The Ultimate Guide to Deer Valley Ski Resort

By: Mark T

Deer Valley Ski Resort is located near Park City in the beautiful back mountains of Utah. It’s the perfect winter getaway for family and friends. Deer Valley’s luxurious atmosphere is fantastic for family reunions, work retreats, weddings, and more! The winter season is quickly approaching, so it’s time to start planning your winter vacation. When planning a trip, you’ll need to make accommodations for food, lodging, and activities. Deer Valley has options for all of these, but you get to choose the ones you want to try. We’re here to help! Here is our guide to everything you need to know about Deer Valley Ski Resort to make your stay magical.

Overview of Deer Valley Ski Area

Deer Valley Ski Resort is a ski-only resort with more than 100 runs and 2,000 acres of adventure. Deer Valley has won awards for its fantastic snow and service for over 20 years! The temperature can get pretty extreme, with average lows below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The resort has runs of all difficulty levels and provides 21 chairlifts that can transport you all over the mountain.

So, whether you’re a world-renowned skier or an enthusiastic beginner, the Deer Valley Ski Area has something for everyone.

Deer Valley Ski Lessons

Deer Valley Ski Resort’s ski school focuses on amplifying individual talents and meeting your goals as the consumer. They offer a few different types of lessons for adults and children based on age and class size preference. 

  • Private Ski Lessons are for skiers who want to learn techniques specific to their needs and goals. Deer Valley’s trained instructors will take you out one on one and analyze your style to make you the best skier you can be.
  • Adult Group Lessons include a total of up to four students per lesson. These lessons are split up by ability, so you’ll always be skiing with those who are on a similar level to you. 
  • Teen Escape is Deer Valley’s ski lessons for youth aged 13-17. These classes generally have six to eight students and encompass a wide variety of techniques and skills to help teenagers improve their abilities.
  • The Adventure Club ski lessons are for children between the ages of 7-12. They ski all day and have an included lunch break. There is a max of six children per class.
  • The Reindeer Club is for kids from five to seven. These classes focus on safety and are also split up by ability to give each child the best chance for success. 
  • Deer Valley’s Bambi Club is for the littlest skiers on the slopes, specifically for four-year-olds. This class involves inside and outside fun and focuses on giving your child the best experience possible. There is only a max of two students per Bambi class.

Mountain Biking School

If you are at the resort outside of skiing season, you can participate in mountain biking classes! These classes offer private and group lessons for all ages and give you a different view of the mountain than you would see if you only came to the resort during the wintertime. 

Ski Equipment Rentals

Not everyone has their own ski equipment, and that’s okay! Deer Valley’s equipment rents out skis, boots, helmets, goggles, and poles. If you want all the equipment, you can choose between their age packages to get the size that will be best for you and your skiers. Helmets are available for separate rental. 

Deer Valley Ski Area Parking

Deer Valley Ski Resort has five available complimentary parking lots with a shuttle service to the slopes. If you arrive with three or more people, you can park in Lot 2. If you come alone or with only one person, you can park in lots 3-5. You can also opt for the paid parking lot by the Silver Lake Lodge. All parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Charging stations for electric cars is another one of Deer Valley’s convenient complimentary services. You can charge your car while you ski, although the ski resort asks that you only park in those spaces while your car is charging.

Deer Valley Ski Resort Lodging

Deer Valley Ski Resort has three main lodging areas at varying levels up the mountain. Each area has a huge variety of lodging options with different aesthetics. Every area has its highlights, so let’s talk about how to choose between them.

  • Snow Park is Deer Valley’s base area. It is the closest to Park City and gives you access to some chairlifts. There are ski-in/ski-out locations for the committed sportsperson. Most of the resort’s commodities, like equipment rentals and ski school, are located at Snow Park. 
  • Silver Lake is located mid-mountain. The more remote area provides a quiet “mountain ambiance.” Silver Lake has its own ski rental shop and is home to Deer Lake’s most elegant restaurant, The Mariposa.
  • Empire Pass is Deer Valley Ski Resort’s most remote lodging, but that doesn’t make it any less perfect for your next vacation. There are a variety of lodges available to stay in, and Empire Canyon Lodge even offers Fireside Dining during the ski season. If you want a quiet, intimate location for your winter getaway, Empire Pass may be the place for you.

Restaurants Near Deer Valley Ski Resort

There are so many restaurants near Deer Valley Ski Resort. It would be impossible to highlight them all! However, we want to feature a few special ones.

  • The Mariposa is a reservation-only luxury dining experience in the Silver Lake Lodge. Six and eight-course options are available, with and without meat. For an extra charge, you can add a spectacular wine-tasting experience. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity if you can afford it!
  • Fireside Dining is a European dining experience only open at Deer Valley Ski Resort during the winter months. The menu includes a four-course meal and several different imported beers and spirits to put the cherry on top of your dinner.
  • Cast and Cut is a brand-new steak and seafood restaurant in Snow Park Lodge. This dining experience features a specialized team of chefs and a mix of locally found and imported ingredients. Try the newest restaurant at Deer Valley Ski Resort on your next vacation!

Activities Near Deer Valley Ski Resort

Although Deer Valley is a ski resort, there are so many other fun things to do at Deer Valley off the slopes. Whether you’re in the mood for an adventure or a relaxing night, the resort has something for you. Some of our favorites include:

Make Your Ski Vacation Epic with Wildhorn

Here at Wildhorn, we are dedicated to making your adventures the absolute best they can be. Part of that is our guides that help you plan your vacations, and part of that is our performance-optimized ski equipment that helps you stay safe. We have everything you need for a skiing getaway including skis, poles, helmets, goggles, snow clothes, and more! 

Whether it’s at Deer Valley Ski Resort or another exciting place, Wildhorn’s snow equipment will follow wherever you want to go. Make memories with Wildhorn at Deer Valley Ski Resort this year!

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Now gear up and get out there!