The region surrounding Minneapolis has made the most of its snowy winters, turning its hills and peaks into seemingly countless ski areas. Within two hours of the city, winter enthusiasts can find a total of eight ski resorts, enough to keep anyone entertained throughout the season.
Having close proximity to Minneapolis, in addition to full mountain night skiing at many of the smaller areas, skiers and snowboarders can easily explore a multitude of slopes without having to venture too far.
And while all these resorts are within two hours of the major city, three of them are located within 30 minutes of downtown Minneapolis. These close by resorts are all part of the Three Rivers Park District, which includes Hyland Ski Area, Buck Hill, and Afton Alps.
Regardless of where you go, you are sure to find a ski resort perfect for you or your family’s needs.
Here are 8 of the closest ski resorts near Minneapolis, Minnesota, in order of proximity:
Hyland Hills – Bloomington: 13 miles | 20 minutes
The Hyland Ski & Snowboard Area is located in the city of Bloomington, Minnesota, within the Hyland Park Reserve. This ski hill offers 12 trails ranging from beginner to advanced, and despite its small size, there are nine lifts, including the surface lifts.
Hyland Ski Area also offers two terrain parks. The hill has just 175 feet of vertical rise and averages about 60 inches of annual snowfall. The small nature of the ski area allows snow machines to extend the season, often going from late November to mid-March.
8800 Chalet Rd, Bloomington, MN 55438 (Map) | (763) 694-7800
Buck Hill – Burnsville: 19 miles | 30 minutes
Just 20 minutes outside of the city lies Buck Hill Ski Resort, a small mountain that offers 16 trails, nine lifts, and 262 feet of vertical rise. The resort has full snowmaking capabilities and each evening, the mountain lights up to offer full-service night skiing.
In recent years, the mountain has also added snow tubing to its list of winter activities. Though small, Buck Hill is known for being where skiing legends Kristina Koznick and Lindsey Vonn learned to ski and race.
The hills’ close proximity to the city, along with the night skiing and snow tubing, makes Buck Hill one of the most popular places to ski in the area.
15400 Buck Hill Rd, Burnsville, MN 55306 (Map) | (952) 435-7174
Afton Alps – Hastings: 32 miles | 40 minutes
Located just 40 minutes outside of Minneapolis, visitors will find Afton Alps. This ski area has forty-eight trails spread across 300 acres of land, with twenty chairlifts servicing 350 feet of vertical rise.
Afton Alps sits within the St. Croix River Valley, making it hard to believe this scenic ski area is so close to a major city. The resort was bought by Vail Resorts back in 2012, which has helped to expand the skiable acres and add new chairlifts to the terrain.
Similar to other nearby resorts, Afton Alps relies heavily on snow-making machines to extend the ski season and offers night skiing across much of the mountain, perfect for an after-work adventure.
6600 Peller Ave S, Hastings, MN 55033 (Map) | (651) 436-5245
Welch Village – Welch: 47 miles | 55 minutes
With a 360-foot vertical drop and 140 acres of skiable terrain, Welch Village Ski Resort is positioned only 40 minutes from the city. The resort was established back in 1965 and, in recent decades, has grown immensely, providing 50 defined trails, along with two terrain parks.
In 2008, the mountain added a quad chair that now services what is known as the “Back Bowl”, an area full of black diamonds. Furthermore, the resort hosts the Welch Village Invitational each year, known for being one of the largest high school alpine ski meets in all of the United States.
With 160 snowmaking units, the resort is able to cover the entire mountain, which is helpful considering it receives only 45 inches of snowfall annually. Welch Village offers both individual and group lessons along with the only PMTS Direct Parallel ski school in the entire country.
26685 County 7 Blvd, Welch, MN 55089 (Map) | (651) 258-4567
Wild Mountain – Taylor Falls: 57 miles | 1 hour
Despite being a smaller ski area, Wild Mountain boasts 26 trails, eight lifts, 300-feet of vertical rise, and four unique terrain parks. The parks include jumps, rails, boxes, along with both quarter and half pipes.
Since the mountain receives an average of 50 inches per year, snow machines service much of the mountain. The slopes are pretty evenly split between beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails, making this an ideal resort for everyone.
Along with downhill skiing, Wild Mountain also boasts daily night skiing and snow-tubing. On weekend nights, the mountain also offers night time Starlight tubing!
During the summer months, the mountain transforms into a waterpark complete with waterslides, alpine slides, go-karts, and more.
37200 Wild Mountain Rd, Taylors Falls, MN 55084 (Map) | (651) 465-6365
Powder Ridge – Kimball: 70 miles | 1.25 hours
Powder Ridge, in Kimball, is a small mountain with 15 runs split pretty evenly between beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails. The resort has a 290-foot vertical rise and is serviced by six lifts.
Along with downhill skiing and snowboarding, Powder Ridge also offers snow tubing and snow biking, which is essentially a bike with huge tires. Due to the smaller nature of this resort, it’s able to provide fully lit night skiing. Ski and snowboard lessons are available throughout the winter season along with racing lessons for children.
Mount Kato – Mankato: 84 miles | 1.5 hours
A little over an hour and a half away, near the city of Mankato, lies Mount Kato. This ski area covers 65 acres of land with 19 trails and a vertical gain of 240 feet.
Over 40% of the trails are rated as intermediate, with an additional 40% being rated as advanced. The mountain has eight chairlifts that service the trails along with the four terrain parks.
Similar to other ski areas in the region, Mount Kato offers night skiing most days of the week. Additionally, the resort has recently added snow tubing during the weekends and holidays. For those just starting out, Mount Kato provides lessons for all ages along with a Junior Race Team.
20461 State Hwy 66, Mankato, MN 56001 (Map) | 507-625-3363
Coffee Mill Ski Area – Wabasha: 85 miles | 1.75 hours
Just outside of Wabasha, Minnesota lies Coffee Mill Ski Area. This ski hill covers 28 acres and has a vertical drop of 425 feet, one of the highest in the area!
Coffee Mill has full snowmaking capability across its 14 trails, which are serviced by its two major lifts; Run of the Mill and Barnstormer. Although considered a small ski area, it still boasts its own terrain park, and nearly 30% of the hill’s terrain is rated as an expert, with the longest-run being just under one mile long.
During the weekends, Coffee Mill Ski Area provides night skiing across the entire mountain. The summit of the ski area sits at 1,150 feet and offers panoramic views of both Minnesota and Wisconsin, along with the Mississippi River flowing below. Coffee Mill also offers ski and snowboard lessons along with having a Developmental Ski Team.
Minneapolis winters are not only cold but also provide skiers and snowboarders with plenty of opportunities to shred some powder. From inner-city slopes to sprawling vistas on the state border, the small resorts of the area are sure to impress.
Many are equipped with night skiing, terrain parks, and snow tubing, offering a myriad of trails fit for any level of rider. A ski trip through the Midwest just wouldn’t be complete without visiting a few, or all, or these Minnesotan resorts.