Keystone Resort Overview
Keystone is located in Summit County, Colorado, around 90 miles (144 km) from Denver International Airport, and is an ideal resort choice for families looking for an epic mountain experience.
With over 3,000 acres of skiable terrain from gentle beginner slopes up to expert terrain across three peaks and an in-bounds cat-skiing operation, five above tree-line bowls combined with rocking night skiing, there is truly something at Keystone for the whole family.
Families arriving at Keystone are greeted with free designated family parking and complimentary red wagons to transport the little ones back and forth to the slopes.
On the hill, kids will revel in the world’s largest snow fort, and the daily free Kidtopia programs will on the ski hill and the village keep the kids entertained and coming back for more.
Plus, when you factor into the budget that kids 12 and younger ski free with two or more days of booked lodging through the resort, it’s easy to see why Keystone is so popular with families.
Keystone is owned and managed by Vail Resorts.
Why Choose Keystone?
- Keystone Resort Is Family Friendly
- Kids Under 12 Ski Free
- The World’s Largest Snow Fort For Kids
- Designated Family Ski Areas
- Largest Night Skiing In Colorado
- Central Village With Giant 5 Acre Skating Lake
Keystone Key Statistics
- Beginner Runs 12%
- Intermediate Runs 39%
- Advanced Runs 49%
- Summit Elevation 12,408 Ft / 3,782 m
- Ski Area 3,149 Ac / 1249 ha
Keystone Terrain
Keystone Mountain Resort is a solid performer and family favorite with its 3149 acres of skiable terrain set across three peaks plus the largest night riding in Colorado. Keystone boasts an excellent vertical drop of 3,128 feet / 953m and this Summit elevation is an eye-watering 12,408 feet / 3,782m.
Keystone receives an average annual snowfall of 235 inches, which is almost 6m, and has 130 trails with the longest run being Miles /Schoolmarm of 3.5 miles / 5.6 km so buckle up your ski boots or snowboard boots and get after it.
There are 20 chair lifts to whisk you around the mountain so you’ll have no trouble finding that perfect patch of snow to ski and ride.
If you can manage your day then gathering the family for some family fun at the top of the Summit to watch the sunset as the night riding lights fire up is a bucket list moment not to be missed.
To help with your decision if Keystone is right for you and or your family, we have created a detailed Keystone Mountain And Terrain Guide for you.
Keystone Lodging
There are several areas to stay in Keystone including East Keystone, Lakeside Village, Mountain House, North Keystone, River Run Village, and West Keystone.
East Keystone is tucked away just east of River Run Village offering townhomes and private residences. Lakeside Village surrounds Keystone Lake which is the perfect ice-skating play area in the winter and a wonderful Lake area in the summer. Mountain House is the original Keystone base area and is ideal if you’re looking for a quieter atmosphere. North Keystone is more secluded and located at the base of Tenderfoot Mountain. River Run Village is located in the heart of Keystone Resort just steps to the gondola. West Keystone offers a peaceful mountain environment in a quiet neighborhood.
For lodging prices and live availability, click the lodging tan above.
Keystone Lift Tickets
Keystone offers all the regular tickets you would expect from a world-class resort including adult, child, and senior single and multi-day tickets to get you onto the chair lift with confidence.
The best value lift tickets are when you can book early. If you leave purchasing your lift ticket to the last minute you will pay the highest window price and during the peak holiday periods, walk-up lift ticket sales will be limited.
SkiBookings.com has negotiated excellent chair lift ticket rates when you package this up through us and/or you can prepurchase an Epic day pass, or use other pass options that are valid to ski and ride at Keystone Resort and partner resorts. Keystone is another of Vail’s ski resorts, which is why you can use an Epic Pass.
You can learn about the various EPIC Lift pass options to ski and ride Keystone here.
You can purchase EPIC and Keystone lift tickets through us and we have also created a Keystone Lift Ticket Guide to answer your frequently asked questions.
Keystone Ski School
There are plenty of ways to have fun on the slopes of Keystone on one of the ways to fast track your skiing and riding is to invest in a lesson. There are ski lessons to cater for everyone from beginner to expert young and old and even family lessons.
Kids always seem to do extremely well when they’re in a lesson environment with a highly trained ski instructor while making new friends and having adventures with other children of similar ability.
One of the other huge benefits of having a lesson especially during the peak holiday periods is you get to jump the lift lines which will help you maximise time on the snow.
There is quite a bit to navigate when it comes to Ski School options, so we have put together a detailed Keystone Ski School Guide for you.
Top 5 Things To Do In Keystone
- Skiing & Riding 3,000+ Acres Of Immaculate Groomers, Glades and Power Runs
- Guided Cat Skiing Tours
- Night skiing – Keystone Resort has the largest night riding in Colorado, available on most weekends and holidays.
- Snow Tubing
- Ice Skating At Keystone Village
- On-Mountain Dining At The Alpenglow Stube
Keystone Restaurants and Bars
Whether you’re the type of skier who loves to grab and go and maximize their ski time or prefer more of the fine dining mountain experience Keystone definitely have you covered with over 16 on-mountain and off-mountain dining options.
One of the best ways to keep track of all your restaurant options is to check out our Keystone Restaurant Guide.
Keystone Shopping
With over 10 stores in and around Keystone, there are some good stores to choose from including official Keystone resort wear to major brands like North Face but you will probably be best served by making sure you have all of your equipment needs sorted before you hit town. We put together a Keystone Shopping List of stores for you.
Estimated Ski Season Opening Dates
November 6th and Season Closing April 11th.
How To Get To Keystone
Keystone Ski Resort is located 90 miles (144 km) west of Denver International Airport (DEN) and 72 miles (115 km) from downtown Denver, Colorado.
Once at the resort this is plenty of free and paid parking options throughout the resort. To learn more, we put together a detailed how to get to Keystone guide.
SkiBookings.com can arrange your Keystone ski vacation packages including Keystone Lodging, Keystone lift tickets, Keystone transfers, Keystone lessons, and Keystone rentals.
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Other Things About Keystone
If you are an Epic Pass holder you can use your flexible Epic day pass and gain Epic Mountain Rewards as an Epic Pass holder. Epic Mountain Rewards can be redeemed and you can use your Epic Pass at other ski resorts owned and operated by Vail Resorts. An Epic Day Pass is a great option to ski and ride Keystone. The lift lines can build in peak periods but the lift operators do a great job getting to where you need to be so be sure to say hello to the friendly ski lift operator. Keystone is managed by Vail Resorts Management Company. Keystone Lodge is a must-visit for dinner. Epic Day pass is one of the best value ways to ride at the resort because the Epic Day pass acts like a lift ticket.