It’s January and that means ski season. Skiing and snowboarding are among the most popular winter sports in the United States. Fortunately skiers and snowboarders are well catered for in states that have mountains – or hills – and get snow.
The country has hundreds of ski areas and some states have opened new ones in recent years. Also, skiing is an outdoor pursuit and doesn’t require any kind of physical contact — an important consideration in the COVID-19 era. (If you love winter weather, here is the coldest town in every state.)
To identify the newest ski area in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data compiled by the National Ski Areas Association, the trade association for ski area owners and operators. Ski areas — only those recognized by the NSAA — were ranked by their opening year. If two ski areas opened in a state in the same year, both are listed. There are no recognized ski areas in 13 states. In states with only one ski area, the ski area listed is the newest by default only. Data on the number of ski areas also came from NSAA.
Luckily for skiers, some of the most populous states have the most ski areas. California and New York each have 29. California added Kingvale Snow Schoolers as recently as 2021. New York’s newest ski area is the Double H Ranch, which opened in 1998, but other ski areas have been upgraded more recently.
Quite a few states have no ski areas. Often, that’s a function of geography rather than a reflection of the sport’s popularity. In other states, no new ski areas have opened in many years.
Still, some states that don’t necessarily come to mind as ski paradises have added new ski areas in the last decade or so. Big SNOW American Dream opened in New Jersey in 2019, and Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre opened in Virginia in 2009. (And if skiing is not your thing, here is the best winter destination in every state.)
Click here to see the newest ski area in every state
Alabama
> Newest ski areas: Cloudmont Ski
> Opening year: 1971
> Total number of ski areas in state: 1
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Alaska
> Newest ski areas: Hatcher Alpine Xperience/Skeetawk Ski Area
> Opening year: 2020
> Total number of ski areas in state: 8
Source: florencemcginn / Getty Images
Arizona
> Newest ski areas: Sunrise Park Resort
> Opening year: 1972
> Total number of ski areas in state: 4
Source: BlazenImages / Getty Images
Arkansas
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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California
> Newest ski areas: Kingvale Snow Schoolers
> Opening year: 2021
> Total number of ski areas in state: 28
Source: Josh Hild / iStock via Getty Images
Colorado
> Newest ski areas: Bluebird Backcountry
> Opening year: 2018
> Total number of ski areas in state: 29
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Source: Daniel Hanscom / Getty Images
Connecticut
> Newest ski areas: Mount Lakeridge Ski & Board Center
> Opening year: 1975
> Total number of ski areas in state: 5
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Source: mdgmorris / Getty Images
Delaware
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Source: marchello74 / Getty Images
Florida
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Georgia
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Source: Adam-Springer / Getty Images
Hawaii
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
Idaho
> Newest ski areas: Tamarack Resort
> Opening year: 2004
> Total number of ski areas in state: 14
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Source: 4u4me / Getty Images
Illinois
> Newest ski areas: Ski Snowstar Winter Sports Park
> Opening year: 1981
> Total number of ski areas in state: 3
Indiana
> Newest ski areas: Perfect North Slopes
> Opening year: 1981
> Total number of ski areas in state: 2
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Source: sharply_done / E+ via Getty Images
Iowa
> Newest ski areas: Tied: Seven Oaks Recreation & Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, Inc
> Opening year: 1997
> Total number of ski areas in state: 4
Source: ricardoreitmeyer / Getty Images
Kansas
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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Source: alexeys / Getty Images
Kentucky
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Source: Jaimie Tuchman / Getty Images
Louisiana
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Maine
> Newest ski areas: Lost Valley Ski Area
> Opening year: 1961
> Total number of ski areas in state: 9
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Maryland
> Newest ski areas: Wisp Resort
> Opening year: 1956
> Total number of ski areas in state: 1
Massachusetts
> Newest ski areas: Nashoba Valley Ski Area
> Opening year: 1964
> Total number of ski areas in state: 10
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Michigan
> Newest ski areas: Mount Bohemia
> Opening year: 2000
> Total number of ski areas in state: 27
Source: usdagov / Flickr / Public Domain
Minnesota
> Newest ski areas: Giants Ridge
> Opening year: 1984
> Total number of ski areas in state: 15
Source: maxmironov / Getty Images
Mississippi
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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Missouri
> Newest ski areas: Snow Creek Ski Area
> Opening year: 1987
> Total number of ski areas in state: 2
Montana
> Newest ski areas: Blacktail Mountain Ski Area
> Opening year: 1998
> Total number of ski areas in state: 13
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Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images
Nebraska
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Nevada
> Newest ski areas: Diamond Peak Ski Resort
> Opening year: 1966
> Total number of ski areas in state: 5
Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images News via Getty Images
New Hampshire
> Newest ski areas: The Balsams Resort
> Opening year: 2020
> Total number of ski areas in state: 25
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New Jersey
> Newest ski areas: Big SNOW American Dream
> Opening year: 2019
> Total number of ski areas in state: 4
New Mexico
> Newest ski areas: Triple M-Mystical Mountain
> Opening year: 1982
> Total number of ski areas in state: 10
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Source: Michael Bocchieri / Getty Images
New York
> Newest ski areas: Double H Ranch
> Opening year: 1998
> Total number of ski areas in state: 29
Source: Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
North Carolina
> Newest ski areas: Tied: Sugar Mountain Resort & Wolf Ridge Ski Resort
> Opening year: 1969
> Total number of ski areas in state: 7
North Dakota
> Newest ski areas: Huff Hills Ski Area
> Opening year: 1991
> Total number of ski areas in state: 2
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Source: JoeDphoto / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Ohio
> Newest ski areas: Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort
> Opening year: 1963
> Total number of ski areas in state: 4
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Oklahoma
> Newest ski areas: None in state
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Source: forestservicenw / Flickr
Oregon
> Newest ski areas: Mt Hood Meadows
> Opening year: 1968
> Total number of ski areas in state: 10
Source: catnap72 / E+ via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Newest ski areas: Eagle Rock Ski Area
> Opening year: 1997
> Total number of ski areas in state: 23
Source: stockstudioX / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island
> Newest ski areas: Yawgoo Valley Ski Area & Waterpark
> Opening year: 1965
> Total number of ski areas in state: 1
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
South Carolina
> Newest ski areas: None in state
South Dakota
> Newest ski areas: Deer Mountain Ski Resort
> Opening year: 1970
> Total number of ski areas in state: 3
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Source: epantha / iStock via Getty Images
Tennessee
> Newest ski areas: Ober Gatlinburg Ski Area
> Opening year: 1962
> Total number of ski areas in state: 1
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Texas
> Newest ski areas: None in state
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Utah
> Newest ski areas: Woodward Park City
> Opening year: 2019
> Total number of ski areas in state: 16
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Vermont
> Newest ski areas: Plymouth Notch
> Opening year: 2001
> Total number of ski areas in state: 19
Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia
> Newest ski areas: Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre
> Opening year: 2009
> Total number of ski areas in state: 4
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Source: liangwei / iStock via Getty Images
Washington
> Newest ski areas: Bluewood Ski Area
> Opening year: 1980
> Total number of ski areas in state: 11
Source: garytog / iStock via Getty Images
West Virginia
> Newest ski areas: Tied: Timberline Mountain & Winterplace Ski Resort
> Opening year: 1983
> Total number of ski areas in state: 5
Wisconsin
> Newest ski areas: Tied: Nordic Mountain & The Rock Snowpark
> Opening year: 1987
> Total number of ski areas in state: 20
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Source: Caliverve / Getty Images
Wyoming
> Newest ski areas: Grand Targhee Resort
> Opening year: 1969
> Total number of ski areas in state: 9
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