A first-timer's guide to Snowshoe.

Start here

Two things to know before anything else. Once you are on the mountain, you do not need your car; the free shuttle goes everywhere. And don’t sleep on Silver Creek.

When to come

Avoid three-day weekends if you can. Weekends in general get crowded and expensive, and the best routine, if you can swing it, is Sunday night to Friday morning. Four or five nights is a great length for a first visit: enough time to ski without feeling like every minute has to be on the slopes, with room left for the Village, good meals and everything else. The week before Christmas is a really fun time to be here.

The 2026-27 winter season runs November 25, 2026 to March 21, 2027, weather permitting. Value season is November 25 to December 17. Holiday dates are December 27 to January 2, January 16-17, and February 13-14.

Go deeper: Planning a Snowshoe trip.

Getting here

In clear weather the drive is about 3 hours 45 minutes from Northern Virginia and 4 to 4.5 hours from Pittsburgh or Richmond. Cell service fades on the last stretch, because Snowshoe sits in the National Radio Quiet Zone, so save your route and check-in details before you lose a signal. Fill your tank about an hour out; the stations at the bottom of the mountain occasionally run out on busy weekends. Once you arrive, set your phone to WiFi calling. Coverage on the resort is pretty good, but not great.

The closest airport is Greenbrier Valley in Lewisburg, about an hour and a half away, with limited connections. Most people fly into Dulles and drive about four hours.

Go deeper: Getting to Snowshoe, and if the forecast looks ugly, getting to Snowshoe in a winter storm.

The lodging communities

There are no big resort hotels at Snowshoe. Outside the Inn at Snowshoe at the base and the Corduroy Inn, nearly everything is a privately owned condo, townhome, or house. That matters for a first-timer: every unit is individually owned, so there are really nice ones in older buildings and tired ones in newer buildings. Look carefully at the specific unit, not just the building.

If it is your first trip, stay in the Village if you can. You will be in the middle of the restaurants, shops, and lessons, and you won’t spend the trip driving back and forth.

VisitSnowshoe has homes in four of these communities: Mountain Lodge, Seneca, Loggers Run, and Black Bear Crossing. Each has its own page with photos and amenities.

The Village core

The heart of the mountain, steps from the Basin slopes, ski school, rentals, shops, and most restaurants. Ballhooter is the main lift.

• Allegheny Springs. A nice condo building in the Village, with its own heated pool, hot tub, and fire pit in the courtyard, a sauna, exercise room, ski storage, and valet parking. Slopeside next to Ballhooter. Much of the first floor has easy slope access, but only a couple of units step right out.
• Seneca. In the middle of the Village plaza, with heated underground parking, a beautiful outdoor swim spa with sunset views, a sauna, fitness room, hearth room and ski lockers. VisitSnowshoe has Seneca 113, one of very few units with its own private door straight into the Village. About the Seneca.
• Rimfire Lodge. Next door to Seneca, with great views, a good lobby, heated underground parking, a fitness room, sauna, outdoor hot tubs, and gear lockers.
• Expedition Station. Right beside the ski school and Expedition rentals, with a fitness room, gear lockers, and lobby. Tends to be more affordable since it has fewer amenities.
• Highland House. Also more affordable, with a fitness room, sauna, and an underground tunnel from the Village bus stop.
• Mountain Lodge. The largest Village building, it sits closest to the main Village ski lift and has a private parking lot. It has some exceptional units, and the most family amenities on the mountain: a synthetic ice rink, an indoor kids’ playground, a pool table, a General Store (open 8am to midnight), and ski and bike lockers. It also has a free bike wash station and bike garage for summer guests. Snowshoe typically opens Al Dente, a family Italian restaurant, in the basement in ski season. Ground-floor units 100 to 160 are a short walk across the lobby to the exit in front of Ballhooter, and even-numbered units have decks facing the snow and mountain. About a dozen have gates and steps to the snow, and VisitSnowshoe owns two of these. See VisitSnowshoe’s four condos here: Mountain Lodge 114, 140, 144 and 146. About Mountain Lodge.
• The Corduroy Inn. A boutique hotel affiliated with Wyndham, a short walk north of the main Village, and home to three of the best restaurants on the mountain: Appalachia Kitchen, Tuque’s and The Pizza Slice.

Near the Village

A short walk from the Village core, usually with easier parking and lower prices as they are not ski-in or ski-out.

• Treetop. Next to the Village, not far from Mountain Lodge, with bike washing stations. A summer favorite with the mountain bike crowd.
• Leatherbark. Two- and three-bedroom condos with parking, very close to the Wildcat grocery.

South Mountain and the Soaring Eagle side

Between the Village and Top of the World, around the Soaring Eagle Express. Most units are ski-in/ski-out. Early-season access depends on when the Soaring Eagle lift starts running.

• Loggers Run. Log townhomes with four to six bedrooms, on Upper Flume, the long easy green. Every one faces the slope and has a private hot tub; a few, like #4, 5 and 6, are really easy to ski in and out of. There are two access areas to the slope: the one by the lower-numbered townhomes is just click in and go, and the one by the higher-numbered townhomes, like #20 to 24, has some steps. The community has two fire pits and a flat walking trail to the Village, which can be reached in 5 to 10 minutes, and a shuttle stop for transit around the resort. VisitSnowshoe has Loggers Run 4, 12 and 16. About Loggers Run.
• Soaring Eagle Lodge. Another nice building, close to the Soaring Eagle lift, with underground parking. 10 Prime is on the first floor, and Elk River, a good independent snowboard rental shop, is in the building. There is also a large parking lot where Ikon passholders are typically allowed to park free.
• Top of the World. An older complex with a check-in facility, ski rentals, last-minute retail, and a dive bar.
• Snowcrest. Across the big parking lot from Top of the World, with a shuttle stop out front. Pretty spare, with limited amenities: indoor hot tubs and a somewhat dated arcade and rec room.
• Timbers. Log-style homes.
• Wabasso. Villa-style two-bedroom townhouses with good views and covered parking.
• Sanctuary. Single-family homes on the far side of Soaring Eagle, ranging from simple to true luxury. A ski-out trail now connects some parts of this neighborhood to the black diamond trails off the Soaring Eagle lift.

North Mountain

Around the Powderidge and Powder Monkey lifts, quieter, and the side of the mountain closest to the Western Territory and the new Shavers Center.

• Black Bear Crossing. Four- to eight-bedroom townhomes next to the Powderidge lift, with a covered pavilion, grills, a gas fire pit, EV charging and a bike wash. All have hot tubs. Most units require going down a set of stairs and/or taking a quick walk across the lot to the slope; a few right on the slope command a premium. The Village is a 5 to 10 minute walk, and the shuttle picks up right outside. VisitSnowshoe has Black Bear 32 and Black Bear 33, which can be booked together for up to 36. About Black Bear Crossing.
• Powder Monkey. One- to three-bedroom townhomes right at the top of the Powder Monkey lift, and you can get across the street to the Western Territory. Great and convenient, but look closely, since some units have a little walk.
• Shay’s Landing. Four- and five-bedroom townhomes right next to Powder Monkey, across the parking lot from the new Shavers Center. Expect a short walk across the lot to the snow.
• Powderidge. Next to the Powderidge lift, cozy, with fireplaces and washers and dryers.
• Stemwinder and Whistlepunk. A few units have decks you can ski right off; others mean walking around the building.
• Shamrock. Careful: ski-out only, not ski-in, and that exit trail isn’t always open early or late in the season.
• Camp 4. A bit farther down the mountain at the north end, and still a nice community.
• Mountain Crest and Ridgewood. Smaller condo buildings at the north end near Powderidge, with simple setups.

The west side

Across Snowshoe Drive from the Village, on the west side of the mountain.

• Summit. Three-bedroom condos across from the Village on the west side of the mountain. They tend to be affordable, but it is a good walk across the parking lot and up a good number of stairs to reach the Village and the skiing.
• Land’s End. Next to Summit on the west side.
• Sundown Hutches. Also on the west side, below Snowshoe Drive.

Silver Creek

About a mile from the Village on the shuttle route, right at the Silver Creek ski area. Two options here:

• Silver Creek Lodge. The main lodge, a sizable but dated resort building with an indoor/outdoor pool, the Locker Room sports bar, the Bear’s Den game area, and snow tubing.
• Creekside Villas. Townhouses, some with up to five bedrooms, some with hot tubs.

Silver Creek is good for families and often affordable. Its slopes open later in the season and close earlier, so in early December and mid-March it is better to stay up top so you aren’t shuttling to the snow every day.

Base and beyond

• The Inn at Snowshoe. At the base of the mountain, about six miles below the Village.
• West Ridge Homes. Private homes along the western slopes, known for sunset views. Watch for those with steep driveways that are difficult with snow or ice.

Go deeper: all VisitSnowshoe homes.

Questions to ask before you book

Every rental at Snowshoe is privately owned, so what’s included varies a lot, from linens and towels to true ski-in/ski-out access, parking and storm policies. Ask before you book. What to ask before you book a Snowshoe rental has the full checklist.

Skiing, and don't sleep on Silver Creek

Snowshoe skis as three areas on one ticket.

• The Basin is the fan of trails under the Village: 37 runs and an 800-foot vertical. It is the main, most fun and most varied skiing, and it gets crowded on weekends and holidays, especially at Ballhooter. The Soaring Eagle loop at the south end is the place to lap a few trails with little traffic, and Hoot’s Bar sits right at the lift. The Powderidge and Powder Monkey end is the green-trail side, with the terrain parks.
• The Western Territory is the expert zone across the street: Cupp Run and Shay’s Revenge, with a 1,500-foot vertical. The lower part of Shay’s is the hardest hill on the mountain. Not ready? Ski the top and cut over to Cupp.
• Silver Creek is the secret. It is almost its own little resort, an easy shuttle ride away: 15 trails, wider and easier beginner runs, and almost no lift lines. By design you can’t really get lost, which makes it awesome for a family starting out. It is also where the night skiing is, with 12 trails lit.

How to use it: be there for rope drop in the Basin, then around 11:30 or noon, grab a bite and head to Silver Creek when the Basin fills up. After the kids have a couple of days of lessons, Silver Creek is the place for a family ski day. Stand at the entrance by the Waffle Cabin and watch them ski right past you, which you can’t really do up top.

Night skiing is great, and a totally different experience. Silver Creek at night is contained and organized, so it’s easy to meet at the bottom at the Sugar Shack for hot cocoa, spiked or not. It can get rowdier on weekend nights, so with small kids, a weeknight is the better bet. Nights and hours change through the season.

Rentals: cheaper rentals than the Village shops are at Snow Creek, right at the Silver Creek entrance (reserve ahead and you are in and out before the slopes open), or the Ski Barn at the base of the mountain. For snowboards, Elk River in Soaring Eagle Lodge is a good independent shop. For delivery, Snowshoe Ski Delivery, affiliated with Elk River, brings rentals to you: book online with your sizes, and they deliver and fit skis, boards, boots, and helmets at your house or condo, then pick them up when you’re done. Snowshoe Ski Delivery.

Lessons: book them before you arrive, especially for holiday weeks. For first-time kids, book the all-day program; by about 3 pm they are usually ready to ski down with you. Two days of ski school for the littles is worth it if it doesn’t break the bank. For adults, a private lesson is a great investment, and when you call, ask for Karen Vanover. Lessons have met at Expedition Station; for 2026-27 ski school moves into the new Shavers Center, so check your confirmation for the meeting spot. And tip your instructor. Most of them have Venmo.

Dress for it: under 20 degrees, no exposed skin. Hand warmers, toe warmers, spares in your pockets. A small backpack with an extra neck gaiter or face cover helps, because they get wet and gross.

Go deeper: Skiing Snowshoe and ski school.

Lift tickets, passes and activities

Buy ahead. Lift tickets, rentals and lessons are all cheaper and easier booked before you arrive.

If you ski four or five days a year, it starts to make a lot of sense to buy basic gear and a season pass.

• Ikon Pass. Snowshoe is on the Ikon Pass, which includes free parking at Top of the World.
• Snowshoe Unlimited. The local season pass: unlimited Basin, Western Territory, and Silver Creek, no blackouts, two 25% off friends and family tickets, 15% off standard rentals and group lessons, 15% off Snowshoe-owned retail and dining, and free parking at Top of the World Lot A. 2026-27 adult price is $699, child $369, 4 and under $89.
• Midweek & Creek. Monday to Thursday on the whole mountain, plus Silver Creek on weekends.
• Primo Pass. A premium add-on, not a season pass: dedicated lift lines at Ballhooter, Soaring Eagle, Western Express, Powder Monkey, and Cascade at peak times, first tracks on select days and a slopeside parking pass. It is the skip-the-line upgrade. You can ski Snowshoe a lot cheaper than this, so don’t let the price scare you off.

Beyond skiing, there is a whole lineup of non-ski options. The house favorite is Winter Adventure Dining: a side-by-side ride out Cheat Ridge to a backcountry cabin for a three-course meal. It fills up, so book well ahead. Snowmobile tours run after the lifts close and are booked only through the resort; you can’t snowmobile on your own on the mountain. There is also the Coca-Cola Tube Park at Silver Creek, horseback and sleigh rides at Autumn Breeze Stables, sporting clays, and a hunt for the Narnia lamppost in the spruce woods.

In summer, the bike park, Shavers Lake, the Raven golf course, and scenic lift rides take over.

Go deeper: On-mountain activities, summer at Snowshoe and day trips.

Parking

Parking is the biggest challenge at Snowshoe. Space on the mountain is tight, then the snow piles up, and there is not much room for a big SUV. The best plan is simple: park at your rental, leave the car there and use the shuttle.

• There really isn’t parking in the Village outside the spaces dedicated to specific buildings. If you are staying in the Village, use your building’s parking; Seneca and Rimfire have heated underground garages. If you are not staying there, don’t plan on driving in.
• Top of the World is the lot to use. Ikon Pass holders park free there, and Snowshoe Unlimited passholders park free in Lot A. It is the best answer for day trips and for extra vehicles that won’t fit at your rental, like a third car at Loggers Run. The shuttle stops right across the lot at Snowcrest.
• Silver Creek has free parking for everyone, though it might mean a bit of a walk, and on a busy day the lot is a high-difficulty obstacle course. The shuttle is often easier.
• Primo passholders get a first-come, first-served slopeside parking pass.
• Dinner at the Corduroy Inn? Parking there is tight, but call Appalachia Kitchen or Tuque’s when you have a reservation and they will often send a van to pick you up and bring you home.

Bring a 4x4 or AWD if you can, and snow tires help. A 2WD minivan in a snowy lot can mean a long afternoon with a shovel.

VisitSnowshoe homes each include parking; the count varies by home and is listed on each home’s page. Ask how many spots come with any rental before you bring a second car.

Using the shuttle

The free on-mountain shuttle is the reason you don’t need a car once you’re here. It connects the Village, Top of the World, Silver Creek, the North and South Mountain communities, and more, with more than a dozen stops.

• Call for a pickup at 304-572-5808, or watch the live tracking map on the resort site to see when the next one is coming.
• Ski lessons and tubing are on different parts of the mountain. Stay up top near the Village and hop the shuttle down to Silver Creek for tubing and afternoon skiing.
• Restaurant shuttles help too. The Corduroy Inn restaurants and Tuque’s often run their own on-demand vans; call ahead.
• Off the mountain, Mountain Transit Authority runs a bus to Marlinton on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Greenbrier Limo runs to the Greenbrier Valley Airport.

Where to eat

The best food on the mountain tends to be the independent restaurants. House picks are in bold, with the reason first.

House picks

• Appalachia Kitchen. The fine-dining table, and the best evening meal on the mountain. Scratch, farm-to-table, at the Corduroy Inn. Book ahead, and ask about their shuttle. Open in winter, closed in the shoulder seasons.
• Foxfire Grille. The best comfort food on the mountain, in the Village. Get the burger or the wings. The sign out front reads Views, Blues & Barbecue.
• The Pizza Slice. The best pie, period. Wood-fired, at the Corduroy Inn, and great for takeout.
• Tuque’s. Live music, a great bar vibe and poutine, upstairs from Appalachia Kitchen at the Corduroy Inn, a boutique hotel run by owners who genuinely care. Ask about their on-demand shuttle.
• Flume Shack. A hidden gem right on Upper Flume. Coffee, boozy or otherwise, plus soups, snacks, and brats. The heated slopeside bathroom is for customers.
• Old Spruce Brewery. Fantastic food and local beer at 85 Rescue Road near Silver Creek, with karaoke some nights. Limited seating in winter.
• Jake’s Local. At the bottom of the mountain, with great eats, live music, and the game on. There is a breakfast buffet too, a nice addition at Snowshoe.

In-home dining

• Snowshoe Fondue. A very special experience while you’re here: full-service, high-end catered fondue right at your house, run by Elizabeth, a local Snowshoe resident. The meal includes a mix of melted cheeses, local bread, cornichons, pearl onions, apples, potatoes, and a finishing touch of fresh-cracked pepper.

Also on the mountain

• Cheat Mountain Pizza. Basic pizza, but the best place for a big group of hungry kids. In the Village next to Allegheny Springs.
• 10 Prime. The priciest restaurant on the mountain, a steakhouse splurge on the first floor of Soaring Eagle Lodge. Reserve.
• The Junction. In the center of the Village and one of the largest restaurants on the mountain, with room for a group to spread out. Simple fare, though it can cost more than it is worth.
• Al Dente. Family Italian in the basement of Mountain Lodge.
• The Boathouse. At the bottom of Ballhooter for a beer and something grilled between runs.
• Hoot’s Bar. Right at the Soaring Eagle lift, so lunch doesn’t mean leaving the loop. After the lifts close, it is also one of the mountain’s nightlife spots.
• Arbuckle’s Cabin. At the bottom of the Western Territory, a rustic reward after your black diamond run.
• The Locker Room. The Silver Creek sports bar. Go for the wings and the game.
• Sugar Shack. At the bottom of Silver Creek, the meeting spot for cocoa on a night-ski evening.
• Waffle Cabin. There are two: one by Ballhooter, close enough that you can smell the waffles from the deck at Mountain Lodge 114, and one at the entrance to Silver Creek. Rumor has it the waffles are a little too addictive. Either way, you will be back for another one.
• Starbucks, in the Village near Seneca.
• Wildcat Provisions. Deli, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch specials, along with groceries.
• Raven Grille at the Raven Golf Club, in season.

Off the mountain, in Marlinton

• Mim’s Kitchen. House pick, and worth the drive off the mountain. Amazing home cooking, served cafeteria style. It is seasonal, so make sure it is open before you make the drive.
• Alfredo’s of Marlinton. A good Italian spot.

Go deeper: Where to eat on the mountain.

What to do with kids

• Ski school first. Book the all-day program for first-timers, then take them to Silver Creek for a family day once they can get down.
• Mountain Lodge has the best kids’ activities on the mountain: the only rink at Snowshoe, a synthetic ice rink that’s open no matter the weather, and a big indoor kids’ playground with tickets.
• Tubing at Silver Creek. The Coca-Cola Tube Park is there, and age and height rules apply, so look them up before you promise the kids.
• Snowmobile tours take kids 6 to 15 who are at least 46 inches tall riding with an adult, on the early tours.
• Silver Creek’s pool and the Bear’s Den games.
• Horseback rides at Autumn Breeze Stables, including short lake rides for kids 8 and under.
• The Narnia lamppost hunt in the woods off Top of the World, in daylight and in boots.
• Night skiing is fun for older kids, but weekend nights get rowdier, so go on a weeknight with little ones.
• For kids who want to race, the Snowshoe Ski Team is an exceptional community with great coaching. There is a holiday camp right after Christmas.

There aren’t really sledding hills on the mountain, so plan on the tube park instead.

Rainy day ideas

• The synthetic ice rink and the playground at Mountain Lodge. Indoors, rain or shine.
• Green Bank Observatory, about 30 minutes away, home of the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope, with a free Science Center and a bus tour out to the telescope. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday outside summer.
• Cass Scenic Railroad, about 10 minutes past Green Bank, an old logging company town with a heritage railroad. Check the train calendar first.
• Pomona Salt Cave and Spa in White Sulphur Springs, about 90 minutes away, for a real rest day. There is currently no spa on the mountain.
• A long lunch at the Corduroy Inn, then Tuque’s for the music.
• Game day at the house. Every VisitSnowshoe home has games; some have game rooms.
• Old Spruce Brewery for an afternoon.

Go deeper: Day trips worth leaving the mountain for.

Groceries

There is no full-size grocery store on the mountain, so plan ahead.

• The Snowshoe Delivery Service. The best option. They shop the Walmart Supercenter in Elkins and deliver to your door, and depending on where you are staying, they can stock the fridge before you arrive. VisitSnowshoe guests get ordering details in the booking confirmation.
• Wildcat Provisions. The grocery on the mountain, at 6362 Snowshoe Drive in the South Mountain area near Mountain Lodge, with groceries, produce, a deli, a big beer cave, and wine. Handy for the item you forgot, but pricey for a full week of cooking.
• The General Store at Mountain Lodge. Opens at 8, with snacks, basics, and a lot of kids’ gear, including Turtle Fur.
• Dollar General at the bottom of the mountain in Slatyfork, along with a few other small markets there. There is also a Dollar General in Green Bank if you come that way.
• Bigger stores: IGA in Marlinton, about 30 minutes away, or stock up at home before the drive.
• Alcohol: Hops, Vines & Spirits is in the Village.

Church

Both Catholic and Protestant services are held at St. Bernard Chapel, 6332 Snowshoe Drive, in the middle of the resort. At 4,800 feet, it is arguably the highest church east of the Rockies.

• Catholic Mass: Saturday 5:30 pm, November through April (6:30 pm May through October). Christmas Eve Mass at 9:00 pm.
• Protestant service: Sunday morning, historically at 8:30 am. Confirm the time the week you arrive.

Practical odds and ends

• EV charging is scarce. There are six free public chargers on the mountain: two across from Seneca in the Village, two at Top of the World, and two at Silver Creek. They are crowded in season. Loggers Run 12 and Loggers Run 16 have private chargers, and Black Bear Crossing has paid chargers for guests.
• Medical: ski patrol clinics are in the Big Top and at Silver Creek. A clinic inside the Inn at Snowshoe is open weekdays, and Community Care is in Slatyfork at the base.
• Public safety is on 24/7 at 304-572-1000.
• ATMs are in the Village, the Top of the World lobby, the Inn, and Silver Creek.
• Bring a little cash for tips, including your instructor and the trash crew.
• Need help during a stay? VisitSnowshoe keeps a local team on the mountain.