Brighton Ski Resort - Review 2025

Resort

Like Kirkwood Ski Resort of Lake Tahoe, Brighton Ski Resort has a passionate local following for a few reasons, the main being consistently great snow. The average snowfall per season is an ample 500 inches. There seems to be fresh powder every day.

The footprint of Brighton Ski Resort is 1,050 acres; even though this is about a third of the size of other resorts, the hill is still a blast to rip. The vertical is 1,875ft, with some gnarly terrain scattered throughout and several terrain parks.

Excitingly, night skiing is offered at Brighton Ski Resort. Imagine, you can night jib in the main park. Two hundred acres of Brighton is lit up for this chance of a lifetime, as few western resorts feature this activity. This location is where you can ski powder at night, not icy slopes. Night skiing occurs from 4 to 9 p.m. every night of the week except Sunday. There is an option to get a Twilight Pass that only covers skiing from 2 to 9 p.m.

The fun starts preseason at Brighton. The Bone Zone is a community event that takes place before opening day. Brighton’s local following brings rakes and shovels to make their own jumps, rails, and jibs. The Bone Zone is not a mountain-organized event. It is a hike terrain park made with the early season snow at the mountain’s base.

Plan to visit the Bone Zone on Halloween for costumes, festivities, and shredding the community-built park. The Bone Zone is a unique opportunity, bound to make you many new friends. This is a perfect activity to join if you are new to SLC.

Not only do locals love Brighton, but professional riders also claim this as their favorite mountain. JP Walker loves it; he talks about the boundless supply of natural hits, cliffs, and pillows. He brags how, at Brighton, you can take a short hike out-of-bounds, which is not allowed at most resorts, to find some wild features, and then it funnels back to the base. Jeremy Jones, creator of Jones Snowboard, also loves Brighton and calls it his go-to winter mountain.

Brighton Ski Resort is one of the oldest ski resorts in North America, sitting at 87 years old. Alpine Ski Club built a rope tow from wire and an old elevator motor to get people up the mountain to ski down in 1936. The resort was named after Thomas W. Brighton, who is credited with constructing the first buildings in the area. The rest is history, and now Brighton operates as a proud “no frills” mountain that provides legendary ski trails and numerous terrain parks.

Brighton Ski Resort is striving to be Net Zero by 2030. They are owned by Boyne Resorts, an innovative company committed to climate action, and have announced a ForeverProject. The ForeverProject plans to use 100% clean energy, reduce carbon intake, upgrade lift networks for optimal energy efficiency, and other proactive measures to reduce waste.

There are a variety of season pass and ticket options at Brighton Ski Resort to fit your needs. Buying season passes before the season starts unlocks discounts. The Ikon Pass works at Brighton; reserving ski days at Brighton with the Ikon Pass is necessary.

Getting There

Brighton Ski Resort is a 50-minute ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. Although it is not much farther from the airport than Snowbird, it is much less crowded. SLC is the hub for Delta Airlines and a few others; flying here from anywhere is possible. Once you arrive at the airport, you have several commuting options to Brighton Ski Resort. Either take a shuttle, the Ski Bus, taxi, or Uber. The Ski Bus is free for season pass holders and ikon passes.

To travel to Brighton, pass through Big Cottonwood Canyon via Highway 190. Stopping for groceries before you head there is probably a good idea, as après is limited at Brighton, but tailgates are encouraged.

But before driving to Brighton, remember that parking reservations are mandatory. Brighton has limited parking and is constantly at capacity. After 1 p.m., you do not need a reservation, but anytime before then, you do. Season pass holders park for free. Some free parking spots can be reserved.

Accommodations

There are no complimentary shuttle services at Brighton Ski Resort. Nor VRBO/condominium rentals within walking distance of the resort.

The only hotel is Brighton Lodge, offering a quaint rustic appeal with a small heated outdoor pool. It is a 20-room ski-in/ski-out lodging option with a fireplace in the lobby. The Lodge is a quick walk to Crest Express Lift.

Brighton Lodge offers packaged deals to clients looking to buy lift tickets and stay the night. If you are not interested in these lift-ticket bundles, nightly stays are between $229 and $429, depending on the lodging type and holiday rates. When you book a room, you are also guaranteed a paid parking spot. There is no on-site restaurant; however, Molly Green’s has a full-service bar and grill a short walk away.

Staying on the outskirts of Salt Lake City for a more affordable option is possible. Cottonwood Heights and Midvale are good places to look for lodging accommodations. You can take the Ski Bus or drive from SLC to Brighton Ski Resort.

Most Big Cottonwood Canyon visitors stay in Salt Lake City to visit several resorts like Brighton, Snowbird, Alta, Park City, and Solitude; you can find lodging for $50 a night on Airbnb, VRBO, or hotels.

Facilities

Facilities at Brighton are limited. This is not a grande ski resort. Do not rely on the facilities to bring you pleasure; instead, the steady fall of soft snow will. There is no spa or fitness center at Brighton Ski Resort; focus on shredding, not relaxing and working out. If you’re looking for a good spa or fitness center at a ski resort in the area, there is not. However, there is a heated outdoor pool at Brighton Lodge.

Brighton Ski Resort has a main building that offers computer charging stations in the Alpine Rose cafeteria. This building is between the Majestic and Explorer lifts; you can ski right up to it. The Brighton Resort building also has a kids and adult ski school. Brighton does not offer a daycare.

Ski rentals are available at Brighton Center, the building behind Brighton Resort’s main building. Brighton Center also has a winter goods shop called Brighton Mountain Sports; they sell sick snowboard and ski brands’ boards, jackets, gloves, and goggles. Some essentials, like hand warmers, cameras, batteries, and sunscreen, are also available. Brighton also has a Mobile Logo Shop for Brighton apparel. The Logo Shop is located outside the Milly Chalet.

Brighton is proud to announce that all of their lifts are high-speed. So, hot-lapping here is fire.

Families and Kids

Families can take advantage of the kid-friendly environment at Brighton, as it is small and charming. The staff is inviting and helpful. Brighton Ski Resort allows children six and under to ski free with a paying adult.

About 21% of Brighton’s skiable terrain is designated for beginners. The beginner runs are spread out on the mountain, helping keep the whole family together because different route options for each sibling’s ability lead to the same chair lift. Explorer Lift is the entry-level chair lift protected from other skiing traffic.

With the purchase of any Child or Grom Season Pass, the kiddo will be automatically enrolled into Brighton’s Kids Club. Perks of the Kids Club include “Meet the Avy Dog” Days, scavenger hunts, free hot cocoa vouchers, s’mores nights, Picture Day, and Spring Field Day.

There is no daycare at Brighton Ski Resort. However, the well-known Ski School has lessons for children ages 3 to 18. The ski school offers group and private lessons. And if you arrive after the ski day, Brighton Ski School even offers night lessons for children 8 and up. There are also special clinics and programs. Brighton’s ski school boasts of being Utah’s chosen place to learn to ski and snowboard.

If you are a Salt Lake City local looking for a winter activity for your children, there is an excellent racing program.

For Beginner Riders

Brighton is a more mellow mountain compared to the other ski hills surrounding Salt Lake City, like Snowbird. If you are strapping into a snowboard for the first time, this is a great mountain to do it at. And beginner park riders are in luck, as you have extra-small and small options.

21% of the hill is for beginners; these runs are called “green runs,” and there are 14. 40% of the runs are for intermediate riders, called “blue runs.” There are 40 blue runs. The runs at Brighton are given a five-star rating on grooming status. The resort grooms the green and blue runs nightly for optimal beginner performance.

Brighton Ski School is famous for its ski school. Known as “The place where Utah learns to ski and ride and keeps on learning.” They have over 175 instructors, so getting a lesson is definitely possible. Even with all the staff, reservations are encouraged due to the ski school’s high-caliber status. There are group and private lessons, along with specialty clinics.

Renting skis and snowboards here is easy. Head to the second floor of the Brighton Center to find their rental shop. Prices at Brighton’s rental shop are super reasonable. They offer rental packages and a-la-carte options. Choose from a standard equipment package, a performance package, or a high-performance package. There are also helmets, poles, and wrist guards to rent separately.

For Routine Skiers

Brighton Ski Resort is the go-to local hill of Salt Lake City. When researching why people love this hill, the most common answer seems to be “the vibes.” The community at Brighton Ski Resort is jovial, supportive, and, most of all, stoked out on shredding.

If you just moved to Salt Lake City and are looking for a community, visit Brighton to meet your new best friends. Even though this is the local choice, it is not nearly as crowded as neighboring ski resorts, Snowbird and Alta. There are 7 chairlifts, with plenty of sidecountry opportunities. Crowds stay just below frustration level.

Brighton Ski Resort is known for extensive backcountry access through the resort. Brighton offers an exclusive one-ride-up lift ticket to access the backcountry gates at the resort’s top.

Accessing backcountry through a gate in the resort is often referred to as sidecounty. To access the side-country, ride up the Great Western Express lift or hike up the western side of the resort. The goal is to reach Hidden Canyon; you can drop into Cheese Grater and make fresh powder turns here.

Sunny Glades is a slightly further hike but provides powder tree skiing. Another backcountry area is accessible by Snake Creek Lift from here; hike up to Preston Peak to get freshies and then funnel into Snake Creek bowl to get some more good turns, and then you can veer into the My-Oh-My Terrain Park to jib it out and then make it to Powder Alley to ski some trees; then repeat.

The iconic Mary Chutes at Brighton has been the host location of many pro ski and snowboard clips. The chutes are in the out-of-bounds area between Milly Express and Crest Express. On the map, it is marked as a cliff area. This is where you go if you are super gnar and always ready to test the limits. Brighton is unique in not punishing out-of-bounds riders.

Brighton Ski Resort offers a unique Twilight Pass. This is perfect for people who work during the day in Salt Lake City. The Twilight Pass includes unlimited riding from 2 p.m. to close with no blackout days. If this isn’t the pass for you, Brighton offers 7 different kinds of season passes.

For Snowboarders

Brighton Ski Resort is snowboard heaven. With 6 terrain parks and endless powder days, there is not a bad day to be had at Brighton. Most days will have a nice “dusting” from the night before, aka it snowed an inch or two. The incredible groomers will feel delicious under this fresh coat of snow on a snowboard. Brighton is one of the first Utah resorts that allowed snowboarders.

Jib your way through several terrain parks, choosing one suitable for your level. Progression is totally possible here, as there are over 100 rails, boxes, tubes, and jib features, including a sick half-pipe. Brighton’s terrain parks have trained many pro skiers and snowboarders.

If you’re looking for big air, head to My-Oh-My, accessible by Crest Express. Pee-Wee has something for the little rippers or first-time shredders. Terrain parks Candyland, Upper, and Lower Majestic are froth-worthy for all level riders, allowing for plenty of creativity.

Brighton is a perfect place to start if you are just getting into park riding. Check out their educational terrain park guide, Park Etiquette and Education Program, PEEPs. The guide contains park safety tips, dope riding tips, and a better understanding of navigating the terrain parks. Brighton offers freestyle camps to children 7 to 15 at the intermediate+ level.

The Apres-Ski

The après-ski scene at Brighton Ski Resort is finite. With only one full-bar and grill menu option, Molly Green’s, the other options are more grab-on-the-go or cafeteria-style meals. Molly Green’s offers a nice evening date spot next to a cozy fireplace.

For a slopeside bite in between runs, stop at the Milly Chalet. Here, they serve burgers, burritos, and beer. They also love a Sunday Brunch, a beautiful way to commemorate your weekend ski trip.

Another option is skiing up to the Alpine Rose mountain dining using Scout, Hawkeye Access, or Powder Alley. This is a traditional cafeteria-style dining option, but it is actually good. Perfect for a during-the-ski day meal or an after-ski stop to fill up your bellies before you drive back into Salt Lake City.

Brighton Ski Resort offers events and activities. Sign up for the Brighton Bulletin to get alerts on when, what, and where things are happening at Brighton Ski Resort. They host music concerts and other activities all year long.

The Bottom Line

Utah’s local hill, Brighton Ski Resort, shouldn’t be overlooked, as it has exceptional vibes. If you’re a snowboarder looking for a resort to call home, look no further.

Whether you travel to shred or commute from Salt Lake City, Brighton is ready to welcome you with open arms. Tailgates litter the parking lot, and as people fuel themselves for the day’s shred, they create this aurora of stoke in the atmosphere.

The terrain park caters to every level rider, leaving flow to be cultivated by its users. Beginners have plenty of space to learn to board here, and experts can find the gnarliest chutes and cliffs slightly out-of-bounds.

Renting or buying equipment is feasible, but options are not in profusion. If you show up without a cookout setup, a few places can accommodate your food and beverage needs.

Overall, the snow quality, warm salutations, out-of-bounds terrain, and trail maintenance are first-rate, making visitors want to come here over and over again.