The highest ski area in New England is Killington, topping out at 4,241 feet. Highest and tallest are not the same thing though, and Killington holds both titles here: 3,050 feet from base to summit. With the 2026-27 season opening, these are the four New England resorts with the most vertical drop in the region.
Whiteface, NY, has the most vertical drop in the Northeast, but since it is in New York State, which is in the Mid-Atlantic region rather than New England, it has been omitted from this list.
4 Tallest Ski Resorts In New England By Vertical Drop
4. Sugarbush, VT – 2,600 feet
Spread across Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen (connected by the Slide Brook chair), Sugarbush combines 2,600 feet of honest vertical with two distinct personalities, the Polished Lincoln Peak village and the throwback steeps of Mount Ellen. Classic New England trails like Paradise and Organgrinder mix with Castlerock’s no-groom, bump-filled glory and the legendary trees of Ellen.
- Highest point 4,083 feet
- Lowest point 1,483 feet
3. Smugglers’ Notch, VT – 2,610 feet
“Smuggs” holds the title of steepest vertical in the East for its infamous Black Hole, the only triple-black-diamond trail east of the Rockies. Three interconnected mountains deliver 1,000+ acres of terrain, with 40% expert-only runs, legendary tree skiing (Madonna Lift Line glades are world-class), and a raw, unpolished charm. .
- Highest point 3,640 feet
- Lowest point 1,030 feet
2. Sugarloaf, ME – 2,820 fee
Maine’s only lift-served skiing above treeline, Sugarloaf delivers the second-biggest continuous vertical in the East and a legitimate big-mountain feel rare this side of the Rockies. The iconic Snowfields offer open bowl skiing, while glades and steeps like Bubblecuffer and Misery Whip keep experts grinning.
- Highest point 4,237 feet
- Lowest point 1,417 feet
1. Killington Resort, VT – 3,050 feet
Nicknamed “The Beast of the East,” Killington boasts the largest vertical drop in the East and one of the longest ski seasons in North America, often running October to June thanks to aggressive snowmaking and high-elevation terrain. Spanning seven mountains, it offers 1,509 skiable acres with everything from the double-black-diamond Outer Limits bump run to the 6.4-mile-long Juggernaut cruise. .
- Highest point 4,241 feet
- Lowest point 1,165 feet
