The most terrain
Snowshoe Mountain
Snowshoe. Built upside-down with the village on the 4,848-foot summit, and the Western Territory holding Cupp Run — 1,500 vertical feet of genuine expert terrain.
Full guide to Snowshoe Mountain →Downhill Skiing
Snowshoe Mountain is the largest ski resort in the mid-Atlantic and the only one with a genuine summit village. Timberline Mountain and Canaan Valley Resort share the Canaan Valley snow belt, which catches upslope snow off the Allegheny Front and averages far more than the surrounding region.
The Canaan Valley snow belt is a real meteorological phenomenon, not marketing. Upslope snowfall regularly buries Tucker County while the valleys forty miles west stay bare.
Three lift-served areas plus the East's best Nordic center, all within twenty minutes of each other, plus the region's largest resort an hour south.
Our recommendations
Where we'd send you
Best value
Timberline Mountain
Timberline Mountain in Canaan Valley. About 1,000 feet of vertical and Salamander, a two-mile top-to-bottom cruiser that's the longest trail in the mid-Atlantic.
Full guide to Timberline Mountain →For families
Canaan Valley Resort
A state park resort with skiing, snow tubing, Nordic trails and lodging all on one property.
Full guide to Canaan Valley →Practical note
Snowshoe's summit village sits in cloud a great deal of the winter, and the weather up there is severe. Check the mountain forecast, not the town forecast, and bring goggles you can see out of in flat light.
What to know before you go
- Canaan Valley's upslope snow is the state's reliability advantage
- Snowshoe's terrain is upside-down — you ski down from the village
- Timberline's Salamander is the longest trail in the mid-Atlantic
Regions that do it best
Every place we cover for downhill skiing
State Park · Potomac Highlands
Canaan Valley
The highest large valley east of the Mississippi, at about 3,200 feet — a 14-mile-long bowl of wetland, bog, beaver meadow and northern hardwood that behaves climatically like central Canada.
3,200 ft valley floor17,000+ ac refuge
Ski Area · Potomac Highlands
Timberline Mountain
A Canaan Valley ski area with about 1,000 feet of vertical and Salamander, a two-mile top-to-bottom run that is the longest trail in the mid-Atlantic.
1,000 ft vertical2 mi salamander
Ski Area · Potomac Highlands
Snowshoe Mountain
The largest ski resort in the mid-Atlantic, built upside-down: the village sits at 4,848 feet on the summit ridge of Cheat Mountain and you ski down from it.
4,848 ft summit1,500 ft cupp run vertical
State Park · Potomac Highlands
Canaan Valley Resort State Park
The state's only resort park with lift-served downhill skiing, plus a lodge, cabins, a golf course, snow tubing and cross-country trails, sitting on the floor of Canaan Valley beside the national wildlife refuge..
6,015 ac park850 ft ski vertical
Trips built around it
AdvertiseThis space is available
Guides and rentals for downhill skiing
Reserved for a West Virginia operator serving this activity. Everything above and below it is unpaid editorial.
List your business hereQuestions people ask
Can you ski in West Virginia?
Yes. Snowshoe Mountain, Timberline Mountain and Canaan Valley Resort all operate lift-served downhill skiing, with a season generally running December through March.
Which West Virginia ski resort is best?
Snowshoe is the largest with the most terrain and vertical. Timberline and Canaan Valley are smaller, cheaper and less crowded, and share the same reliable Canaan Valley snow belt.
Organizations, agencies and resources · 8
The groups doing the actual work — access, maintenance, licensing and data. Starred entries are worth following continuously.
WVU DIY Outdoors
University
One of the most important WV-specific resources, covering hiking, backpacking, climbing, biking, whitewater, canoeing, caving, swimming holes, skiing and more.
Visit
Snowshoe Mountain
Operator
The largest ski resort in the mid-Atlantic, with a summit village, night skiing and a lift-served bike park in summer.
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Canaan Valley Resort
Government
State park resort with downhill skiing, snow tubing, cross-country trails, golf and lodging in the Canaan Valley snow belt.
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Timberline Mountain
Operator
Canaan Valley ski area home to Salamander, the longest trail in the mid-Atlantic.
Visit
West Virginia State Parks — Winter Recreation
Government
Sledding, snow tubing, cross-country skiing, snowshoe rentals and winter lodging across the park system.
Visit
Move United (Disabled Sports USA)
Nonprofit
Adaptive recreation resources and an affiliate directory for adaptive skiing, paddling and cycling programs.
Visit
Nature's Mountain Playground — Pocahontas County
Government
Snowshoe, Cass, the Greenbrier River Trail, Cranberry Glades and the National Radio Quiet Zone.
Visit
Get Tuckered — Tucker County
Government
Davis, Thomas, Canaan Valley, Blackwater Falls and Dolly Sods — the state's highest-density adventure county.
Visit