If you’re ready to hit the slopes for the 2025-2026 season, you should strongly consider booking a trip to Vermont.
Vermont has two of the best ski resorts in the country, according to USA TODAY’s 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.
The annual awards highlight the best in travel, food and lifestyle, and winners are chosen by a public voting poll after being nominated by industry experts.
In the 2025 best ski and snowboard awards, ranking winter attractions like ski hotels, ski restaurants and snowboarding destinations across the United States, Vermont had two winners in the best ski resorts category: Smugglers’ Notch Resort at No. 2, and Killington Resort at No. 5.
Here’s what to know about the top-rated ski resorts in Vermont.
About Smugglers’ Notch Resort
The scene looking down Chilcoot, an intermediate cruiser on Madonna Mountain with sweeping mountain, lake and valley views.
Located in Jefferson, Smugglers’ Notch Resort does not only offer skiing across three different mountains, but also ice skating, snow tubing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding and lessons for all of the above.
The resort has even more activities inside, including trivia, karaoke, massages, sauna rentals and yoga classes. Smugglers’ Notch also provides guests with 20 onsite dining options and over 20 onsite apparel or country stores, offering skiers everything they need before or après ski without even leaving the resort.
Tickets cost $65-125 for adults or $49-99 for children depending on the day, and Smugglers’ Notch also offers “daycation” tickets at $55 for adults or $25 for children.
In terms of lodging, Smugglers’ Notch offers fully-equipped spacious condos, all within walking distance or a short shuttle ride from all village amenities. Bookings can be made by visiting the resort’s website or by calling (855) 954-1039. Smugglers’ Notch Resort is located at 4323 VT-108 in Jeffersonville.
About Killington Resort
Skiing down Bear Mountain at Killington Resort in the winter of 2022-2023.
Killington Resort, also known as “the Beast of the East,” is home to the longest ski season in the East, the largest skiable area in the East and Vermont’s highest skiable terrain at 4,241 ft., says USA TODAY.
The resort offers a mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced levels across its 1555 named trails, as well as snowmobile tours, snowshoe tours, snow tubing and scenic gondola rides. Off the mountain, Killington has 17 places for skiers to eat, including everything from a Jamaican grill overlooking the slopes to a laidback seasonal cafe surrounded by mountain views.
Lift tickets start at $82, and multi-day or season passes are also available. If you want to stay, the Killington Grand Hotel offers a luxurious stay with a heated pool, a golf course, a fire pit, a food court and convenient ski-bridge access to the slopes. Rooms, which range from two-guest studios to 10-guest penthouses, can be booked online.
Killington Resort is located at 4763 Killington Road in Killington.
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What other resorts made the list?
Here is USA TODAY’s full ranking of the top 10 ski resorts in the country:
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Snowbasin Resort – Huntsville, UT
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Smugglers’ Notch Resort – Jeffersonville, VT
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Mount Bohemia – Lac La Belle, MI
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Aspen Snowmass – Aspen, CO
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Killington Resort – Killington, VT
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Deer Valley Resort – Park City, UT
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Big Sky Resort – Big Sky, MT
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Palisades Tahoe – Olympic Valley, CA
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Mammoth Mountain – Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Loon Mountain Resort – Lincoln, NH
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: USA TODAY names Killington, Smugglers’ Notch to top ski resorts list