Winter 2026–27 is shaping up to be one of the biggest in Park City’s history. Deer Valley adds another 200 acres and its 32nd lift, Park City Mountain opens a free new gondola and parking garage at Canyons Village, Sundance Mountain Resort debuts its largest expansion since 1985, and Shaun White’s Snow League brings a world-class halfpipe contest back to town in January. Sundance Film Festival has moved to Colorado, but Park City’s new fall film festival and a quieter January are real upsides for travelers.
If you’re staying at Newpark Resort in Kimball Junction, all of it is close: Canyons Village is about three miles away, Park City Mountain and Deer Valley are a free bus or short drive, and you come home each night to a gas fireplace, heated bathroom floors, and, in the suites and townhomes, a private hot tub on the deck. Here’s everything new for the season and how to make the most of it.
Winter 2026–27 at a Glance
- Park City Mountain targets a November 20 opening, with the new Canyons Village Skyway gondola and a five-level parking garage
- Deer Valley opens December 5 with the new Hail Peak Express, 200 more acres, and seven new runs (4,500 acres total)
- Sundance Mountain Resort opens the Electric Horseman Express and 165 acres of new terrain, plus the new 63-room Inn at Sundance
- The Snow League (Shaun White’s halfpipe tour) hits Park City Mountain January 21–23, 2027
- Sundance Film Festival has moved to Boulder, Colorado (January 21–31, 2027); the new Park City Film Festival runs October 23–25, 2026
- Forecasters are watching a very strong El Niño (historically a mixed bag for northern Utah), and Deer Valley has doubled down on snowmaking either way
Park City Mountain: A New Front Door at Canyons Village
Park City Mountain is the closest ski area to Newpark Resort, and the Canyons Village side is where most of this season’s changes land.
The Canyons Village Skyway. The old Cabriolet, the open-air stand-up lift that carried skiers from the parking lots to the village, ran its final day last spring. Replacing it is the Skyway, a 10-passenger enclosed gondola with floor-to-ceiling windows and a mid-station, running from the new parking structure to the Canyons Village Forum. It’s free to ride and is scheduled to start turning on opening day, November 20. If you’ve ever stood on the Cabriolet in a snowstorm holding your skis upright, you’ll appreciate this one.
The new parking garage. The Canyons Village parking structure grows from two levels to five and is expected to open in early December. Garage parking is $29 a day before noon (free after 12 p.m.), carpools of four or more park free when space allows, and a free first-come, first-served surface lot sits next door. Because the garage may lag a few weeks behind opening day, the smartest move for Newpark guests is to skip parking altogether: the free High Valley Transit 101 bus runs from the Kimball Junction Transit Center straight to Canyons Village.
Last season’s Sunrise Gondola is now the standard route. The 10-passenger Sunrise Gondola replaced an old two-seat chair on the Canyons side in 2025–26 and reaches Red Pine Lodge, with Moose Camp, a revamped Ski and Ride School beginner zone, at the top. Park City Mountain says it improved uphill flow by 45 percent. For families with first-timers, it’s the easiest ski-school logistics on the mountain.
Coming next year. Vail Resorts has confirmed that the Silverlode eight-passenger chairlift and a combined six-pack replacing Eagle and Eaglet will be ready for 2027–28. Worth knowing if you’re the type who plans two winters ahead.
Deer Valley: The Expansion Keeps Growing
Deer Valley’s “Expanded Excellence” project made headlines last season when the East Village expansion opened seven new lifts, including a 10-passenger gondola, and roughly 80 runs. (The East Village and Park Peak lodges follow in 2027–28.) For 2026–27 the resort adds the Hail Peak Express, a high-speed chair rising 1,130 vertical feet to unlock 200 new acres and seven new runs. That brings Deer Valley to 4,500 skiable acres, 209 runs, and 32 lifts, including 11 new lifts installed since December 2024.
Two practical notes for visitors. First, Deer Valley opens December 5 (conditions permitting), about two weeks after Park City Mountain. Second, the resort still limits daily lift ticket sales, so buy Deer Valley days in advance, especially over the holidays and Presidents’ Day. Deer Valley also added a 10-million-gallon snowmaking reservoir this year, a hedge against the warm spells that hurt early season last winter.
From Newpark, Deer Valley’s Snow Park base is about 20 minutes by car or bus. The East Village portal, with its 1,200 parking spots and its own 10-passenger gondola, sits off Highway 40 near Jordanelle and can be a faster drive on a busy Saturday.
Sundance Mountain Resort: Worth the Drive This Year
Sundance Mountain Resort, about an hour south of Park City in Provo Canyon, has always been the quiet, artsy alternative. This winter it gets its biggest upgrade since 1985: the Electric Horseman Express, a Doppelmayr high-speed quad running from near the Wildwood base across Far East Ridge to Bearclaw Summit, opening 165 acres of new terrain with 1,850 vertical feet of continuous fall line and a new bowl next to Bishop’s Bowl. The 63-room, ski-in/ski-out Inn at Sundance opened in early 2026.
If you’re booking a week at Newpark, a Sundance day trip is an easy way to add a completely different mountain to your Park City ski vacation without changing hotels.
Sundance Film Festival Is Gone. Here’s What That Means for You.
After more than four decades in Park City, the Sundance Film Festival has relocated to Boulder, Colorado. The 2027 festival runs January 21–31 in Boulder, and it won’t return to Park City.
For film fans, that stings. For travelers, it’s quietly good news. Late January was historically Park City’s most expensive, most congested week. Main Street closed to traffic, lodging rates spiked, restaurant reservations vanished, and the lifts were surprisingly empty because most visitors were indoors watching movies. This January, the town belongs to skiers again: mid-winter snowpack, no festival premiums, and open tables on Main Street (our Park City Dining Guide has the short list).
Park City still has a film festival, just in the fall. Park City Film, the local nonprofit that runs year-round arthouse screenings at the Jim Santy Auditorium, launched the Park City Film Festival this year, running October 23–25, 2026. The inaugural edition brings 10 independent films and four panel discussions, with screenings at the Santy Auditorium in the Park City Library and panels at Distrikt F, a photo studio and event space in the Iron Horse district. Opening night features “The Life We Leave,” a documentary by local filmmaker JJ Gerber. Passes and individual tickets are on sale now at parkcityfilmfestival.eventive.org. It’s a small first edition by design, and the kind of thing that grows. Newpark is proud to be working with the festival.
The Snow League Comes to Park City
The biggest new event on the winter calendar is The Snow League, Shaun White’s professional halfpipe tour, which stops at Park City Mountain January 21–23, 2027. The world’s top halfpipe snowboarders and freeskiers compete on a brand-new 22-foot superpipe, the first at that size at Park City Mountain since the 2019 FIS World Championships, with live music and fan zones around the venue. The event airs on NBC and Peacock, but seeing a 22-foot pipe in person is a different thing entirely. Tickets aren’t on sale yet; register on the Snow League site for early notice. It lands on the same weekend Sundance used to occupy, which makes it the natural anchor for a late-January trip.
More Winter Events Worth Planning Around
Park City’s recurring winter traditions carry on, and most are free. Watch the Visit Park City events calendar for exact dates as the season approaches, and for the full list of winter activities, see 25 Things to Do in Park City in the Winter and our guide to Park City winter activities beyond skiing.
- Canyons Village tree lighting the Friday after Thanksgiving, an easy evening outing from Newpark
- Christmas Eve torchlight parade at Park City Mountain, with Deer Valley’s version a few days later
- Winter Pride in February, free Saturday concerts at Canyons Village in March and April, and the season-ending Pond Skim at the Mountain Village base
- Utah Olympic Park, five minutes up the hill from Newpark, runs winter bobsled rides, and its museums are free to visit
Planning Tips for Winter 2026–27
Book early for the holidays and Presidents’ Day. Deer Valley’s ticket caps and the Snow League weekend will both push demand. Right now, our Countdown to Winter special takes 15% off stays of three or more nights between December 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027. Booking direct also comes with our Best Rate Guarantee and gives you room types, like the private hot tub suites, that often don’t show up on booking sites.
Ride the bus. Between the $29 Canyons garage and Deer Valley’s paid lots, Park City’s free transit system is the best deal in town. Newpark sits near the Kimball Junction transit hub, so free High Valley Transit buses take you to Canyons Village and Park City Mountain, with a transfer at Old Town Transit Center for Deer Valley. You won’t need to move your car all week.
Give yourself a day to acclimate. Park City sits at about 7,000 feet. Arrive, hydrate, take an easy first day (Swaner Preserve, Main Street, the hot tub), and ski hard on day two.
Pack for a real winter. Forecasters are watching a very strong El Niño for 2026–27. El Niño winters are historically a mixed bag for northern Utah, but with Deer Valley’s expanded snowmaking and Park City Mountain’s improved lift network, the resorts are prepared either way. Bring layers, a proper shell, and goggles for both bright and flat light. More packing and planning ideas are in our quick tips for a Park City winter trip.
Cook a few nights in. Many Newpark suites and townhomes have full kitchens, and Smith’s is a short walk and Whole Foods is a quick drive or bus ride from the resort. On a ski week, one home-cooked dinner in front of the fireplace beats a fourth restaurant night, and the savings add up for families.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Park City’s ski resorts open for the 2026–27 season?
Park City Mountain targets November 20, 2026. Deer Valley opens December 5, 2026, conditions permitting.
Is the Sundance Film Festival still in Park City?
No. The Sundance Film Festival moved to Boulder, Colorado, starting with the January 21–31, 2027 edition. Park City’s new Park City Film Festival runs October 23–25, 2026.
What’s new at Park City Mountain this winter?
The free Canyons Village Skyway gondola replaces the Cabriolet lift, and a five-level parking garage opens at Canyons Village. Last season’s Sunrise Gondola and Moose Camp beginner zone continue to improve access on the Canyons side.
What’s new at Deer Valley for 2026–27?
The Hail Peak Express chairlift, 200 new acres, seven new runs, and expanded snowmaking, bringing the resort to 4,500 acres and 32 lifts.
How far is Newpark Resort from the ski resorts?
Canyons Village is about three miles (roughly five to ten minutes). Park City Mountain’s Mountain Village and Deer Valley’s Snow Park base are about 15 to 20 minutes by car or free bus. Six other ski areas are 15 – 60 minutes away, including Snowbird, Alta, Solitude, Brighton, Sundance, Snowbasin, and Woodward!
Is January a good time to visit Park City now that Sundance has moved?
Yes. January offers mid-winter snow with fewer crowds and lower lodging rates than it had during festival week, plus the Snow League halfpipe event January 21–23, 2027.
Stay Close to All of It
Newpark Resort puts you at the center of Park City’s biggest winter yet: minutes from the new Skyway at Canyons Village, on the free bus line to Park City Mountain and Deer Valley, and steps from the restaurants of Newpark Town Center. Every room has a gas fireplace and heated bathroom floors, and the suites and townhomes add a private hot tub on the deck and an in-suite washer and dryer. Check winter availability and book direct for the best rate →
