Best Family Ski Resorts

Grand Targhee, WY

Tucked into the backside of the magnificent Tetons hides Grand Targhee, where snowfall seems to be endless and families can savor it in endless ways. Targhee isn't huge: just 2,000 acres of lift-accessed skiing coupled with another 1,000 acres of snowcat skiing. That's a good thing for families: The intimate setting means you can almost always spot your kids during lessons and you only have steps to walk to drop them off or pick them up. But the feelinng is huge: With the deep snow (500 inches annually, on average), kids are taught to ski powder right from the start. The ski school program, called Powder Scouts, uses the deep snow coupled with groomed trails to develop versatile skiers. When families are done skiing, they don't just have to just crash at their slopeside condo or do something ordinary like enjoy the heated outdoor pool or go tubing. They can go dogsledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or take in an "all family" fitness session at the Dreamchaser Spa, also slopeside. If you're really adventurous, take your family on a bus ride over the peaks to Jackson with one of the cowboy-poet bus drivers. The 45-minute ride alone is a lifetime memory.

Look Out For: Kids-Only Trail Map shows Targhee through children's eyes, showing them where the best kiddie runs and fun are.
What's Cool: Casino night. Now in its 30th year, families love the rollicking time every Wednesday night of ski season.
Only Here: Take a family snowcat powder-skiing lesson with your own guides and all the right equipment.

Plus:
Ski Family Awards
Ski's Top 10 Family-Friendly Resorts