Best Ski Resorts In Massachusetts

You know, every snow lover would be super happy if they lived right under a tall mountain with glittering snowy peaks. Or, if they lived right on top of it. Wouldn’t that be amazing? And not time consuming at all? And so very, very affordable?

Well, a person can dream. But until then, a person can also check out some mountains in the immediate area and quench their thirst for some winter wonder. And if you happen to be from Massachusetts, or a Bostoner – you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’ll check out the best ski resorts in Massachusetts together.

I mean, it’s the least you can do if you want to scratch that powder hound itch, right? 

And when it comes to skiing, snowboarding, or just admiring winter’s beauties, Massachusetts shouldn’t be underestimated. From fairly small ski resorts just outside of Boston to impressively large resorts, Massachusetts offers something for every type of winter aficionado. You have skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and tons of great schools for beginners, including tons of family-friendly services wherever you look.

And did we mention the scenic views and the cozy, warm atmosphere of the New England style towns and villages out here? 

So, without further ado, here are the best ski resorts in Massachusetts!

Blue Hills

We begin our list with one of the closest ski resorts to Boston – the Blue Hills ski resort. The resort and the central town aren’t exactly what you might call a tourist destination, but when it comes to quick weekend skiing trips, Blue Hills is perfectly positioned to get the job done. Heck, you can even make it here in less than an hour, making the Blue Hills ski resort perfect for those cozy afterwork getaways. 

Pros

  • Close to Boston and other major cities
  • Night skiing is available
  • Great for a weekend trip

Cons

  • Small ski area
  • Can get crowded

Famous for: its location; value for money.

Town Area

The resort is close to the town of Canton, which is rich with quaint stores and small-town restaurants. If you’re more of the urban type, head over to the nearby Norwood or Dedham for more charming downtown areas.  

And did we say it’s just 40 minutes out of Boston…? Oh right, we did. So what Blue Hills lacks in size or extremity, it sure makes up for with being super approachable. 

Ski Terrain

The ski resort has 16 runs strewn across a skiable terrain of 60 acres, with the skill distribution of the trails being 13% beginner, 25% intermediate, and 62% advanced level runs. Sadly, the ultimate winter sports experts won’t be bested here, but the advanced runs are not to be trifled with. Additionally, Blue Hills ski resort also offers a vertical drop of 309 feet, 1 terrain park, 60 acres of night skiing, and an equal amount of snowmaking capacity. 

Crowd Density and Ski Lifts

Due to being so close to many major cities, Blue Hills does get crowded, especially during the weekends. The runs are serviced by a total number of 4 ski lifts that do the job perfectly. The ticket price for adults is $45 during the midweek and $50 during the weekend, while for children is $5 less.

Accommodation

The closest accommodation option, the Homewood Suites by Hilton, is minutes away from the resort located in Canton. You can find other hotels and inns in the nearby towns of Dedham, Westwood, and Norwood.

Verdict

It may not be the biggest, or the baddest, but its location, perfectly groomed terrain, and great reviews from skiers make Blue Hills one of the best ski resorts in Massachusetts.

Wachusett Mountain 

Snuggled in the mountains near Princeton, Massachusetts, Wachusett means “The Great Hill” in Algonquin. It’s just 1 hour of driving from Boston, and it’s known as one of the best family-friendly ski resorts in Massachusetts.

Pros

  • Family-friendly resort
  • Great terrain
  • Close to Boston
  • Night skiing is available
  • Good nightlife

Cons

  • Can get crowded
  • Small terrain

Famous for: family-friendly activities; great snowmaking system; value for money.

Town Area

The area is surrounded by old, wild forest which overlooks the Wachusett Lake, providing visitors with memorable views. While you’re there, you can get a much needed hot drink and a snack at the Waffle Cabin or the Bullock Lodge Cider House. Down at the base, there is live music from Thursday to Monday at the Coppertop Lodge – so rest assured, you can enjoy the nights here too. 

In addition to all this, Wachusett Mountain offers many family friendly activities too, such as the famous “Science of the Slopes” program, snowshoeing, and ski lessons for beginners.

Ski Terrain

For starters, the snow here is great, and the Wachusett Mountain ski resort has a very competent snowmaking system capable of covering the entire skiable area. And when it comes to size, Wachusett has 112 acres of that, divided into 27 runs, which are further divided into 19% beginner trails, 63% intermediate runs, and 19% of advanced runs. Wachusett has no expert runs, but hey, nobody’s perfect. 

The ski resort makes up for this by offering 104 acres for night skiing, a vertical drop of hefty 1000 feet, and a single longest run of 1.5 miles. In addition to all this, it has 2 terrain parks as well, where beginners can enjoy themselves practicing moves and learning winter sports skills. 

Crowd Density and Ski Lifts

The runs are serviced by 8 ski lifts of different types, with a total capacity of transporting more than 9000 visitors per hour. And while this resort does get crowded due to its small size, the efficiency of the ski lifts ensures that there are no long lines.

Accommodation

As for accommodation, you can find anything for everyone’s budget here. From B&Bs to luxury stays at the earby DoubleTree hotel by Hilton – Wachusett Mountain makes room for all. 

Verdict

The great runs for terrain of this size, family friendly activities, and the amazing snowmaking system is more than enough to put the Wachusett Mountain ski resort on our list of the best ski resorts in Massachusetts. 

Berkshire Ski Resort

Massachusetts also offers Alpine style skiing, and alongside that, Alpine style ski resorts too. Berkshire Ski Resort is mostly a family-friendly snowboarding and ski resort located in the Western parts of Massachusetts, and has experience doing this for more than 35 years. So, if there’s a seal of quality when it comes to ski resorts, this is it.

Pros

  • Self-sustaining
  • Trails for all ability levels
  • A large terrain for night skiing
  • Fun activities for children and teens

Cons

  • Not many accommodation options near the resort

Famous for: being self-sustaining; night skiing.

Town Area

Berkshire is especially popular with families during the weekends, when everyone flocks to visit the Berkshire East Snow Tubing Park and rush to secure two-hours of fun sliding down the snowy mountain. Teens won’t be bored here either, because they can join the Berkshire East Ski Team – and take part in exciting racing competitions viewed by all. The closest towns are Charlemont and Hawley, where you can find some nice restaurants, shops, bars, and pubs.

Ski Terrain

Berkshire Ski Resort has 33 to 45 runs (depends how you count them) spread over a skiable area of 120 acres. The skill composition of the trails here is divided into 36% beginner runs, 39% intermediate runs, 15% advanced runs, and 9% runs designed for experts. Basically, when it comes to skiing and snowboarding, Berkshire Ski Resort has something for everyone. In addition to this, the ski resort also offers a vertical drop of 1180 feet, 2 terrain parks for all kinds of beginners, with a longest uninterrupted run of 2 miles. 

But that’s not all – Berkshire also boasts 80 acres for night skiing and a snowmaking capacity of more than 165 acres. Berkshire Ski Resort is also a promoter of green technologies – last year they introduced their 900kWh that is more than capable of covering all of their electricity needs. This makes Berkshire Ski Resort one of the first resorts in the US to be completely self-sustaining, using renewable energy sources.  

Crowd Density and Ski Lifts

Despite the small terrain, it doesn’t usually get crowded here, and even when it does, the crowds are pretty tolerable. The 5 ski lifts handle the crowds well so don’t expect any long lines in front of the lifts.

Accommodation

Besides the expertly groomed slopes and all the family fun, the area around Berkshire (called the Deerfield River Valley) also offers many diverse accommodation options for everyone’s budget. You can stay at the Deerfield Inn, book an AirBnB rental, or choose one of the many hotels nearby.

Verdict

The Alpine style skiing, the perfectly groomed slopes, and the 80 acres for night skiing are the reasons why the Berkshire Ski Resort is on this list as one of the best ski resorts in Massachusetts!

Ski Butternut 

Located at the very western edge of Massachusetts at Great Barrington, the Ski Butternut ski resort may not be the closest to Boston (more than 2 hours), but casts a wider net – attracting visitors from New York City and New Jersey too. And visitors flock here indeed, mostly because Ski Butternut takes pride in being one of the most affordable family-friendly ski areas in New England. It offers a large area for skiing and learning for beginners, spicing it all up with some advanced runs as well, and topping it all with plenty of cozy unwinding options after you come down from the mountain.

Pros

  • Large ski area 
  • Great for beginners
  • Family-friendly activities
  • Affordable prices

Cons

  • Night skiing is not an option
  • Can get crowded

Famous for: close to Great Barrington; plenty of après-ski activities.

Town Area

The only downside when it comes to Ski Butternut is the lack of night skiing – but worry not, there are other things to do at night here. Great Barrington – voted as the Best Small Town In America by none other than the Smithsonian Magazine – is just 1 mile away from Ski Butternut. Should you take a short walk over there, or use the car, you’ll be met with over 65 restaurants, dozens upon dozens of B&B options, hotels, motels, charming rustic inns, and even a bowling alley, a miniature golfing course, several museums and four movie theaters! 

Ski Terrain

Speaking of the mountain, it offers some very compelling skiing! Ski Butternut has 22 runs sprinkled across a wide area of 110 acres of skiable terrain. The runs themselves are tailored for everyone from beginner to advanced skiers – with the exception of the super experts. Ski Butternut offers 20% of beginner runs, 60% of intermediate runs, and a hefty dose (20%) of advanced runs. 

Additionally, Ski Butternut offers some exciting verticals – you can ski, snowboard, or tube down a vertical drop of 1000 feet. The longest run clocks at a nice 1.5 miles, and there are 2 terrain parks where visitors can enjoy themselves in leisure and try out their new snowboarding or skiing tricks. Finally, the ski resort has a snowmaking capacity of 110 acres, being able to cover the entirety of its skiing area with ready-made snow if the need arises. 

Crowd Density and Ski Lifts

Due to the not so large terrain, it does tend to get pretty crowded, especially on the most popular runs. The runs are serviced by 11 ski lifts of different types that manage the crowds well, so even if the lift lines are long, they usually clear up relatively fast. One adult ticket costs $60 while for children it’s only $25. 

Accommodation

Great Barrington, which is only 1 mile away, offers some great accomodation options where you can choose between hotels, motels, and inns. The resort also offers very affordable packages that cover the room in one of the lodging properties that you can find on their website and a lift ticket.

Verdict

Let’s just say that if you’re a history buff, or someone who appreciates being immersed in all the colors of culture, Great Barrington and its Ski Butternut ski resort are definitely the place for you. And they’re definitely worthy to be considered among the best ski resorts in Massachusetts.

Jiminy Peak Ski Resort

When it comes to resorts that harness green energy, the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort is in close competition with the Berkshire Ski Resort. Armed with some of the best wind turbines in the world, Jiminy Peak is completely powered by renewable wind power. Massachusetts isn’t fooling around, eh?

Well when it comes to skiing and snowboarding, they’re not fooling around at Jiminy Peak Ski Resort either. Located just three hours from both Boston and New York City, and an hour from Springfield, MA, and Albany, NY, Jiminy Peak attracts quite the visitors and for very good reasons.

Pros

  • Expertly groomed runs
  • Family-friendly activities
  • Great for beginners

Cons

  • Gets crowded

Famous for: self-sustaining; family-friendly.

Town Area

Jiminy Peak Ski Resort is of those resorts that “have it all,” aiming for complete self-reliance and independence. Besides the excellent skiing and snowboarding conditions, Jiminy Peak also excels at entertainment and family-friendly activities. Its central town is designed to cater to all imaginable needs and wants of visitors, offering many shopping options, taverns, restaurants, grocery stores, many kinds of beer and wine, and of course – skiing lessons for children and adult beginners.

Ski Terrain

We mentioned excellent skiing and snowboarding, and here’s why. Jiminy Peak has 45 runs on its (well, your) disposal, spread across a fairly large area of 167 acres. But that’s 167 acres of skiable terrain. In reality, Jiminy Peak Ski Resort is much larger, and is actually the biggest ski resort in the area of southern New England. 

Impressed? Wait till you hear more. The runs here are designed to cater to every winter sport lover’s needs, with 51% being beginner trails, 29% intermediate trails, 13% advanced ones, and 7% expert runs (double black diamond). If that seems little, consider that it has 45 tracks – and lots of off-track terrain. The runs at Jiminy Peak are expertly groomed, and the longest one clocks at an impressive length of 2 miles. 

Furthermore, Jiminy Peak Ski Resort gives you a vertical drop of 1150 feet, 3 terrain parks for enthusiasts to play around and practice their moves, and an amazing 104 acres for night skiing. The 9 ski lifts of various types move everyone around easily, and in case you happen to lack enough snow – don’t worry. Jiminy Peak has a snowmaking capacity of 163 acres, able to cover almost 99% of its entire skiable terrain.

Crowd Density and Ski Lifts

The only downside when it comes to this resort is that it does get pretty crowded, especially during the weekends. However, Jiminy Peak’s staff is fully prepared and handles this very professionally, so it’s no problem for many skiers according to their reviews. There are 9 lifts and the prices go from $84 for adults to $64 for children under 12, while toddlers can ride for free.

Accommodation

While there are no ski-in/ski-out options, you can stay at the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort or the Wyndham Bentley Brook hotel that are only a 10 minute walk to the lifts. You can also choose some of the many hotels, motels, and inns in the nearby towns.

Verdict

With half of its terrain aimed at beginners, and the other half for experienced skiers, Jiminy Peak Ski Resort hits that sweet spot, right in the middle, and brings happiness to all. Whether you’re an individual, a couple, an experienced powder hound or a family just looking for an unforgettable winter holiday – Jiminy Peak is, without a doubt, one of the very best ski resorts in Massachusetts. 

Article by:
Abby Ward
Senior Content Writer at Bluehouse
Last Updated March 2024