Glide Into Winter: Top Cross Country Ski Spots in Park City

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You’ve mastered waxing, perfected your technique, and have become a regular on the trails at White Pine Touring Nordic Center. But after countless laps, you’ve memorized every hill and turn. It’s time to shake things up and explore new terrain! Read on to learn about fresh trails around the area, adding some exciting variety to your Nordic adventures. Happy skiing!

There are a surprising number of XC trails in Park City and the Snyderville Basin, offering everything from a mellow, flat cruise to uphill grunts followed by screaming downhills. Before heading out, tune in to daily grooming reports and trail conditions, right down to what wax you need, every morning at 7:20 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. on KPCW, 91.7 FM.

Nordic trails in Park City are popular. Be sure to be kind, yield to downhill traffic, and smile while you glide.

Before we begin our trail exploration, here are a few quick reminders about skiing on multi-use trails, courtesy of Ian Hartley at Mountain Trails:

  • Kindness and courtesy are the golden rules when it comes to sharing the trails
  • Unlike biking, Nordic skiers actually yield to downhill ski traffic
  • Dogs (where permitted) must be under control at all times, and skiers must pick up after their pets – no one likes brown klister wax!

General Park City/Snyderville Basin Trails

White Pine Touring – 1541 Thaynes Canyon Dr., Park City – Classic & Skate – Retail/Rentals/Lessons/Tours/Tuning

Round Valley – 600 Gilmore Way, Park City – Classic & Skate – Hiking/Snowshoeing/Fatbike/Pavillion

Willow Creek Park – 4460 Split Rail Trail, Park City – Classic & Skate – Hiking/Snowshoeing/Fatbike/Pavillion

Greenheart – 4460 Split Rail Trail, Park City – Classic & Skate – Ski Trails Only

SR224 East – East side of SR224, Park City – Skate – Hiking/Snowshoeing/Fatbike

Utah Olympic Park – 2387 Olympic Parkway, Park City – Ski Trails Only

Bonanza Flat Trail – Empire Pass, Park City – Classic & Skate – Snowshoeing/Fatbike


The Round Valley trail system, groomed by Mountain Trails Foundation, offers 25k of (mostly multiuse) trails. There is a good variety of terrain from upper beginner to advanced. The easiest access is from Quinn’s Junction near the PC Hospital and National Ability Center. These trails are very popular for all types of users, so be ready for company and give others a smile and a wave. If you want a ski-only experience, make your way to Hanscom or the Land of Oz trail; both of these trails prohibit walkers, bikers, and dogs. Hanscom’s is accessible at the top of Barrel Roll, which is a big climb and even bigger descent. Bring your A-Game!

Getting to some of the XC trails is half the fun when winter roads are closed; turn to your fat bike to get you there.

Out toward Kimball Junction, you’ll find Willow Creek Park, The Greenheart, and the SR224 East trails, groomed by Basin Recreation. These are mellow and generally flat trails, suitable for beginners but beloved by all. You could start your day in town and ski out to Kimball Junction for a coffee or lunch at many different restaurants in Redstone.

When there’s snow, the trails are always groomed for skating, but classic tracks can be hit-or-miss. While most of these trails are multi-use, the Greenheart is reserved for skiers only. Accessed from the east side of Willow Creek Park, it’s a perfect place to work on your double pole or V2-alternate techniques. 

The Utah Olympic Park 5k trail is located in the Kimball Junction area and is groomed by Basin Rec. This skier-only trail (no hikers, dogs, or bikes) is accessed from Olympic Parkway, heading up toward the ski jumps. There is a gentle lower meadow area suitable for beginners and a more advanced technical upper section with tight, twisty turns in the aspens. Be sure to look for the directional signs, as the skiing direction alternates on odd/even dates. 

If you’re an advanced skier and strong athlete looking for an epic day, consider checking out the Bonanza Flat Trail up and over the top of Empire Pass. This high alpine gem (9000 feet) is a dedicated open space purchased by Park City and first opened to skiers in 2022. Getting there is half the fun/effort, as there is no regular public vehicle access. The closest parking area is just above Empire Lodge on Marsac Avenue/SR224. From there, you ski, walk, or bike up Guardsman Pass Road to the actual trailhead. Please note: Marsac Avenue above the red gate is closed to public vehicle traffic in winter but is open to public non-motorized use. PLEASE respect all authorized traffic (these are Bonanza Flat residents) and give vehicles a wide berth. 

Bonanza Flat’s big open space provides hours of high-octane cross-country adventures!

It can take up to an hour to get from your car to the start of the ski trails here. Depending upon the time of year and weather conditions, Park City occasionally offers free transit to the top of Empire Pass, which reduces the climb significantly (but still does not get you to the trailhead proper). You can also take the free Purple Line Park City Transit bus to Empire Lodge/Montage and start your climb from there. 

The Bonanza Flat trails themselves are super fun, stunningly beautiful, and extremely challenging. You’ll find long sustained climbs, screaming twisty downhills in tight trees, with almost no flat terrain. Enjoy it if you can, but approach Bonanza Flat with great respect!  Do not attempt these trails unless you are confident in your skiing abilities and overall fitness, as you’ll be working hard without much oxygen the entire time; the elevation up there is about 9,000 feet. It’s advisable to know the weather forecast, keep an eye out for changes, and have clothing and gear for possible extreme conditions. Storms move in fast! Getting back to your car at the end of the day is just as much work as the initial climb you did several hours earlier. 

Summit County West Trails

Jeremy Ranch Nordic – 8770 Jeremy Rd., Park City – Classic & Skate – Retail/Rentals/Lessons

Ecker Hill Middle School – 2465 Kilby Rd., Park City – Skate – Hiking/Snowshoeing/Fatbike

The Woods at Parleys Lane – 4275 Sunrise Dr., Park City – Skate – Hiking/Snowshoeing/Fatbike


North of I-80 and west of Kimball Junction, you’ll find Jeremy Ranch Nordic at The Jeremy Ranch Golf Course. Similar to White Pine Touring, Jeremy offers the full retail experience with clothes, gear, lessons, and rentals. There are about 8k total of groomed trails: 3k on the front nine facing I-80 and 5k on the back nine. To get to the 5k, it’s best to purchase your pass at the shop and then drive north (downhill) on Jeremy Road to start your ski day. The trails are generally flat, with a few up and downhill sections to break things up. You’ll cross East Canyon Creek multiple times on nice little golf cart bridges. It’s very peaceful and quiet. After your ski, you can dine at the private clubhouse if you present your ski pass, so the appetite you work up will be well taken care of! 

There are plenty of skate options in the Kimball Junction area for beginner to advanced skiers.

In the same general area of Jeremy Ranch are two small “neighborhood” trails groomed by Basin Recreation: The Woods at Parley’s Lane (north of I-80) and Ecker Hill Middle School (south of I-80). Both of these are smaller networks, on the order of 3k, suitable for easy workouts or hot laps. Ecker Hill is more open, while The Woods is more wooded (hence the name!) and feels more secluded. The terrain for both is beginner to intermediate. 

Wasatch County Trails

Soldier Hollow – 2002 Soldier Hollow Lane, Park City – Classic & Skate – Retail/Rentals/Lessons/Tuning

Wasatch Mountain State Park – 1281 Warm Springs Rd., Park City – Classic & Skate – Rentals

Beaver Creek Trail – Mirror Lake Highway, Kamas – Classic

Daniel’s Summit – US40 Daniels Summit Pass, Heber – Skate – Snowmobile Rentals


Site of the 2002 and upcoming 2034 Olympic Nordic Events, Soldier Hollow in Midway (affectionately known as SoHo among local skiers), is a high-octane gem not to be missed. Designed for World Cup-level skiers, it has lung-busting climbs, heart-in-your-throat downhills, and everything in between. The venue is a proud example of Olympic legacy and has been operating continuously since about 2000 when the test events for the 2002 Games cranked up. It has hosted the Olympics, World Cups, collegiate races, regional junior races, and local citizen races. There is an active Nordic community with a wide variety of events for all ages. The trails themselves are probably wider and more immaculately groomed than anything you’ve ever seen in your Nordic life! The SoHo pro shop has gear, clothing, rentals, and lessons to get you going. You can try your hand at Biathlon (ski + rifle target shooting) and reserve a slot on the famous tubing hill, which is a blast all on its own. SoHo has a robust snowmaking system, so it’s often open earlier and typically handles warm weather and low snowfall better than other locations. After skiing, check out the new Basecamp Café for snacks, hot food, drinks, and beer. Eat indoors or out on the heated deck.

Less than 6 miles from SoHo is Wasatch Mountain State Park. Here, you’ll find mostly mellow, slightly rustic, quiet, and uncrowded trails. There is no pro shop, but rentals are available. During the week, it’s quite possible that you’ll have the whole trail to yourself. It’s slightly busier on weekends, of course. Come for an easy and relaxing day, and then head over to the village of Midway for multiple après ski options. 

For a very rustic and wooded experience on a nicely groomed trail, try the Beaver Creek Trail in the Uintas. This narrow trail is groomed by the Forest Service for classic skiing only (it’s too narrow for skating). Grooming is irregular and dependent upon weather and recent storms. Your best bet for current trail conditions is to stop by or call the Kamas Ranger Station, where you can get a map and purchase your vehicle day pass.   

The Beaver Creek trailhead is on the Mirror Lake Highway (150), 6.2 miles east of its intersection with Main Street in Kamas.  Park at the Slate Creek/Yellow Pine Trailhead on the left side of the highway. If you haven’t bought your pass, there is a pay station on the right side of the highway, which is also where the ski trail starts. The Beaver Creek Trail is 8k long, generally paralleling Highway 150, and is best skied as an out-and-back. The biggest climb is probably the first climb you’ll face immediately upon starting up the trail. Don’t get discouraged because once you’re up this climb, everything else is easier, with a lot of rolling terrain and long, easy grades. Just remember, everything will be reversed when you turn around and head back to the start, including that first climb, which will now be a slightly challenging descent. On a bluebird day, the views of the Uintas are spectacular. 

Daniel’s Summit has big, wide trails for XC skiers and snowmobiling, so be cautious and kind.

Daniel’s Summit Lodge is located 17 miles south of Heber on US40. There is a huge network of groomed snowmobile trails here, and they permit skiers at no charge. If you ski here, you’ll be sharing the trail with multiple snowmobiles, so be prepared for that traffic and noise. Remember, you’re on their turf, so share the trail! Skating on the snowmobile trail is usually preferable over attempting to classic. A snowmobile trail network can be very long with lots of loops and cutoffs, so keep track of your location and turn around when appropriate. You don’t want to be calling Search and Rescue at the end of the day! 

A common ski outing is to start with the 3k steep uphill followed by about 13k of very gradual climb. This takes you to the top of the ridge with amazing views. At this point, take a quick break, have a snack, then turn around at the top, and come back down to the start. After your ski, check out the Lodgepole Grill, which is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

Whether you’re new to cross-country skiing or a seasoned pro, Park City’s trails offer something for everyone, and options for Nordic skiing are many and varied! From in-town to mountain outings, from flat to super hilly, from short laps to day-long epic adventures, we have it all. Choose the one(s) that best suits your interests, abilities, and fitness levels, and get after it! Enjoy… and don’t forget to grin! 

By Ted Palomaki, Nordic Instructor, White Pine Touring & Contributing Writer, jans.com

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Additional Links:

Differences between Skate and Classic Cross-Country Skiing

White Pine Touring Nordic Center

Mountain Trails Foundation