Keystone Resort ranks as one of the top family resorts for skiing and snowboarding in the world. This world-class, three-mountain resort offers more than 3,000 skiable acres of terrain, with plenty of terrain options for everyone in the family. There’s so much to love at this family resort: the programs, the family-friendly activities, and the amenities are just a few of the reasons why Keystone is perfect for families. It wasn’t difficult to come up with five reasons why Keystone Resort is perfect for families, but here are our five of our favorites.
Five Reasons Why Keystone Resort Is Perfect for Families
1. Kids Ski Free At Keystone Resort
Between gear, airfare, travel, food, and accommodation expenses, the cost of skiing can add up quickly. Lift tickets for kids aren’t something you have to worry about at Keystone resort with kids ages 12 and under. Keystone’s Kids Ski Free program has no blackout dates and is available on all weekends and holidays.
To qualify, children must stay two or more nights in one of Keystone’s numerous accommodation options and that’s it!
When you book your lodging online through Keystone Resort for two or more nights, kids under 12 ski free.
2. Family Terrain
Keystone is made up of three mountains: Dercum, North Peak, and Outback. With three peaks stacked in front of one-another, Keystone offers something for every level skier and rider.
Keystone has three main learning areas including Endeavor and Scout, which are at the top of Dercum Mountain, and Discovery, which is by the base at Mountain House. The first part of Endeavor has a magic carpet ride making it a super easy place to first learn. (It can get crowded in that area, especially during peak times. During the week and early morning are the best times to avoid the crowds.)
Keystone is famous for its green run, Schoolmarm, the resort’s Family Ski Trail. It’s almost 4 miles long and has some nice drops broken up with some flatter sections making it a good run to get started.
Tip – Keystone can get very busy on the weekends and during major holidays. Even if your family are confidant skiers, start out easy and work your way up. Busy green slopes can be very dangerous with beginner skiers. Try to avoid stopping in the middle of the slopes and assess the terrain before heading down.
North Peak sits directly behind Dercum Mountain and offers a variety of intermediate and advanced terrain, including long bump runs. It is home to Labonte’s Smokehouse BBQ as well as The Outpost, where hungry skiers and snowboarders can grab a bite for lunch at the Timber Ridge food court or return later that evening for a gondola-accessed dinner at the Alpenglow Stube or Der Fondue Chessel.
The Outback, Keystone’s furthest and tallest peak at 11,980 feet, is an oasis for skiers and riders looking to enjoy powder turns and tree skiing. Take a short hike off the top of the Outback Express Lift for access to North and South Bowls where skiers and riders will often find wide-open turns and powder stashes.
3. Family Lessons, Group Lessons, & Private Lessons
Via Keystone Resort
We are strong advocates for ski lessons. Your family will progress faster and more efficiently if they take at least one day of lessons. Ski and snowboard instructors are trained in how to teach you and your family as quickly and easily as possible.
Even if you or your kids already know the basics, instructors will help you progress and they know the best terrain to suit your ability. If skiing is your thing and you want to make it a regular experience that your whole family will enjoy, lessons are the best way to achieve this.
Keystone offers parent-and-child private lessons, which are particularly useful if you and your child are relatively close in skiing ability. You’ll get to hear your instructor’s advice to your child so you can reinforce it later. Our instructor gave me plenty of helpful tips for improving my own form, too.
Group lessons are certainly cheaper, but in a private lesson, you’ll get a more skilled instructor with a higher level of training.
Whether you’re just learning to ski or ride, practicing new skills, or looking to go on a guided mountain adventure, the professional instructors at the Keystone Ski & Ride School will help you learn your lessons the fun way.
Check out Camp Keystone, a facility specially designed for kids, book an adult lesson, or take the whole family out together with a Family Private Lesson.
4. Family-Friendly Amenities
Convenient, family-friendly extras like free designated family parking and complimentary red wagons for parents to tote gear and tired kids to and from the slopes, help make a winter family visit to Keystone easy, fun, and hassle-free.
Keystone is also home to several top-rated restaurants offering everything from unique mountaintop fine dining to charming and innovative culinary creations.
River Run Village is known as the heart of Keystone, Colorado. It’s home to many condo complexes, boutique shops, restaurants, and the River Run Gondola, making everything within reach. River Run is an ideal base camp home for a ski vacation if you prefer to walk to the slopes or to be in the middle of the action. It is possible to come on vacation and take a shuttle from the airport, and walk to ski rental shops, restaurants, a small market with no need to drive anywhere. There is a even an outdoor fire pit located in the main plaza to roast s’mores or just to warm up around after a few runs on the slopes. River Run is a skiers dream with a ticket office located right next to the gondola, as well as the main kids ski school meeting point. If shopping is what you are after in Keystone, River Run has plenty shops to keep you busy too.
5. Après Ski
Keystone offers families a huge variety of fun on- and off-mountain activities like scenic sleigh rides, snow tubing at Adventure Point, Mountaintop Family Adventure Tours in a snow cat, ice skating, and more.
Snow Tubing at Adventure Point is a great activity for the entire family. Fly down one of the multiple lanes solo or linked together as a group. When you reach the bottom, the conveyor lift will make getting back up the hill easy and fun. Day or night, Adventure Point Tubing adds another thrill to enjoying the mountain.
If you’re looking for a family thrill, guided Cat Skiing Tours will bring you on an excursion like never before. The expert guides will take you via snow cat to some of the best terrain on the mountain. You will enjoy turns in serene bowls and in the trees, as you feel like you have the whole mountain to yourself. The day will create memories you’ll be sure to relive for years to come.
Additionally, you can catch the shuttle to Keystone’s Lakeside Village to go ice skating on the 7,200-sq. ft Dercum Square rink or go dashing through the snow while taking in the breathtaking scenery on a scenic horse-drawn sleigh ride.