling terrain footprint and a hotel-dense base area, this ski resort’s got every base covered. Lodging standouts include the Sonnenalp Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Vail, and the Gravity Haus Vail. 

As is the case at almost every ski resort in North America, Vail Mountain won’t be completely open by Thanksgiving. Still, it aims to start the season in mid-November, weather and conditions permitting. And if the snow gods favor you, some of that famously light and cold Colorado powder will be on tap.

4. Killington, Vermont

While Colorado is the primary locus of early season action, Killington, Vermont, proves that, with a bit of grit and a committed snowmaking team, it’s possible to get your Thanksgiving kicks without heading West. For the past five seasons, Killington’s opened ahead of Thanksgiving, beating out numerous Western destinations.

The Killington Cup is another draw each Thanksgiving weekend as the world's best slalom and giant slalom skiers gather for the annual World Cup event.

Killington leads the charge in another realm, too: end-of-season skiing. While other resorts begin thinking about shutting down the lifts, Killington forges ahead, offering skiing on the Superstar trail long into the warmer months. During the 2023-2024 ski season, Killington remained open until June 1st.

5. Trollhaugen, Wisconsin

Trollhaugen, Wisconsin—like Killington—might not immediately come to mind when considering early-season skiing. But this little area, which only spans 80 acres, punches far above its weight thanks, again, to dedicated snowmaking efforts. The smaller footprint Trollhaugen has to cover with its snowguns probably helps, too. In 2023, the ski area opened for skiing and riding on November 2nd. Unreliable Midwest weather can complicate these efforts, but Trollhaugen’s nothing if not determined. If they can spin the lifts, they will.

What the ski area lacks in vertical and acreage, it makes up for with a thriving park scene inhabited by young skiers and snowboarders. Hit some rails (or just watch the show from the sidelines), eat some turkey, and pass out—sounds like a solid ski plan to us. We’ll bring the stuffing.

6. Keystone Resort, Colorado

Surprise, surprise. Our sixth and final ski resort is also in, you guessed it, Colorado. Keystone started the 2023 ski season on November 1st with over two miles of skiing and riding on the Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails, plus a hike-to terrain park situated on Little Dipper. A magic carpet had beginners covered at the top of the River Run Gondola. For the early season, that’s a wide variety of stuff to do, providing some options beyond the usual white ribbon of death. If your Thanksgiving crew includes a range of skier types, Keystone will probably have you covered.

And Keystone’s a resort, not a ski area. The base area is choked with places to stay, eat, and enjoy aprés. If you nab a spot with an in-unit kitchen, you can bring the Thanksgiving tradition to the mountains. Just don’t forget the cranberry sauce. 

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