Winter Park Resort calls itself “Colorado’s Playground,” and it has earned the name: 3,095 acres of skiing and riding just 67 miles from Denver, with gentle groomers, legendary Mary Jane bumps and a ski train that rolls right to the slopes.

Winter Park opened on January 28, 1940, making it one of Colorado’s longest-running ski areas. In 1975 the resort added Mary Jane, a mountain famous for its steep mogul runs and its own base area off US Highway 40. Today the two mountains ski as one resort, with terrain for every level: beginner zones at the base, long groomed cruisers, and tree runs and bumps on Mary Jane. Park riders get more than 80 features plus an 18-foot superpipe, and the gondola carries guests to The Lodge at Sunspot at the summit for lunch with a view.

Getting there is half the fun. The Winter Park Express train runs from Denver Union Station to the resort on select winter dates, with fares starting at $19, and Amtrak’s California Zephyr stops in nearby Fraser. Off the slopes, try the Coca-Cola Tubing Hill, a Snowcat and S’Mores tour, or a free evening gondola ride to Sunspot for music and cocoa. Collecting Colorado ski areas? Add Steamboat Resort, Vail and Loveland Ski Area to your list.

Winter Park says its 2026-27 ski season will open as soon as conditions allow. New this winter, lifts open an hour early, at 8 a.m., on Saturdays and Sundays from December 5, 2026, through April 4, 2027, subject to weather. Check opening day, lift tickets and Winter Park Express dates at winterparkresort.com.