Skiing in Missouri – Does it Have Good Skiing?

Missouri is not generally known as a destination for skiing, so you may be wondering, is there good skiing in Missouri? Does it have good ski resorts? Read on to learn all there is to know about skiing in Missouri.

While Missouri doesn’t have big mountainous terrains like the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, or the European Alps, there are two ski resorts in Missouri and some good ski terrain that you should visit if you’re in the area.

Skiing in Missouri Quick Facts

• Both Kansas City and St. Louis receive an average of about 18 inches of snow annually. This is much less than more popular skiing regions like Park City Utah which averages 243 inches annually.
• Missouri is at roughly the same latitude as Colorado, but the climate is much different due to its location and flatter terrain.
• There are two ski resorts in Missouri: the Hidden Valley Ski Area North of Kansas City and the Snow Creek Ski Resort.
• The ski resorts in Missouri are some of the only ski resorts in the central-to-south Midwest and are hundreds of miles from any other skiing.
• The surrounding states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas don’t have any ski resorts. Ainsley Proffit is one of the most famous skiers from Missouri and competes on the US National Ski Team.

Top Ski Resorts in Missouri

For Missouri ski resorts, you don’t have many options to choose from. Because the state is relatively flat and doesn’t get as much snow as some other areas, the potential for ski resort locations is limited.

There are two ski resorts in Missouri: Hidden Valley Ski Area and Snow Creek Resort. They are at far ends of the state, so wherever you are in Missouri, you likely aren’t too far from one of them.

Hidden Valley Ski Area

Hidden Valley Ski Area is the largest winter sports resort in Missouri and is located just west of St. Louis Missouri.
This resort has five chair lifts as well as a few rope tows and magic carpet lifts for skiing and tubing.

Here is a summary of the lifts and the terrain they provide access to:

• The East Mountain lift is a two-chair lift that provides access from the main parking and lodge area on the east side of the resort to the central ski area and the base of Gateway and Ozark lifts.
• The Gateway lift is a triple chair lift, and one of the main lifts in the central area of the resort. This lift gives access to mostly beginner and intermediate ski runs.
• The Ozark lift runs parallel to Gateway in the center mountain and gets you to most of the same terrain. From Ozark you can also follow a few black diamond runs to the west mountain.
• The West Mountain lift is at the far end of the park and gives access to more intermediate and advanced terrain. To get to the West Mountain resort you have to ski down from the top of Gateway or Ozark across the mountain.
• The Lewis and Clark is a triple chair lift that takes you from the base of the west mountain back to the central mountain at the top of Gateway and Ozark. This is the best way to get back to the lodge and parking from the west mountain area.

Here are the top ski runs to check out in Hidden Valley Ski Area:

• Cold-Rush is a black diamond run starting from the top of the West Mountain lift. This is a steep run and one of the longest descents in the entire ski area. If you are an advanced skier, this could be your favorite run at the resort!
• Eureka is an awesome blue run that weaves through a narrower path through the trees.
• The Outlaw Terrain Park is the biggest terrain park anywhere in Missouri and features jumps, rails, and jibs. This is a popular place for snowboarders.

Hidden Valley is also a popular area for tubing in the winter. There is a dedicated tubing area at the east side of the resort with a magic carpet lift to take you to the top.

Snow Creek Ski Resort

The Snow Creek Ski Resort is about 40 miles north of Kansas City in the little town of Weston Missouri.
Snow Creek has three chair lifts accessing ski areas and a few rope tow or magic carpet lifts to get to tubing runs and beginner ski areas.

Here are the lifts at Snow Creek:

• The Jayhawk lift is a triple chair lift at the far east side of the resort. It gets you to the top of some great intermediate terrain as well as both terrain parks in the resort.
• The Show Me lift is another triple chair lift that goes up the center of the resort and puts you in more heavily treed terrain and is the only black diamond in the resort.
• The Tiger lift is a very short two-chair lift that gets you primarily to beginner terrain.

Here are some of the top ski runs in Snow Creek Ski Resort:

• The Holiday Bowl is a huge wide-open bowl at the center of the resort that has tons of space for you to explore.
• Six Shooter is the only black diamond ski run in the resort and is definitely where you want to go if you’re an advanced skier.
• The Rattlesnake Terrain Park is a massive, long terrain park with tons of jumps if you’re wanting to get some air.

Is There Good Skiing in Missouri

There are only two ski resorts in Missouri, so, is it worth going to Missouri for skiing?

If you live in Missouri or nearby states, it can definitely be worth visiting Hidden Valley or Snow Creek to get some skiing this winter. I probably wouldn’t recommend planning a dedicated ski trip to Missouri though if you have other options.

Other areas in the US like Colorado, Utah, and Idaho have much better terrain and snow available if you are looking for somewhere to travel for skiing.

If you are looking for world-class skiing, Missouri isn’t the place, but it does have some great smaller resorts to check out if you live nearby.