Northern New Mexico has some of the best skiing in the Southwest and the continental United States, with powdery trails, sun-soaked days, and gorgeous vistas of the Rockies. Snowbirds flock to the region to ski and snowboard some of the best slopes in the country, choosing from European-style resorts to family-friendly ski areas that offer a host of other outdoor activities and events.
Whether you’re an alpine skier, a snowboarder, a cross-country skier, or a weekend enthusiast, you’ll thrill to the unique mountains and ski trails of the area. There’s something for every winter enthusiast, including snowshoeing, sledding, tubing, freestyle parks for hot doggers, and more.
Here’s a roundup of Northern New Mexico’s ski areas. Keep in mind that during the winter season, most ski areas offer specials and discounts on lodging, lift tickets, dining, rentals, and more, so check those websites for the latest deals.
Remember, wherever you choose to ski, the Snow Report widget below provides everything you need to know about fresh snow, trail status, and more in real-time.
Ski Santa Fe
Did you know that Ski Santa Fe is one of the highest ski areas in the country? With over 660 acres of skiable terrain, Ski Santa Fe offers a diverse range of trails for skiers of all levels. Ski Santa Fe has a summit elevation of 12,075 feet and with a vertical drop of 1,725 feet, the ski area boasts amazing vistas, steep bumps, powder-filled chutes, and gladed tree-skiing.
With seven lifts and 77 trails for skiers of all levels, Ski Santa Fe is a family-oriented ski area without the long lift lines you might encounter at other popular ski resorts. It also offers a certified ski school, Chipmunk Corner, Children’s Center, Freestyle Terrain Park, including The Bone Yard, and Children’s Adventure Land.
Ski Santa Fe receives an average snowfall of 225 inches and can make snow on 50 percent of the mountain. Ski Santa Fe is an overlooked gem both in New Mexico and among ski resorts around the U.S.
When you’re ready to hit the slopes, check out the Snow Report widget below for real-time updates on fresh snow, grooming, and open trails at Ski Santa Fe.
Taos Ski Valley
In the early 1950s, Ernie Blake, who then worked for the new Santa Fe Ski Basin, searched for the perfect place to open his own ski resort. Flying over Taos one day, he spotted a huge snow basin north of Wheeler Peak, and the world-class Taos Ski Valley was born.
Today, it’s one of the country’s few family-owned and -operated ski resorts. It’s also one of the most challenging mountains in the Southwest, with powder shots, steep chutes, glades, and big bumps.
Taos Ski Valley has 113 trails and 14 lifts, with a summit elevation of 11,819 feet and a vertical drop of 2,612 feet. The mountain offers a freestyle terrain park and ski school services at all levels. Taos Ski Valley receives an average of 305 inches of annual snowfall and has the capacity to make snow on 100 percent of beginner and intermediate slopes.
If you’ve ever wondered how those slopes get that perfect texture for skiing, read our article about snow grooming.
After years of allowing only downhill skiers, Taos opened to snowboarders in 2008. The ski area offers a busy calendar of events, including the Winter Wine Festival, Full Moon Snowshoe Tours, and more.
Sandia Peak Ski and Tramway
Albuquerque’s Sandia Peak ski area and famous tram offer spectacular views of the city and some fine skiing. You can drive up the mountain or take the tram, a 2.7-mile ride in a gondola car that takes you up steep terrain to the top of Sandia Peak, where you can dine at High Finance while looking down over the city.
The mountain’s peak elevation is 10,378 feet with a vertical drop of 1,700 feet. Four lifts access the resort’s 30 trails and the Scrapyard Terrain Park, with jumps, rails, and more for beginners to intermediate skiers. Sandia Peak also has a ski school for skiers and snowboarders.
Red River Ski and Snowboard Area
An old gold mining town on the Enchanted Circle, Red River is known as the “Ski Town of the Southwest,” and it’s definitely built for skiers as the ski slopes run right in town.
The area has a ski-through replica of an old mining camp, three terrain parks, and a ski school for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Red River’s summit elevation is 10,350 feet, with a vertical drop of 1,600 feet.
The ski area has five lifts servicing 57 trails and snowmaking capacity to cover 85 percent of the runs. Red River receives an average annual snowfall of 18 feet.
Angel Fire Resort
Located on the Enchanted Circle down the road from Red River, Angel Fire is a contemporary family-oriented ski resort, with lodging on the mountain as well as dining and shopping.
Angel Fire boasts 74 trails, including glade skiing, bumps, and two freestyle parks, all serviced by six chairlifts. The mountain has a summit elevation of 10,677 feet and a vertical drop of 2,077 feet. The area receives an average of 210 inches of snowfall and has the snowmaking capacity to cover 52 percent of the mountain.
Angel Fire is the only ski area in Northern New Mexico that offers night skiing. There’s also NASCAR racing, a ski and snowboard school, tubing, and a Nordic center featuring more than 15 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing, and sledding.
Sipapu Ski Resort
Sipapu has the longest ski season in New Mexico. This family-friendly resort is located 20 miles southeast of Taos and has been open since 1952. With a summit of 9,255 feet and a vertical drop of 1,055 feet, the mountain is open to both skiers and snowboarders with 41 trails, three terrain parks, and five lifts. The average annual snowfall is 120 inches, and the resort has the snowmaking capacity to cover 70 percent of the mountain.
Sipapu offers slopeside lodging that date to the resort’s opening, including cabins, mobile homes, and hotel and lodge rooms. There’s a calendar with events throughout the season, including races, moonlight hikes, and campfires.
Pajarito
Skiing the slopes of Pajarito, on the east slopes of the Jemez Mountains above Los Alamos, you might feel like you’re gliding into the past. The 1950s past, to be precise. The area opened in the 1950s, and it still feels that way.
Owned by the Los Alamos Ski Club, Pajarito is one of Northern New Mexico’s best-kept secrets. It’s small, but because it’s not very well known, there are never any lift lines or crowds. The views are spectacular and it has some of the best bump skiing in the state, along with excellent glade skiing.
The mountain’s summit elevation is 10,440 feet, with a 14-foot vertical drop. Five chair lifts service 50 trails and a terrain park, and the ski and snowboard school is open to all levels.
Up for a Road Trip? Skiing in Other Areas
Just south of these ski areas, Ruidoso boasts its own ski areas. If you’re closer to that part of New Mexico, there’s no need to travel to the northern part of the state. Have fun in the snow, closer to home.
If you find yourself in the Four Corners region, the area near Durango, Colorado, has many options for skiing and snowboarding. Purgatory Resort and Wolf Creek Ski Resort are among the best places to ski in the Four Corners. The Four Corners is also home to the best skijoring competitions west of Scandinavia.
Hit the slopes!
Now that you’ve read about all that Northern New Mexico has to offer for skiers and snowboarders, grab your gear and spend a day or two at some of the best slopes in the country. Check out which resort best suits your idea of a fun day in the sun and snow. And don’t forget, many mountain resorts mentioned here also offer other outdoor activities like snowshoeing, sledding, tubing, and a variety of fun things to do on a sun-drenched winter day on a snowy mountain.
