Utah Ski Resort Parking

All You Need to Know About Parking at the Utah Resorts, 2023-24 Edition

You've assembled your gear and purchased your pass. The skiing/riding posse meetup point is set, along with your alarm. The car is loaded, and the coffee is brewed. You're on the road before anyone else and congratulating yourself for a job well done. And then it hits you: PARKING.

Skiing and snowboarding's recent surge in popularity has transformed what used to be a non-event part of the ski/ride day into a tone-setting task that, if not addressed ahead of time, can mean spending hours driving in circles around the resort base area looking for a parking spot.

To help you avoid the mind-numbing parking scenario outlined above, below is a compilation of all the info and advice you need to know for parking at all 15 Utah resorts during the 2023-24 winter season. A few other rules of thumb to keep in mind when driving to any of the Utah resorts this winter: visit udottraffic.utah.gov for the latest traffic and road conditions; canyon driving is safest in a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle with snow tires or, at the very least, a car stocked with tire chains (more on safe canyon travel here); and to avoid end-of-the-day congestion, consider ending your day by 3 p.m.

 

PARKING INFO AT A GLANCE

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• Alta Ski Area —reservations required Friday-Sunday and holidays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., altaparking.com; early morning reservations are required Monday-Thursday, 6 to 8 a.m., Friday-Sunday and holidays, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., altaearlyparking.com.  
• Beaver Mountain —no reservations required
• Brian Head —no reservations required
• Brighton —reservations are required Friday-Sunday and holidays in all Brighton lots. Reservations required through closing day. The parking lot is closed every day, 12am - 7am, for snow clearing/grooming. brightonresort.com/parking. 
• Cherry Peak —no reservations required
• Deer Valley —no reservations required, vehicles with 3 or more passengers get priority parking at the Snow Park Base in Lot 2
• Eagle Point —no reservations required
• Nordic Valley —no reservations required
• Park City Mountain — parking reservations are required daily at all of Park City Mountain's Mountain Village lots — Mountain Village Garage and the Main, First Time, and Silver King surface lots — between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations in surface lots cost $26.65 per vehicle per day, including all service charges, but are free for vehicles with 4 or more passengers. Reservations to park in the Mountain Village Garage cost $45 per vehicle per day. At Canyons Village, parking in the Cabriolet lot will be available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. There are also paid lots in the Upper Village and Pendry, available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Parking reservations are not available in the Canyons Village base area. parkatparkcitymountain.com
• Powder Mountain —no reservations required
• Snowbasin —no reservations required; Earl's A parking lot is reserved for carpoolers with three or more people, while availability lasts
• Solitude —  parking reservations are required prior to 11 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday periods beginning December 14; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. first come first served, fee-based parking. After 1 p.m. all parking is free, every day. Monday - Friday (except for holiday periods), there is no reservation required, fee-based parking. Vehicles with 4 or more passengers  park free every day.
• Snowbird —parking options include free, no reservation required options; day-of paid parking (on a space-available basis); and pre-reserved paid parking. Free and discounted parking is available for vehicles with four or more passengers, snowbird.com/parking  
• Sundance —no reservations required
• Woodward —no reservations required 

 

Detailed Utah Resort Parking Information

 

Alta Ski Area

Beginning December 15, 2023, advance parking reservations are required at Alta Ski Area every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and during holiday periods (December 22 to January 1, January 15 and February 19), through March 31 and 2024 closing weekend, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. After 1 p.m. all parking at Alta is free, no reservation is required. Alta parking reservations can be made and managed at altaparking.com. Qualifying full season and Alta-Bird pass holders are eligible for free parking. Adult full day tickets purchased at alta.com are accompanied by a code to purchase Alta parking for $10. Parking reservations for Ikon and Mountain Collective passholders cost $25. Cancellations made by 8 a.m. on the morning of a reservation are eligible for a refund. 

Those looking to park at Alta for early-morning backcountry-skiing and -riding access are also required to make parking reservations, bookable at altaearlyparking.com. Early morning parking regulations are in effect daily from December 15 through March 31 and Alta's 2024 closing weekend. From Monday to Thursday, early morning parking reservations are required 6 to 8 a.m. and cost $15 per vehicle. On Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and during holiday periods, early morning reservations are required 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and cost $25 per vehicle. Alta's early morning parking area is located on the south side of Highway 210 on either side of the entrance to the Alta Lodge. Note: Alta season passholders' parking codes cannot be used for early morning parking reservations. Fines for parking at Alta without a reservation or for illegal parking anywhere range from $75 to $150.

Another option is to leave your car at home or in a valley park and ride lot and take public transit to Alta. The UTA Ski Bus services Alta from Snowbird and several points in the Salt Lake valley at 30-minute intervals during peak hours. Backcountry skiers can book Wasatch Backcountry Alliance's free Backcountry Shuttle, which runs Saturdays beginning December 15. Reservations must be made by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior. Pickups begin at 6:30 a.m. from Butler Elementary; the last return leaves the Alta Lodge at 3 p.m. The Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle, offering transit from several Salt Lake Valley hotels and park and ride locations to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, is available weekends and holidays, mid-December through April.

Local Tip: Park on the west end of the Wildcat lot and ski Westward Ho back to your car, or park at the east end of Albion and ski down Crooked Mile back to your car.

 

Beaver Mountain

Parking is free at Beaver Mountain, no reservations required. Carpooling is always encouraged, particularly on the weekends. Stay tuned: plans are in the works to expand parking availability at Beaver Mountain with the completion of the Marge's Cabin, currently under construction.    

Local Tip: Park in the northern Yurt Loop, and ski a Harry's or Marge's lap back to your car.

 

Brian Head

All parking at Brian Head is free, no reservations required. Leave the canyon driving (and parking) to someone else by taking the Brian Head Shuttle, which offers daily round-trip shuttles from Cedar City or Parowan to Brian Head Resort, as well as charter transportation to area hotels, cabins and condos. The shuttle costs $30 for adults and $25 for youth, round trip (8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.), and runs November 10 through April 14. The free Brian Head Town Shuttle services Brian Head Resort, Brian Head Town and area lodging properties Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Local Tip: There are free, complimentary shuttles around Brian Head to help you get to your desired destination.

 

Brighton

To help alleviate the traffic and strain on its Big Cottonwood Canyon home and to help protect and enhance the skiing/riding experience for guests, Brighton Resort has instituted a new parking reservation system for the 2023-24 winter season. Beginning November 12, 2023, parking reservations are required Friday-Sunday and holiday periods for all of Brighton's main and secondary lots, including snow ramps, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parking is free, and reservations are not required for guests arriving after 1 p.m., no reservation is needed Monday-Thursday unless a holiday (December 24 to January 2; January 13 to 15; and February 17 to 19).

The parking lot is closed every day, 12am - 7am, for snow clearing/grooming. This work is crucial to maintaining a maximum number of spaces throughout the season.

Brighton season passholders receive a certain number of free, reusable reservation vouchers to use at their discretion throughout the season. For those without a season pass and Ikon passholders (who must also make a reservation to ski at Brighton), parking is $20 per day. Parking reservations may be canceled until 7 a.m. on the morning of the reservation. Brighton has only opened 50% of it's total parking inventory for the season. Spaces for the upcoming weekend open every Sunday at 6pm. Remaining daily inventory is released the day prior at 8am and 2pm, allowing several opportunities to reserve parking. Cancellations are available immediately, so it's possible to secure a reservation the morning of if inventory allows. Vehicles without reservations and/or parked illegally will be fined $75-$150. Carpoolers with three or more people can make free reservations.  

Public transit options to Brighton include: The UTA Ski Bus, operating daily between Brighton and multiple valley locations daily with 30-minute frequency during peak hours; the Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle, offering transit from several Salt Lake Valley hotels and park and ride locations to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, on weekends and holidays, mid-December through April; and Big Cottonwood Canyon backcountry skiers can book Wasatch Backcountry Alliance's free Backcountry Shuttle, which runs Saturdays beginning December 15. Reservations must be made by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior. Pickups begin at 6:30 a.m. from Butler Elementary; the last return leaves the Brighton Store & Cafe at 3 p.m.    

New Town Of Brighton road parking reservation system

Local Tip: Back up your vehicle onto one of the peripheral snow ramps to set up a nice tailgate patio.

 

Cherry Peak

Parking at Cherry Peak Resort is plentiful, spanning the main paved lot and a gravel-surface overflow lot, both of which are located within walking distance of the Main Lodge. All parking at Cherry Peak is free of charge, no reservations required.

Local Tip: Park on the southeast end of the lot to gain easy access to the Gateway Lift.

 

Deer Valley Resort

Local Tip:  Avoid the traffic coming into town on weekends and park at Richardson Flats Park & Ride. Buses depart every 20 minutes and utilize bus lanes in and out of town so you'll breeze by traffic. 

 

Eagle Point Resort

Reservations are not required, and all parking is available free of charge at Eagle Point. Once guests arrive, the resort's courtesy shuttle provides transit between the Canyonside and Skyline lodges. Tucker High Adventure Tours runs a round-trip shuttle service from its shop and other locations in downtown Beaver to Eagle Point throughout the winter season.

Local Tip: Car camping, RV camping, and trailer camping are available year-round in the Skyline Lodge lower parking lots.

 

Nordic Valley Ski Resort

Reservations are not required and all parking at Nordic Valley is available free of charge. There is no public transit to Nordic Valley currently. For the 2023-24 season, Nordic Valley has expanded parking.

Local Tip: Nordic Valley allows overnight RV parking in the lot across the street from their main parking area for $10 per night.

 

Park City Mountain

For the 3 surface lots in the Mountain Village base area, reservations are required Dec 9 – April 1. Rates are $26.65 per vehicle, per day to park in the 3 surface lots. Reservations are free from Dec 9 – Dec 15. Paid Reservations are required from Dec 16 – April 1. For the Mountain Village Garage, reservations are required every day of the season and cost $45 per day. Vehicles with four or more occupants are eligible for free parking in the 3 surface lots but must still have a reservation. Parking reservations can be made and modified at parkatparkcitymountain.com. Early morning uphill skiers (allowed from the Mountain Village only) may park for free until 8:30 a.m. along the far eastern edge of the First Time parking lot.

Local Tip:  An alternative means of getting to Park City Mountain is using Park City's free bus network, which includes High Valley Transit's service to areas outside of Park City's city limits— Kimball Junction, Jeremy Ranch, Pinebrook, etc. Both entities also offer on-demand micro-transit rides from anywhere in their respective service areas to bus transit hubs. Express bus transit service (every 15 minutes) runs between Park City Mountain from satellite parking lots at Richardson Flats and, on weekends and holidays except during the Sundance Film Festival, from the Park City High School. For the latest transit info, download the free Park City Transit app, MyStop, or High Valley Transit's app.

Parking maps for Park City Village and for Park City Canyons Village.

 

Powder Mountain

All parking at Powder Mountain is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. First time guests are advised to park at the Timberline Lodge, the resort's main lodge with services including the ticket office, rental shop, and Adventure Center. Guests may also park at the Hidden Lake Lodge, located higher up on the mountain (with a ticket office but no rental shop), but be aware that Hidden Lake can be difficult for most vehicles to get to in snowy conditions. Powder Mountain also offers free on-call (385.715.5775) shuttle service between its Sundown Lodge, Timberline Lodge, Hidden Lake Lodge, Village Loft and on-mountain homes and condos. The UTA Ski Bus runs from Ogden Transit Center, Courtyard by Marriott, Ben Lomond Hotel, Hilton Hotel and Rainbow Gardens in Ogden to Powder Mountain with stops along the way at the Eden Park-N-Ride, Moose Hollow and Bower Lodge.

Local Tip: Free shuttle rides are available from the HWY 158 Turn Around to Sundown and Timberline.. The on-mountain shuttle travels between Sundown Lodge, Timberline Lodge, Hidden Lake Lodge, Village Lift and on-mountain homes and lodging.

 

Snowbasin

Snowbasin offers complimentary parking in five locations: Earl's Lot, Maples Lot, Canyon Rim Lot, Wildcat Lot, and Green Pond Lot. View Parking Map. Street parking along the Snowbasin Road, managed by Weber County, is permitted on the right side of the white lines, except within the 'No Parking Zone' located near the Wildcat Parking Lot. This year Snowbasin doubled carpool priority access lots, with Earl's Lot A&B reserved for carpoolers on weekends. Snowbasin also expanded parking over the summer with the addition of 124 new stalls to the Canyon Rim Lot.

The UTA Ski Bus operates service between both Ogden and Layton to Snowbasin daily from mid-December to late March. Snowbasin season pass holders receive a discounted bus pass for just $10 each winter; bus fares for non-season pass holders are TBD.

Local Tip: If you park in Earl's Lot, Maples Lot or Wildcat Lot, you can ski back to your vehicle.

 

Snowbird

Most of the parking at Snowbird is available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Free, no-reservations-required parking is in the Entry 1 lot, Upper Gad Valley lot, Wilbere Hill parking, Main Lot, at the top of the Chickadee run, in the Superior lot, in the Batch Plant lot, on levels 2 and 3 of the Cliff Lodge parking structure and on the Bypass Road (excluding the parking pass area). Free parking is also available along the side of the Little Cottonwood Canyon Road, SR-210, between Entry 1 and 4 on a first-come, first-served basis when conditions allow. Availability of this option will be determined daily by the Utah Department of Transportation based on conditions and will be communicated via Snowbird's daily Mountain Resort by 7 a.m., the same time Snowbird's parking lots open for the day.

Snowbird also offers advanced parking reservations and day-of paid parking in its Lower Gad Valley and Pond lots, starting at $10 per day. Advance parking reservations can be made for visits beginning December 17 through most of the 2023-24 winter season beginning in mid-November at pass.snowbird.com. Parking reservations can be managed, canceled (until 7 a.m. day of) or transferred through ParkWhiz. Valet parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Snowbird Center valet station and at The Cliff Lodge starting at $30 per day. Vehicles parked in no-parking zones and/or illegally will be ticketed and required to pay a $75-$150 fee.

On select peak traffic days throughout the season, Snowbird hosts Canyon Carpool Club, an incentive program that awards surprise giveaways—like Fast Tracks upgrades, gas gift cards, swag, and hot breakfast—to carpoolers with 4 or more people in a vehicle.

Or choose to leave the canyon driving to someone else by taking the UTA Ski Bus, servicing Snowbird from several points in the Salt Lake valley at 30-minute intervals during peak periods. The UTA Ski Bus is free to Snowbird season passholders; rates for Ikon passholders and daily lift ticket holders are TBD. The Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle, offering transit from several Salt Lake Valley hotels and park and ride locations to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, is available weekends and holidays, mid-December through April.

Local Tip: Participate in Snowbird's "Canyon Carpool Club" and get priority parking while earning rewards and surprise giveaways!

 

Solitude Mountain Resort

Solitude has enacted a new parking reservation system for the 2023-24 season. Parking reservations, which will cost $35 per vehicle, are now required prior to 11 a.m. on all Saturdays, Sundays and holiday periods, December 15, 2023 through April 14, 2024. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on reservation days, parking transitions to a space-available basis, $35 per car. Vehicles arriving with four or more passengers any time before 1 p.m. may park for free but still need to make a reservation. After 1 p.m., all parking at Solitude is free, and no reservation required.

Parking reservations are not required at Solitude Monday through Friday, except for holiday periods; the parking fee on those days is $20 for all vehicles except those with four or more occupants. Reservations may be canceled before 6 a.m. on the day of arrival with no penalty. More details about parking at Solitude can be found here. Looking to carpool? Download the Solitude Carpool app. You'll get to meet some new friends, save on parking at Solitude and do your part to reduce traffic congestion in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Public transit options to Solitude include the UTA Ski Bus, with service from several points in the Salt Lake valley at 30-minute intervals during peak periods; the Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle, offering transit from numerous Salt Lake Valley hotels and park and ride locations to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, is available weekends and holidays, mid-December through April; and Big Cottonwood Canyon backcountry skiers can book Wasatch Backcountry Alliance's free Backcountry Shuttle, which runs Saturdays beginning December 15. Reservations must be made by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior. Pickups begin at 6:30 a.m. from Butler Elementary; the last return leaves the Solitude at 3 p.m.    

New Town Of Brighton road parking reservation system

Local Tip: Your parking fee is waived if you come with four or more passengers in your vehicle and Free after 1 p.m.

 

Sundance Mountain Resort

Parking at Sundance is a combination of free and day-of paid access across its five on-site parking lots. In parking lots C, D and E, where 80 new parking stalls were added for the 2023-24 season: parking is free for all vehicles on weekdays (Monday – Thursday) and is also free for vehicles arriving with four or more occupants Friday - Sunday and holidays (Dec. 23-Jan.1, Jan. 15 and Feb. 19). Parking for vehicles with three or fewer occupants on weekends and holidays is $10 per vehicle, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (after which, parking is free). Parking in Sundance's premium lower parking lots, A and B: $25 per vehicle, Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (after which parking is free); $45 per vehicle, Friday – Sunday and on holidays, or $5 for one hour and $10 for two hours. Tap N Ski kiosks allow guests to pay for parking on-site. Or pay online at parksundanceresort.com. For a map of Sundance's parking areas, visit sundanceresort.com/parking.

Avoid late afternoon canyon congestion AND parking fees by visiting Sundance on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for night skiing and riding. Simply shift your itinerary to begin after 2 p.m., take a break for dinner at one of Sundance's stellar evening restaurants, and then finish up when the lifts stop running at 9 p.m. The UTA Ski Bus(UTA 880) runs from Provo to Sundance daily, providing complimentary transit for Sundance season pass holders. The fare for non-passholders is $5 each way.

Local Tip: Drive up to lots C, D or E free parking Monday-Thursday. For discounted parking Friday-Sunday and Holidays, include 4+ passengers in your vehicle. The upper also provides an easy way to ski back to your vehicle.

 

Woodward Park City

The 300-stall parking lot at Woodward rarely fills to capacity and is available free of charge, no reservations required, whenever Woodward is open. If you are looking to take public transit, call High Valley Transit at 435.246.1538 to book a free ride through its on-demand micro-transit van service, running from Canyons Village, Kimball Junction, and the Jeremy Ranch area to Woodward.

Local Tip: Bring your Subaru, and park in the reserved front row Subaru parking stalls.

 

Town Of Brighton

The Town of Brighton has enacting a new parking reservation system for the Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (S.R. 190) for the 2023-24 winter season. Beginning December 15, 2023, reservations will be required to park on S.R. 190 from the Willow Heights trailhead, located west of Solitude, to the Guardsman Pass Road on weekends and holidays. Details can be found at brighton.utah.gov. Be aware also that Salt Lake County has increased parking fees for illegal parking on S.R. 190—parking on the left side of the white line and vehicles parked facing the wrong direction, in particular—from $25 per infraction to $75 to $150 per citation. For a more detailed breakdown on the new parking enforcemnt up Big Cottonwood Canyon visit wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/parking-changes-in-bcc

For more information on the UTA Ski Bus routes, please visit our comprehensive guide. Safe travels and we'll see you on the slopes!