Explore the Ski Town Destination of a Different Kind

Updated November 25, 2025 03:48PM

The magic of mountain living is hard to describe but easy to feel. Nowhere is that more true than in Park City, Utah, where the awe-inspiring landscape and welcoming community awaken something deeper in visitors and locals alike. It’s a shared appreciation for natural beauty and outdoor activities, as well as local food and events, that translates to mutual respect for the land—and one another. It’s living with intention, to be a good steward and a good neighbor. In a word, it’s Mountainkind.

Mountainkind is a way of living—and the people who embrace it. It means caring for nature and caring for community. It means immersion in rich local culture, from art to music to carefully crafted food and drink. It means building community connections, sharing space with wildlife, and getting out and enjoying the mountain terrain on skis, foot, bike, and more. And it means choosing sustainable travel options, like using free rides on Park City’s extensive public transportation system.

Caroline Gleich embodies the Mountainkind spirit. The professional ski mountaineer loves living in Park City because of the locals who walk the walk and lead with values and heart. “We encourage visitors to bring that same mentality, a force for social and environmental good,” says Gleich, an environmental policy advocate. “We need more conscientious visitors who give as much as they get from the places they visit.”

In other words, your actions help protect what makes Park City so extraordinary. Here’s how to ensure that the town’s Mountainkind spirit endures for generations to come.

Connect to the Mountains

Nothing compares to finding adventure and joy in the mountains. In Park City winters, that means skiing. And not just any skiing. Here you can experience the new terrain at Deer Valley Resort, consistently rated the best ski resort in the country. For the 2025–2026 season, skiers and riders can make turns down 100 new ski runs accessed from ten new chairlifts. Or at Park City Mountain, ride the new ten-passenger Sunrise gondola for a breathtaking view of the Wasatch Range.

For more solitude in the alpine, try a snowshoe tour with Wasatch Mountain Guides—you might see wildlife, and you’ll definitely connect to the landscape. Or mix it up with cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, or even winter fly-fishing. Wasatch Mountain Guides offers all these winter adventures and more.

And that’s just the start. With easy-access opportunities for tubing, ice skating, fat biking, sleigh rides, and dogsledding, Park City is overflowing with adventures that connect you to the winter wonderland.

Stay and Après

Where you stay plays a huge part in any vacation. From getting-around logistics to size to ambiance, you want choices that match your style.

In Park City, you can revel in mountain life with a slopeside stay in the ruggedly elegant Sundial Lodge. Immediately adjacent to the Red Pine Gondola on Park City Mountain, the Sundial sits in the heart of a lively village atmosphere. At Deer Valley, experience a traditional ski lodge with authentic Norwegian heritage at Stein Eriksen Lodge, which was awarded Best Ski Hotel 2024 by World Ski Awards and earned honors in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Best Awards. Or retreat to an intimate abode at the Lespri Park City, a boutique hotel nestled downtown with sweeping mountain views.

Like lodging, the après scene in Park City is unparalleled. Head to High West Distillery—the world’s only ski-in distillery—to toast the town’s whiskey heritage. Rub elbows with locals at The Corner Store, at the base of Park City Mountain, where you’ll find local beers and live music. Or head to the No Name Saloon on Main Street for a drink on the heated rooftop patio and enjoy a famous (and well-earned) buffalo burger.

Take in the Culture

Living Mountainkind means immersing yourself in mountain culture, and that’s easy to do in Park City. Start with some Olympic history at Utah Olympic Park, host site of the 2002 Games (and slated to host the 2034 Games), and then take a wander through the George Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. Or catch today’s most elite ski athletes speeding down moguls and throwing flips at the Intermountain Health Freestyle International Ski (FIS) World Cup at Deer Valley, January 16-18, 2026.

Sink into Park City’s small-town roots with a free historic mining tour on Park City Mountain to uncover the relics of the past. Meet artists on a gallery tour down Main Street, or attend a show at one of the town’s world-class theaters. And don’t miss the storied Sundance Film Festival, taking place January 22 to February 1, 2026.

Whenever you go to Park City and whatever you do there, one thing is for sure: The culture rubs off on you. Rest assured, you will always be a part of the Mountainkind community.

At the Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau, Mountainkind is how we describe the feelings and actions that make us stewards of the mountains we call home. A word that not only gives a name to a community of people, but describes our culture, values, and approach to living in the mountains.