Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort

Opened in 1938, the Arizona Snowbowl, located near Flagstaff, is one of the longest running resorts in the West, having been open for more than 80 years. Located on the San Francisco Peaks with a stunning view of Agassiz Peak, skiers and riders have access to over 700 skiable acres with a vertical drop of 2,300 feet.

Where Is Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort Located?

Located right outside of downtown Flagstaff, it is about a 30-minute drive to the resort. Some companies offer shuttle service to the mountain. The nearest airport is the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, which is serviced by American Airlines and United Airlines. The largest nearest airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is 123 miles from Flagstaff.

Where to Stay

A limited amount of lodging is within walking distance of the slopes. Ski Lift Lodge & Cabins is located 7 miles northwest of Flagstaff on Hwy. 180 (No pets). Flagstaff, 14 miles away, has more than 4,000 rooms available. Another lodge a short drive away has 25 cabins.

Transportation

Important Dates

Projected opening date

Nov 08, 2024

Projected closing date

May 26, 2025

Projected Days Open

164

Days Open Last Year

174

Years Open

Average Snowfall

205"

Terrain

The base elevation of this Flagstaff ski resort is 9,200 feet, and the lift-served elevation is 11,500 feet. Total skiable acreage is 777 with 32 runs. Seven chairs service the area, where the terrain rating is 37% beginner, 42% intermediate and 21% advanced, and freestylers will find the Sunset Terrain Park a good place to practice on the boxes. There are four terrain parks, including Hart Prairie Start Park for beginners, Humphrey’s Progression Park for intermediate and those wanting to improve their skills, and Round Up Rail Garden, which offers small and medium rails.

The longest run is two miles, and the area receives 260 inches of snowfall on average. The season runs from mid-November until the end of April.

Terrain

Beginners Runs

27%

Intermediate Runs

39%

Advanced Runs

21%

Expert Runs

11%

Runs in Total

Longest Run

2 mi

Skiable Terrain

777 ac

Snow Making

104 ac

Lifts

8

Gondolas & Trams

High Speed Sixes

Quad Chairs

Triple Chairs

Surface Lifts

Inside Scoop

Kids 10 and younger can receive a free Power Kids season pass that’s good for different resorts, including Snowbowl, Hesperus, Purgatory, Nordic Valley, Pajarito and Spider Mountain.

Besides the winter sports, Snowbowl ski resort also offers summer activities, including disc golf, hiking, mountain biking, summer tubing, ropes course, barrel rolling, trampoline, ranger talks and more. At the ski/ride school, there are kids’ lessons for children 8 to 12, and the SkiWee and MiniRider snowboarding programs are designed for children ages 4 to 7. Teen and adult lessons are also available.

Reviews

Sarah Schuette

Years ago, Snowbowl used to be my favorite place to be, all winter. Now, it’s taken a 180-degree turn into what I think is caused by a corporate nightmare. It’s much more expensive these days and still crowded with the same amount of people, and even though they added a couple lifts over the years it’s still the same size, guys?! Also, the atmosphere just seems different, and mostly not in a good way. I’ll start with the positive: They definitely have more staff cleaning the bathrooms now—thank goodness for those few souls who stuck it out pre-corporate when they were running around trying to help everyone at the same time, they deserve a medal. On the flip side, most of the staff seems fake and corporate-y now. You used to know almost all the staff by name, and they are still friendly enough, but it’s not the same. There are a couple good bartenders, the only one whose name I can remember is Jasmine, and the other was a younger gentleman at the lower bar area. On separate occasions they both made me feel welcome and talked to me the whole time I was there, all while keeping up with other people’s orders. Until you can bring back the small-town vibe I paid so much for, I’ll be going to Sunrise this year.

All Reviews

Nearby:

Pajarito Mountain Ski Area