The Best Ski Resorts for Off-Piste in USA
Looking for the best off-piste skiing? Our rankings reveal where to find the freshest powder stashes and most thrilling backcountry terrain. Unlike marketing-driven lists, our rankings come straight from the Snomad community – genuine skiers and boarders who've actually carved these slopes. We only include resorts with substantial feedback to ensure our rankings reflect real experiences, not just hype.
Fancy checking out other terrain specialties? Explore our rankings for Powder Zones, Expert Skiers, or Tree Skiing. And if you've recently tackled some epic off-piste terrain, share your experiences to help fellow powder hunters find their next adventure.
Best Ski Resort for Off-Piste in USA: Snowbird - Off-Piste Rating
Snowbird's off-piste terrain is consistently rated as exceptional by our users. A vast playground for advanced skiers, the resort offers incredible backcountry opportunities with some of the steepest chutes and technical terrain in Utah. The Mineral Basin area is particularly praised, with one Snomad community member describing it as feeling "like I was not at a resort." The powder quality is hard to beat, with hidden zones where fresh snow can be found days after storms. As one expert skier put it: "If you love expert runs, steep trees and cliff drops, Snowbird is your mountain." Multiple gates provide access to double black diamond runs throughout the resort.
#2 Grand Targhee Resort - Off-Piste Rating
Grand Targhee is a powder paradise for off-piste enthusiasts. The freeride terrain features endless powder and plenty of cliffs to drop, as mentioned by Eliot, an expert skier who visits annually for the freeride competition. One Snomad community member described it as "powder heaven" with breathtaking beauty. Tree runs are particularly celebrated, with Mason noting that the backcountry options provide "some of the deepest days of my life." While it's becoming more popular, the slopes remain relatively uncrowded, especially midweek. As local advice goes - the off-piste is so good here that you might want to "go to Jackson and leave Targhee for the rest of us"!
#3 Big Sky - Off-Piste Rating
Big Sky's off-piste terrain is consistently praised by our Snomad community as exceptional. One expert snowboarder describes it as "immense terrain, immense off-piste terrain" for those wanting to push themselves on some of the steepest inbound runs globally. The vast backcountry options seem endless, with another user commenting "you could ski here for a season and never see it all." The mountain delivers quality tree skiing, with powder stashes that persist even when overall snow coverage isn't optimal. For serious powder hunters, Big Sky offers challenging terrain that rivals European resorts, with one skier calling it "the Alps of America."
