Winter Park is Colorado's longest-running ski resort, and its roots show. Opened in 1940 as a community ski area served by a train from Denver, it has grown into one of the state's largest ski destinations while keeping a laid-back, locals-first atmosphere that sets it apart from the glitzier resorts along the I-70 corridor. Sitting on the western side of the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains, the resort town of Winter Park is refreshingly low-key - more fleece and craft beer than fur coats and champagne. For UK skiers looking for an authentic American mountain experience without the price tag or pretension of Vail or Aspen, Winter Park is a proper find.

The mountain is big. Over 3,000 acres of skiable terrain spread across seven distinct territories, with a summit at 3,676m and a vertical drop of 933m. Winter Park picks up an average of around 8.5 metres of snow each season, keeping conditions reliably good from mid-November well into April. The terrain skews toward experienced skiers - roughly 74% of runs are rated advanced or expert - but the resort's beginner and intermediate areas are well designed and far from an afterthought. Twenty-five lifts, including a gondola and two high-speed six-packs, keep things moving efficiently across the mountain.

The base village has developed steadily over recent years, with a growing collection of restaurants, bars, and shops that make evenings off the mountain enjoyable without being overwhelming. Winter Park's proximity to Denver - just 110km by road, or a scenic Amtrak train ride through the Rockies - makes it one of the easiest major Colorado resorts to reach. It is also one of the few resorts in the US with a dedicated programme for adaptive skiing, a legacy of its community origins that still shapes the resort's welcoming character today. Check out Winter Park ski deals to start planning your trip.