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This is your sign to turn your next Snowmass, Colorado winter vacation into a personal winter sports epic—minus the pressure, plus significantly better après.
It’s February. The world is glued to gravity-defying runs, lightning-fast ice, and finish lines decided by fractions of a second.
And you? You’re on the couch thinking, “I mean… I like winter sports. I could absolutely do that.”
If you’re searching for the best winter activities in Snowmass, consider this your unofficial training plan. There may not be a podium, but you will have endless bragging rights to share with your friends when you return home.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience real alpine ski racing, NASTAR is where your love for speed begins.
Developed in 1968, NASTAR (NAtional STAndard Race) is the largest public grassroots ski racing program in the world. It uses a handicap system that allows skiers of all ages and abilities to compare their times to a National Standard — meaning you get an actual, tangible number that tells you how fast you were, and how you stack up against others.
Public courses open:
This isn’t just skiing fast down the hill. It’s gates. A clock. A result sheet. The immediate urge to run it again, and try to beat your friend’s time down the course.
For families, friend groups, and competitive couples planning a Snowmass, Colorado winter vacation, NASTAR ski racing is one of the best winter activities in Snowmass for speed and a true adrenaline rush.
If you’re more inspired by airtime than split times, getting out of your comfort zone in the Snowmass terrain parks is one of the best winter activities in Snowmass for skiers and riders who are ready to level up. There are jumps as well as park and pipe features for anyone curious to try.
Centrally located under the Village Express and Coney Express lifts, Snowmass’s terrain parks have more than 100 features across progressive zones designed for every ability level.
Lowdown Park
An introduction park with small-to-medium features, beginner halfpipe, rollers, boxes, rails and tabletop jumps. Ideal for building confidence or watching the next generation dial in their first tricks.
Makaha Park
About 25 medium-to-large features, including jumps, jibs and transitions. A natural next step when you’re ready to add more style to your skillset.
Snowmass Park
Below Coney Express, this park brings hips, wallrides, stair features and a 22’ Zaugg-cut superpipe into the mix for those looking for even more progression and creativity.
Whenever you are skiing and riding the park at Snowmass, follow the SMART guidelines:
Whether you’re progressing cautiously or channeling fearless energy like the pros, Snowmass’ terrain park features will spark inspiration and confidence in your skiing and riding, while giving the adrenaline rush you might be craving.
Sliding 40-pound granite rocks across ice looks simple when you watch it on television, right? Spoiler: it is not, it’s actually quite difficult, making it wildly entertaining to both watch in-person, as well as participate in when you have the chance.
The Curling on The Rink Series transforms Base Village’s ice rink into a head-to-head competition where teams of two compete to be the first team to score 10 points. Each team alternates throws, earning points for stones closest to the “button” within the “house.” If these rules sound foreign to you, check out the rules of curling here.
2026 dates include:
Registration takes place at The Rink before each event, and is free for participants.
Curling on The Rink is all about strategy, patience, and playful rivalry. It’s also one of the most social activities for a Snowmass, Colorado winter vacation in Base Village if you want a break from the slopes—perfect for visitors who want something active and challenging, but an activity that won’t leave you completely breathless.
Whether you’re watching the pros backflip or seeing your kids figure out the combination of balance and movement on the ice, skating is always a fan favorite to watch. Have you ever considered giving it a whirl yourself? Few things feel more classically winter than gliding across open-air ice with mountain views in every direction. Fortunately, ice skating in Snowmass is both easy and free. Yeah, you may not be able to nail a triple axel or waltz jump right off the bat, but hey—at least you can pretend and dream big!
The Rink at Snowmass Base Village
Open daily 1:00pm–9:00pm
Free skate rentals available
If you want to wear your very own dazzling wardrobe and put on a show like the pros, you should look no further than Saturday’s Disco on the Rink. Not only can you pretend to be a professional ice skater, but you can also travel back in time to disco and Saturday Night Fever.
Snowmass Village Ice Rink at Town Park
Open 8:00am–8:00pm (weather permitting)
Bring your own skates
While The Rink in Base Village is more central to lodging and dining options in Snowmass, Town Park’s rink often hosts public skating and hockey, creating the small-town atmosphere we all love.
If the weather is not cold enough, the Town Park ice skating rink will sometimes close. Please call ahead or check out SnowmassRecreation.com for conditions.
If your winter athlete alter ego prefers high-speed fun without ski boots, Snowmass tubing at Elk Camp is calling your name. Remember the movie “Cool Runnings,” where Jamaica made a bobsled team despite having no snow? Well, in Snowmass, we indeed have snow—but no bobsleds. What we DO have is a tubing hill. It may not be true bobsledding with its aerodynamics, ice below AND on either side of you and a track you’re barreling down at 90 miles per hour. But one can pretend, right? Tubing at Elk Camp is sure to give you a similar rush of excitement, minus the rock-hard ice and warp-speed.
Located at The Meadows and accessed via the Elk Camp Gondola, multiple lift-served tubing lanes provide unlimited laps.
Tubing:
Pro tip: Arrive before 1:00pm and/or book your spot in advance. Tubing can sell out on busy days.
For families planning a Snowmass, Colorado winter vacation, tubing is one of the best winter activities in Snowmass for all ages. It’s fast, it’s goofy, and it’s fun for everyone. If you want to have an exciting experience of tubing at night, check out this winter’s Ullr Nights.
Skeleton is one of those sports you watch and wonder, “how could anyone train for that?” We would venture to guess that their comfort with climbing onto a sled headfirst to go down a chute started somewhere a little more…dialed back.
An alpine coaster or rollercoaster, perhaps? Lucky for the adventurous visitor, you too can have the sensation of zooming through cold air, but you can be strapped in, while taking in the view of snow-covered trees above and a ski slope below. And you’ll be going maximum 28 miles per hour, versus the pros who barrel down at a whopping 90 miles per hour.
This mile-long elevated Breathtaker Alpine Coaster track at Elk Camp winds through curves and hairpin turns, giving riders 7–9 minutes up and about 3 minutes of pure downhill exhilaration. You control your braking, which means you can cruise cautiously or lean into your need for speed.
Open daily December 19 – April 5 (11am–3:30pm), plus select early- and late-season weekends. Reservations are required. If you want to try your hand at both bobsled- and skeleton-adjacent winter sports, check out Aspen Snowmass’s tubing and coaster combo packages for a day of Elk Camp adventures.
For thrill-seekers building out their Snowmass, Colorado winter vacation plans, the alpine coaster is consistently ranked among the best winter activities in Snowmass that don’t require skis.
Not every winter athlete needs airtime. Some prefer rhythm, glide, and scenery to keep them distracted from the not-for-the-faint-of-heart cardiovascular workout.
There is no better place to test your mental and physical fitness than cross country skiing on Snowmass’s Nordic trails. You may be humbled by how many times you fall down from balancing on skinny skate skis, but you’ll be proud of yourself for giving it a go like the pros.
Nordic skiing in Snowmass, Colorado offers:
Whether you’re brand new to cross-country skiing or training for distance goals, Nordic skiing remains one of the best winter activities in Snowmass for travelers who want movement and mindfulness wrapped into one experience.
Supported by the Aspen/Snowmass Nordic Council, the Nordic trail system in the Roaring Fork Valley has been evolving since 1984. The council advocates for seamless trail connectivity, improved signage and long-term enhancements that elevate the cross-country experience.
The spotlight might be shining on elite competitors right now — but in Snowmass, the road to excellence in winter sports is open to everyone.
Race through gates.
Launch off jumps.
Slide stones across the ice.
Glide under twinkle lights.
Tube like you mean it.
Coast through the forest.
Stride across quiet Nordic trails.
The best winter activities in Snowmass aren’t reserved for professionals. They’re designed for anyone ready to move outside, and toast to a vacation day well-spent at après or dinner.