Best mountain towns for nordic skiing
Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the nordic skiing scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.
- Crested ButteWestern Colorado University — the birthplace of mountain biking & the Gunnison Valley.5 groups
- JuneauThe Tongass — the Mendenhall Glacier, Eaglecrest & the Inside Passage.5 groups
- ButteThe Mining City — the Continental Divide, the Highlands & Discovery Basin.4 groups
- Gallatin ValleyBozeman & Big Sky — the Bridger, Gallatin & Madison ranges.4 groups
- McCallPayette Lake — Brundage, Tamarack, Ponderosa State Park & Central Idaho.4 groups
- Summit CountyThe Tenmile & Gore ranges — Breckenridge, Dillon Reservoir & Frisco.4 groups
- Sun ValleyKetchum & Hailey — Bald Mountain, the Big Wood River & Galena’s Nordic trails.4 groups
- AnchorageThe Chugach — the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Kincaid Park & Chugach State Park.3 groups
- BellinghamWestern Washington U town — Galbraith Mountain, Mt. Baker & the Salish Sea.3 groups
- BendCentral Oregon — Phil’s trails, Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock & the Deschutes.3 groups
- CasperCentral Wyoming — Casper Mountain, the North Platte & Fremont Canyon.3 groups
- FairbanksUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks — Birch Hill Nordic, the Chena River & the Interior.3 groups
- Grand JunctionColorado Mesa University — the Lunch Loops, the Colorado River & Grand Mesa.3 groups
- HomerKachemak Bay — the Homer Spit, the Kachemak Nordic trails & the shorebirds.3 groups
- JacksonThe Tetons — Grand Teton, Snow King & the Snake River.3 groups
The 15 towns where we track the most recurring nordic skiing groups (of 61 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.