Colorado is packed full with family-friendly ski resorts, but even experienced skiers don’t know the best deals for families. Fortunately, that’s where WildKind can help!

We know skiing with your children is one of the best winter activities out there, but it’s tough not to get discouraged by the hefty price tag you see on the resort websites. But, news flash: most people do not pay those prices! Did you know that most ski resorts actually make their money on folks when they arrive at the ski hill and book lodging or buy french fries at the lodge? It’s true!

But how to find the best deals for the most affordable Colorado ski resorts? We’ve lived in Colorado our entire lives, so we rounded up our favorite ski deals in the hopes it gets your family on the slopes even faster. See you at Spring Break?

Sunlight Ski Resort

If you’re on the Western Slope of Colorado, it’s tough to find a better deal than Sunlight Ski Resort. Located outside of Glenwood Springs, this family-friendly hill is often overshadowed by Aspen Ski Resort, a mere 30 minutes away. However, that’s a shame since Sunlight is one of the best affordable resorts out there. For starters, kids ages 12 and under ski entirely free alongside one paying adult. And that adult? Those lift passes cost roughly $65….half of some of the larger resorts.

But even better than the pricing is the culture at Sunlight. There are a lot of smaller Colorado resorts that boast small lift ticket pricing, but the tradeoff is usually a poorly-managed resort or a severe lack of snow. At Sunlight, that’s not the case. You’ll find a ski hill that’s easy for families to access—you can walk to the base from the parking lot—and even more convenient for parents. If you stay in downtown Glenwood Springs, the resort runs a shuttle to the hill that only costs $5 each way.

Loveland Ski Area

If you’ve been in Colorado for more than a minute, it’s likely that someone will tell you about Loveland Ski Resort. It’s one of the most traditional ski hills in the state and while it still sees a lot of traffic from Denver residents, the hill has managed to retain its local lore. Situated just beneath the infamous Eisenhower Tunnel on Loveland pass, skiers are able to jump off I-70 to miss out on (some) of Denver’s insane ski traffic.

Even better? Loveland is a good deal. The average ticket prices are closer to $80-90 but kids ages 5 and under ski free while ages 6 and up only pay $38. Bonus: if you child (ages 6-14) signs up for a 3-Class Pass bundle (three ski lessons), she gets a season pass to Love for FREE.

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Howelsen Hill Ski Area

Howelsen Hill isn’t like other resorts on this list, but that’s what makes it so special. Situated right in the middle of downtown Steamboat Springs, Howelsen is the oldest operating ski resort in North America and you can practically feel the nostalgia if you catch one of the old, creaky two-person chairlifts. But, sentiment aside: Howelsen is incredible affordable.

For starters, everyone can ski FOR FREE every single Sunday. There are no strings; no one has to pay for a ticket or rent equipment at a particular shop. Visitors simply need to stop by the lodge and grab their free ticket. For the other six days of the weeks, kids under the age of 4 ski free while children ages 5-18 only pay $28. As for adults? A whopping $39.

To be fair, Howelsen is a lot smaller than resorts like Sunlight and Loveland, and it doesn’t have quite the same level of terrain options (The max vertical drop is roughly 500 feet). But, if your family is just getting started with skiing and wants to practice putting skis on snow, it’s a great bet. Plus, the night skiing is top shelf. Pro tip: Grab dinner in downtown Steamboat and score yourself a table outside on the deck. You’ll be able to watch ski jumpers bomb down the massive ski jumping course.

Purgatory Ski Resort

It’s not close to Denver but if you find yourself in the Durango area, consider heading to the local’s favorite hill: Purgatory. Purgatory Ski Resort is unique in that it’s a lot bigger than the other resorts on this list (it boasts 1600 acres of skiable terrain) but it doesn’t have big-mountain prices. The resort participates in the Free Power Pass program which means children ages 10 and under can get free season passes to both Purgatory and nearby Hesperus Ski Area.

Adult ticket prices aren’t as affordable (anywhere from $90-$115) but if you’re carting a gaggle of kids with you who all qualify for the free passes mentioned above, it may come out in the wash. Plus, Durango is cute as all get out and doesn’t get nearly the traffic of the other ski resorts along the I-70 corridor. It makes Purg worth a visit on its own.

Perhaps you’ve chosen your ski resort but aren’t feeling too great about all of the rest of the prep work? WildKind has you covered! Hop over to our blog here to read all about winter layering for kids in the winter!