Day trip · Arizona Snowbowl, Flagstaff

Ski runs from 9,200 to
11,500 feet, on the slopes
of Arizona's highest peak.

Arizona Snowbowl is the downhill ski area on the San Francisco Peaks outside Flagstaff, on Coconino National Forest land. The 2026 to 2027 winter season is scheduled to open Friday, November 20.

Doug Palmer, AZ REALTOR® · My Home Group Real Estate · Published 19 October 2026

The dates

When it runs

Friday, November 20, 2026: scheduled winter opening.Opening day depends on snow and conditions, so check the resort's hours page the week before. Hours of operation
The usual winter season: mid-November through early to late May.That is the resort's own description of an average season, not a fixed closing date. The resort lists average snowfall of 260 inches.
Summer and fall: scenic gondola rides, hiking and disc golf.The fall season ran daily through October 18, 2026. The scenic gondola round trip takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Scenic gondola

The mountain

A ski area on national forest land

Elevation

9,200 to 11,500 ft

Base to top of the lifts. The Forest Service lists the same range.

Vertical rise

2,800 ft

On 777 skiable acres.

Runs

The longest is 2 miles. The Forest Service says runs range from beginner to advanced.

Snowbowl operates under a special-use permit on the Flagstaff Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest. The resort is a full-service downhill area in winter, and it stays open in summer and fall for gondola rides and events. The trail map is on the resort's trail maps page.

Tickets and passes

Prices move with the date

Lift tickets are priced by date and demand.The resort says prices change with demand and can rise quickly. It advises buying online, well in advance, for the lowest price. A lift ticket or season pass is required to use the mountain. Lift tickets
Kids 12 and younger ski free with the Power Kids Season Pass.The pass is free, and it takes a registration through the resort.
Refunds have a short window.The resort offers a full refund within 48 hours of purchase if requested by 11:59 PM two days before the visit. After that, a ticket can be exchanged for credit until 11:59 PM the night before.

Getting there

From the Valley to the lifts

How far it is.About 132 miles in a straight line from Phoenix City Hall, 132 miles from Mesa City Hall and 128 miles from Scottsdale City Hall. Road miles and drive times run longer and change with weather.
The last 14 miles.From Flagstaff, drive 7 miles north on U.S. Highway 180, then 7 miles up Snowbowl Road (Forest Road 516) to the lodges and lifts. The address is 9300 N. Snowbowl Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86002.
Parking.Lots 1 to 4 at the Hart Prairie base area are the lower lots and reach all winter amenities. Lots 5 to 8 at the Agassiz base area are the upper lots. Parking is not permitted along Snowbowl Road. Parking information
The free shuttle from Flagstaff.The resort runs a free Mountain Express shuttle on scheduled winter days, with free Park-n-Ride parking at Flagstaff High School. Check the dates for this season before you plan around it. Free Flagstaff shuttle

Hiking from the base

The trail to the highest point in Arizona

Humphreys Trail No. 151.Humphreys Peak, at 12,633 feet, is the highest point in Arizona. The Forest Service rates the trail very strenuous: 5 to 5.5 miles one way, 3,420 feet of elevation gain from a 9,340-foot trailhead, about 3 to 4 hours each way. It starts at the north end of the lower Snowbowl lot. Forest Service trail page
Kachina Trail No. 150.Rated moderate to strenuous by the Forest Service, about 5 miles end to end along the south face of the peaks, almost entirely in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. It starts at the south end of the first lot on the right. Forest Service trail page
Summit Trail, from the top of the gondola.A quarter-mile round trip of about 15 minutes, with a scenic gondola ticket. Hiking off into the backcountry from the top of the gondola is not permitted. Snowbowl hiking trails

Rules on the peaks. The 18,960-acre Kachina Peaks Wilderness was designated in 1984. Hiking or camping off-trail above 11,400 feet is prohibited to protect the San Francisco Peaks groundsel, and there is no camping in the Inner Basin. Bicycles and other mechanized equipment are not allowed in the wilderness. Dogs must be leashed on the Humphreys and Kachina trails, and the resort does not allow dogs on its ski trails at any time.

Weather. The Forest Service warns that July to September monsoon storms bring heavy rain, wind and lightning quickly, that snow can fall above tree line in any month, and that winter brings avalanche danger on steep slopes near and above tree line.

Sources

Opening date, fall season, hours and the average season: Arizona Snowbowl, hours of operation and the Arizona Snowbowl home page. Elevation, vertical rise, skiable acres, runs, longest run and average snowfall: Arizona Snowbowl, mountain information and trail maps. Special-use permit, elevation range, location, coordinates and directions: Coconino National Forest, Arizona Snowbowl. Tickets, the Power Kids Season Pass and refunds: Arizona Snowbowl, lift tickets. Parking: Arizona Snowbowl, parking. Shuttle: Arizona Snowbowl, free Flagstaff shuttle. Gondola and Summit Trail: scenic gondola and hiking trails. Humphreys Peak elevation: Coconino National Forest, About the Area, and Arizona Snowbowl hiking trails. Trails, restrictions and weather: Coconino National Forest, Humphreys Trail No. 151, Kachina Trail No. 150 and Kachina Peaks Wilderness. Photo: Agassiz Peak from Lockett Meadow, Coconino National Forest, by Deborah Lee Soltesz for the U.S. Forest Service (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons). Distances: straight-line miles from each city hall's Maricopa County address point to the Forest Service's published Snowbowl coordinates. All checked 19 October 2026. Season dates, hours, prices and roads change, so confirm with the resort and the Forest Service before you go.

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