Parking is often one of the most frustrating parts of a ski day. Long walks, expensive fees, crowded lots, and shuttle systems can turn an otherwise great day on the mountain into a battle before you even get to the slopes.
We asked our Facebook followers a simple question: what ski resort has the worst parking? Hundreds of people responded with a wide range of answers, but several resorts appeared repeatedly. Vail stood out as the #1 response.
Vail Gets the Most Parking Complaints
Vail was mentioned the most, a total of 18 times from the 149 comments that actually mentioned specific locations. Several people focused specifically on the cost of parking at the mountain, with weekend and overnight fees skyrocketing the cost of a trip to the slopes.
Additionally the distance between parking and the lifts was criticized, and the minimal free parking, most of which is limited and far from the trail, were mentioned on several occasions. That criticism was not universal, and some commenters pointed out that the Town of Vail is responsible for the parking system more than Vail Resorts themselves.
Stowe and Stevens Pass Also Draw Fire
Vermont’s Stowe received a handful of mentions too, with many skiers naming the resort as having the worst parking without any further elaboration. Stevens Pass in Washington was also high up in the mentions, with one commenter calling the experience 100$ bad and another describing a weekend at the mountain as “pure hell”.
Utah’s Brighton and New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley also appeared on the list a handful of times. Complaints about Waterville Valley were primarily focused on the distance and uphill walk required from the lots to the lodge.
Parking Problems Go Beyond Crowded Lots
The responses make it clear that bad ski resort parking is much more than just the difficulty of finding an empty space. Many people complained about fees, reservations, shuttles, and long walks. Several skiers rejected the idea of paying extra after already purchasing a lift ticket, while others criticized shuttle reliability or the requirement for parking reservations.
Opinions heavily varied, but it’s clear that, to most skiers, the perfect parking spot is free, close to the lifts, and easy to reach. Anything else can quickly become one of the biggest complaints of the day.
