Steamboat is known for a lot of different things from our famous tree runs and Champagne Powder to the distinct wester flare of our town. All of this adds up to the perfect place to spend time in the outdoors with your Family. But with over 3000 acres of skiable terrain, it can be difficult to find the best runs to take your little ones out for a day on the slopes. So here are some of the best runs for kids at Steamboat Resort.

Best for Beginning Skiers: Preview & Stampede

These are the most obvious runs to take your kids on if they are new to skiing or snowboarding. Since they are serviced by the mid station on the Christie Peak Express they are a quick and easy way to get onto the slopes right away. Ski School uses these slopes primarily for their beginning skiers because they offer a gentle slope that is wide enough to make bigger turns. Christie Peak Express is also a good lift for your first experience on a ski lift because of its gentle and controlled path through the loading area.

Best Longer Green Run: Why Not

As someone who has been taking their daughter skiing at Steamboat since she was 2, I can tell you that after a while you will want a longer run to let them stretch their legs. Not only is the gondola ride one of my daughters favorite things on the mountain, but Why Not is a gentle green run that takes around 30-45 minutes for most beginners to get down. If you are riding with a smaller child, I suggest bringing snacks and stopping at the Teepee and picknick tables half way down. Since Why Not is a snow cat road, there are plenty of little jumps on the uphill side of the run for more adventurous kids to play around on. Once you reach the base of the Thunderhead lift, you can either take it back up for another run or continue down to the base on Right O Way.

Best Lower Mountain Adventure: Rough Rider Basin

If you are looking for a quick run on the lower mountain to get your kids excited about exploring then Rough Rider Basin is your best bet. You get there by taking the Christie Peak Express to the top and heading straight over to Boulevard. This green run will take you to the top of Rough Rider basin where you will find a wide open area filled with fun obstacles for kids to ride through and around. At the bottom you can either take one of the green runs to the base or take Thunderhead lift up to the Gondola house.

Best Upper Mountain Adventure: Tomahawk & Flintlock

When you are ready for a full day out on the mountain then heading all the way to the upper mountain can’t be beat. The runs serviced by the Sunshine lift offer the biggest variety of beginner and intermediate terrain on the mountain. When you get off the Sunshine lift, head right down Hot Cakes until you get to Tomahawk. There is a steep portion at the top that could be tough for beginners, so make sure your kid can control their speed down a steep green before heading up there. Once you are out on the main run there are tons of options for kids to explore easy tree runs and short blue runs. Any of the runs branching off Tomahawk to the right are great for learning how to control your speed and making turns. They are blue runs, but very short and have a good runout onto mellower terrain.