Winter activities in Vail go far beyond skiing and snowboarding.  Outfitters, guides and local businesses offer alternative winter activities for those of you who do not ski or just choose to take a day off.

Signature winter activities in Vail

Ride The Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster

The Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster allows you to experience the sensation of speeding down the track, banking tight curves, and watching the trees whistle by as you ride a tandem coaster car. The mile-long, gravity powered track gets you up to about 35 miles per hour. It sounds scary, but it’s a fun activity for the entire family!

Dogsledding

Dogsledding is a fun and energizing adventure. During the day, watching the winter landscape pass by as you glide over snow-packed mountain passes is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Cross Country Skiing

The Vail Golf Course is home to the Vail Nordic Center which boast more than 10 miles of cross-country skiing, groomed daily.  The  Nordic Centers offers daily use of their groomed trails, lessons and rentals. There are also trails for snowshoeing and fat biking too!

Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride Dinner

The 4 Eagle Ranch offers horse drawn sleigh rides and dinners. Cozy under blankets and sip on hot cocoa as you explore the winter wonderland of Eagle County.  An authentic ranch dinner is included in this experience.  Enjoy the rest of the evening with music and s’mores by the campfire.

Ice Skating

Ice Skating is an affordable and classic activity you can try while visiting Vail.  There is an ice rink in the heart of Vail Village in front of the Solaris.  Another ice rink is located in Lionshead.

Fat biking

The Vail Nordic Center (the Vail Golf Course in the summer) is the best place where the trails are groomed specifically for fat tire snow bikes.  Vail’s Nordic Center offers 13k (8 miles) of groomed fat biking, including 2.5k of fat biking only groomed trails and on-site fat bike rentals.  Bike rentals and
lessons are available. If you have your own fat tire bike, the trails can be accessed for a small fee.

Getting out in nature

• Snowshoeing on a quiet mountain trail
• Hiking with crampons

Relax and Unwind

• Spend a day at the spa
• Morning Yoga
• Stroll the shops in town

Indoor Winter Activities

Colorado Snowsports Museum

The Colorado Snowsports Museum is a free tourist attraction.  The museum hosts narrative displays, artifacts and films all commemorating Colorado’s skiing history.  It is also home to the Colorado Ski Hall Of Fame.

Looking for family fun?  Check out winter activities for kids.

VAIL Mountain Opens November 11th for the 2022-23 Winter Season! Check out information on skiing and snowboarding.