Colorado Ski Areas Are Home to More Than Skiing or Snowboarding

For those who don’t ski or snowboard or haven’t hit the slopes in a long time, Colorado Ski Country USA member resorts are a great place for a winter vacation to enjoy the mountain environment. In addition to skiing and slope activities, Colorado Ski resorts offer a multitude of ways to enjoy the majestic scenery.

Colorado ski areas offer numerous non-skiing activities including winter sightseeing, guided and non-guided snowshoeing, snow tubing, ice skating, dining experiences, mountain coasters and much more. The base area of a ski area is a great place to pull up an Adirondack chair, enjoy a coffee or drink and take in the mountain ambiance, especially on warm bluebird days later in the season. From the hardcore skiers to the non-skiing members of the group, all are welcome at CSCUSA resorts.

LivingBetter50 has compiled a “Best of” non-skiing activities available at Colorado Ski Country member resorts. For a complete roundup by activity or by ski area and more information can be found at Colorado Ski.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area is well-known and beloved for The Beach, a grilling and tailgating area great for celebrating with friends and family. A-Basin also offers the Moonlight Dinner Series, scenic chairlift rides, events and live music.

Aspen Snowmass offers the Breathtaker Mountain Coaster, snow tubing, snowshoe tours, free ice skating including free rentals in the Snowmass base area, snowmobiling, fat biking, sleigh rides, dog sledding, grilling, scenic gondola rides, spa offerings, shopping, a kid’s play center, a climbing wall, live music and events.

Cooper invites guests to enjoy Mountaintop Yurt Dinners, scenic sightseeing tours by snowcat, a kid’s play center, live music and events. For more information.

Copper Mountain offers one of the longest mountain coasters in North America, the Rocky Mountain Coaster. Copper also offers snow tubing, ice skating at West Lake, fat biking, Moonlight Dine & Ski events, the Copper Mountain spa, shopping, a kid’s play center, events and live music.

Echo Mountain Resort hosts non-skiers with a brand-new snow tubing hill serviced by a covered conveyor lift, plus regular events. For more information.

Eldora has several miles of snowshoe trails for guests to enjoy in the Nordic skiing area.

Hesperus Ski Area offers snow tubing for as low as $10 per hour and as late as 9 p.m.

Howelsen Hill Ski Area entertains non-skiing guests with scenic downtown snowshoeing, ice skating and Bumper Cars on ice, and fat biking on the Nordic trails.

Kendall Mountain offers snow tubing, a natural pond-skating experience and a 2.5-mile snowshoeing loop in the town of Silverton. 

Loveland Ski Area rents snowshoes and poles for 10 miles of snowshoeing on the Bakerville-Loveland Trail, plus grilling and tailgating in on-mountain lodges, a kid’s play center, events and live music.

Monarch Mountain has a brand-new snow tubing hill open Friday-Sunday and some holidays, plus fat biking, a kid’s play center and events. For more information.

Powderhorn Resort’s family-friendly tubing hill (open on weekends and holidays), events and live music will keep all members of the family entertained.

Purgatory Resort hosts non-skiers with the Inferno Mountain Coaster, snow tubing, guided and unguided snowshoeing, snowmobile adventures, dog sledding tours, sleigh rides, Snowcat Dinner Excursions, scenic snowcat tours, a spa, shopping, a kid’s play center, events and live music.

Steamboat Resort’s non-skiing guests can enjoy the Outlaw Mountain Coaster, a tubing hill, daily free guided snowshoe tours, snowmobiling, horse-drawn sleigh rides, unique dining experiences, scenic gondola rides, several resort spas, shopping, a kid’s play center, events and live music.

Telluride Ski Resort has several off-the-slopes activities including snowshoeing, gourmet dining experiences, spa treatments, shopping, a kid’s play center, events and live music. For more information.

Winter Park Resort is home to a snow tubing hill, guided snowshoe tours, an outdoor ice rink, snowmobiling, horse-drawn sleigh rides, dog sledding, gondola-served dining experiences, scenic chairlift and snowcat rides, a spa, a kid’s play center, live music and events.

Wolf Creek Ski Area offers many non-skiing activities including cross-country trails for snowshoers, ice skating and snowmobiling.

When you feel the urge to head to the slopes this winter for hot chocolate drinking and cuddling up around the fireplace, Colorado offers each of us a great opportunity to rest and enjoy the time in the magical mountains!