Arizona Snowbowl - Your Complete McSenderson Guide

Arizona Snowbowl: The Desert’s Best Kept Ski Secret

Arizona Snowbowl sits above Flagstaff and delivers the kind of alpine surprise that most people don’t expect from Arizona. At 11,500 feet, you're skiing real terrain, breathing thin air, and looking out over the Grand Canyon. It’s raw, high-altitude skiing without the pretense.

Snowbowl earned its place on our Top 50 Ski Resorts in the USA because it delivers an authentic mountain experience where the desert meets the sky.

Resort Specs

  • Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
  • Skiable Terrain: 777 acres
  • Runs: 55
  • Lifts: 8 total, including the high-speed Arizona Gondola
  • Average Annual Snowfall: 260 inches
  • Elevation: 9,200 feet at the base, 11,500 feet at the summit

This is one of the highest base elevations in the country, sitting on the side of the San Francisco Peaks, a massive extinct volcano.

Famous Skiers from the Mountain

Snowbowl isn’t about Olympic pedigrees. It’s where NAU students lap the park between classes, where weekend warriors from Phoenix come to escape the heat, and where you learn to ride every kind of condition. It shapes scrappy, creative riders who can handle a little bit of everything.

Favorite Runs

  • Ridge has the views and the flow. Great pitch, wide-open feel.
  • Agassiz is the mountain’s signature run. Long, fast, and consistent from top to bottom.
  • Wild Turkey offers softer snow, some trees, and a more playful line.
  • Upper Bowl is the spot when storms roll in. Open, steep, and often untouched.

If you’re looking for park features, Sunset Terrain Park has a clean layout with room to progress.

Getting There

From Phoenix, it's a two-and-a-half-hour drive north on I-17. You’ll climb quickly from saguaros to snow.
From Flagstaff, you’re 35 minutes from the lifts. Snowbowl Road can be slick, so check conditions.
Flying in? Phoenix Sky Harbor has the best options. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport is closer, with fewer flights.

If you’re heading up on a weekend, the Mountain Express Shuttle from downtown Flagstaff is the move. Parking fills early.

Where to Stay

  • High Country Motor Lodge has a modern, laid-back vibe.
  • Little America Hotel is spacious and easy, good for families.
  • Hotel Monte Vista sits downtown with a little local character and plenty of stories.

Where to Eat

On the mountain, grab something quick at Agassiz Lodge or ramen at Fremont.
In town, hit:

  • MartAnne’s for massive breakfast burritos.
  • Pizzicletta for wood-fired pizza and legit ingredients.
  • Dark Sky Brewing for a local beer and good energy after a long day

Why It’s on our McSenderson Top 50 List

Snowbowl earns its spot because it surprises people. The terrain is better than expected. The views are unreal. And you get the rare chance to ski above the desert. It’s not trying to be Aspen or Park City. It’s its own thing—and that’s the point.

This mountain rewards people who show up early, who ride every inch of snow they can get, and who know that high-altitude turns in the Arizona sun are something special.

Track your turns. Scratch it off. Keep chasing winter.
Get the Top 50 Ski Resorts scratch-off map at www.mcsenderson.com.