Winter Activities 

The TOP 7 Winter Activities in Park City & Deer Valley Utah:

1. Bobsledding at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP)

For the ultimate adrenaline rush, this is the top non-skiing activity. You can ride with a professional pilot down the actual 2002 Winter Olympic bobsled, luge, and skeleton track at speeds up to 70 mph. It’s an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The UOP also offers museums and other thrilling activities like the Alpine Slide (in summer) and Extreme Tubing.

2. Snowmobiling Tours

Get deep into the backcountry wilderness on a guided snowmobile tour. Outfitters in the area lead excursions over vast, private acreage and through national forest land, providing an exhilarating way to cover ground and enjoy truly remote, breathtaking winter scenery at high elevations.

3. Explore Historic Main Street (Shopping & Dining)

The vibrant, historic heart of Park City is a destination in itself. You can spend a whole day:

• Shopping at hundreds of boutiques, art galleries, and gear shops.

• Dining at world-class restaurants, from casual to fine dining.

• Enjoying the Après-Ski scene in the historic saloons and bars.

4. Gourmet Sleigh Ride Dinners

This is a classic Deer Valley/Park City experience. You are bundled up in a horse-drawn sleigh and whisked through the snowy meadows or up a mountain to a rustic log lodge for an elegant, multi-course dinner, complete with live music and a cozy fireside atmosphere.

5. Snow Tubing

A guaranteed good time for all ages, requiring no skill or gear besides warm clothes. Popular spots like Woodward Park City or Soldier Hollow (in nearby Midway) offer multiple lanes and a "magic carpet" conveyor lift to take you and your tube back to the top.

6. Dog Sledding

Experience the silence of the snow-covered mountains being pulled by a team of huskies. Several local mushing companies offer guided dog sledding tours, giving you a unique and scenic perspective of the surrounding area, often with an opportunity to meet and interact with the sled dogs.

7. Luxury Spa & Wellness

After a day in the cold, nothing beats relaxing at one of the area's top-tier spas, such as those found at the luxurious Deer Valley resorts. You can enjoy massages, soaks, and heated indoor/outdoor pools and hot tubs surrounded by snow. This is the ultimate way to unwind and recharge on a mountain vacation.

More Winter Activities

Here are some lesser-known winter hidden gems for Non-Skiers:

1. Fat Tire Biking on Groomed Trails

Mountain biking is not just for summer! You can rent "fat bikes" (mountain bikes with oversized, low-pressure tires) that are specifically designed for traction on packed snow. White Pine Touring grooms a dedicated network of Nordic trails, allowing you to get a great workout and explore the serene winter landscape on two wheels.

2. Cross-Country (Nordic) Skiing or Snowshoeing

While downhill skiing gets the attention, Cross-Country (XC) skiing or snowshoeing is a peaceful, accessible way to enjoy the mountains. You can rent gear easily and access extensive free trails at Round Valley or groomed, scenic tracks (for a small fee) at the White Pine Nordic Center. It's an excellent low-impact workout with beautiful views.

3. High West Distillery & Saloon Tour and Tasting

High West is famous as the world's only ski-in/ski-out distillery (on Main Street, though its production facility is a short drive away). Non-skiers can enjoy a tour and tasting at their Wanship Distillery location, which provides a deep dive into the whiskey-making process, followed by a delicious lunch and tasting flight.

4. A Unique Dining Experience: The Viking Yurt

This is more than just dinner—it's an exclusive event. Guests take a sleigh ride (pulled by a snowcat or snowmobile) up the mountain to a remote Mongolian yurt (tent) at 8,700 feet elevation. There, you are treated to a fixed-price, multi-course Nordic-inspired fine dining experience, complete with live music. Reservations are essential and often book up far in advance.

5. Historic Park City Museum & Banksy Art Hunt

Dive into Park City's rich past as a silver mining town. The Park City Museum on Main Street offers fascinating exhibits, including a section on the town's transition from mining to skiing. After, you can turn your Main Street stroll into a Banksy art hunt—several original pieces by the famous street artist remain hidden on buildings around the historic district.

6. Indoor Thrills at Woodward Park City

Woodward is a world-class action sports hub. Non-skiers can enjoy their massive indoor hub, which features:

• Trampoline Zone: For practicing tricks and getting air.

• Foam Pits: To safely land jumps and flips.

• Skateparks: Indoor ramps and bowls for skateboarding and scootering.

It's a great option for families, teens, or adults looking for a high-energy indoor activity.

7. Soak in the Homestead Crater

Located about 30 minutes away in Midway (near Deer Valley), the Homestead Crater is a true geological marvel. It's a geothermal spring housed inside a 55-foot-tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock formation. The water is a consistent 90–96°F, and you can swim, soak, or even take a paddleboard yoga class in the warm, mineral-rich water.

Silver Mining Transformed into Ski Lifts

You already know Park City as a world-class mountain resort town and snow ski paradise. It's where the 2002 Olympic Winter Games was held. And it's host to the 2034 games too. It was also once the mecca of silver mining, boasting it's own illustrious and colorful past. Prospectors and miners were active from 1860s until the early 1970s. The mining company gradually shifted into the ski business in 1960s, when they built the first lifts on what was then called Treasure Mountain. There are still some 300-700 relic mining structures still visible on the ski mountain terrain. This is all part of the experience that makes this place so special.  Definitely check out the Park City History Museum on Main Street. It's truly a treasure in itself.

Winter Traditions in Deer Valley Park City Utah

For a vacation visitors, here are the signature events with distinctive atmosphere to help plan the most memorable trip:

✨ Top 5 Winter Traditions

1. The Annual Torchlight Parades

This is a quintessential mountain tradition held by both resorts during the holiday season (typically on Christmas Eve at Park City Mountain and near New Year's Eve at Deer Valley). Ski instructors descend the mountain slopes in formation, carrying bright, blazing torches, creating a spectacular, glowing red river of light visible from the base areas. Complimentary hot cocoa and cookies are usually part of the event.

2. Gourmet Sleigh Ride & Yurt Dinners

The tradition of the exclusive, upscale dining experience accessed by a sleigh or snowcat ride is a hallmark of the area's luxury appeal.

• The Viking Yurt (Park City Mountain): A unique fixed-price, multi-course Nordic dinner reached via a sleigh ride up the mountain.

• Snowed Inn Sleigh Company (Park City Mountain): A horse-drawn sleigh ride to a rustic lodge for a Western-style dinner.

3. The Grand Holiday Lighting of Historic Main Street

As the heart of Park City, the annual decoration and lighting of Historic Main Street transforms the old mining town into a magical Christmas card scene. This tradition includes the installation of the giant Town Lift tree, sparkling lights on all the historic buildings, and often a "Snow Globe Stroll" of life-sized art installations, making evening walks a festive necessity.

4. Santa Comes Down the Town Lift

This unique Park City tradition marks the beginning of the major holiday season. Instead of arriving in a conventional sleigh, Santa Claus descends right into Main Street via the Park City Mountain's Town Lift, bringing hot cocoa, cookies, and holiday tunes for a massive, family-friendly event.

5. The FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup Events

While many resorts host races, Deer Valley's tradition is hosting the Intermountain Health Freestyle International Ski World Cup (typically in late January or early February). Spectators gather at the base of the challenging runs to watch the world's best athletes compete in aerials and moguls on the same slopes used in the 2002 Winter Olympics. It's a high-energy, free spectator event that celebrates the area's Olympic legacy.