Killington Resort, Vermont

Killington, Vermont — (Photo: Chandler Burgess)

Killington will always be what many hard-charging city-dwellers from the New York metro area consider to be the closest, best destination. Back in the day, when it was hosting more than a million skier visits a year, the Beast rightly earned a bad rap for being crowded. And worse: mobbed with joeys.

These days the resort handles a more manageable number, and frankly, a higher percentage of real skiers, giving it a more soulful feel despite its size. And nowhere in the East beats the Access Road for after-hours action. That’s partly a tribute to its wealth of fine drinking and dining establishments, but also to the party-hearty attitude of many of the passholders. Some still complain of too many out-of-control skiers, and others find it difficult to navigate from peak to peak—the flip side of the mountain’s sheer massiveness. But even the hardest-to-please of Killington regulars have to admit that management has made some great decisions in recent years. Among them: the brilliant stroke of hosting the Women’s World Cup, and a returned commitment to opening in October and closing in late May or even early June. – Joe Cutts

Resort Guide 2022—Killington Resort

Killington Resort Mountain Stats

Average Snowfall	Acres	Lifts	Trails
250″	1,509	22	155

Killington Resort Pass Info

Killington is on the Ikon Pass. Pass holders get 7 days at the resort. Ikon Base Pass holders get 5 blackout-restricted days.

Trip Planning

From lodging and and dining to off-slope activities and local tips, here are the SKI editors’ picks for what to do in Killington, Vt.

Mandatory Run

The trees between Outer Limits and Devil’s Fiddle on Bear Mountain are some of the best glades anywhere east of the Mississippi. With more creative lines than you could count, this pod was made for powder days.

Après Spot

If it’s après-ski at Killington, it’s got to be the Wobbly Barn. This iconic steakhouse-cum-nightclub has been cheffing up and throwing down for 57 years.

Local Tip

Headed back down to the Tri-State Area? Take Route 100 to 103 for a scenic ride through the Vermont countryside. Stop by the humorously named Smokin’ Bowls shack for a killer bowl of soup before you hop on the highway.

Lunch Spot

The Bear Mountain Lodge gets reader raves for its flatbread pizza and French onion soup.

Après Spot

Nearby Bridgewater Corners was an early hotbed of the Vermont beer scene, thanks to Long Trail Ale, which is still brewed there. The restaurant and brewery are about seven miles from the Skyship base lot.