What you didn’t know about Park City, Utah.
Park City’s polished exterior hides a history that’s rugged, surprising, and deeply tied to the land, from silver mines to Sundance screenings to one of the most advanced mountain resort infrastructures in the world.
Long before it became a luxury ski haven, Park City was a booming mining town whose shafts, tunnels, and ironwork still run beneath parts of the mountain. Some of today’s ski lifts even pass over old mining structures preserved as living artifacts. The city’s transformation began in the mid-20th century, when declining mining operations led residents to pivot toward winter sports, a shift that eventually drew the 2002 Winter Olympics and helped shape Park City into the global mountain destination it is today. The town also sits in a rare, high-altitude microclimate that produces famously light, powdery snow, the kind skiers talk about for the rest of their lives. In summer, Park City’s trail network becomes one of the largest in the country, weaving through aspen groves, sagebrush slopes, and old mining roads that trace the area’s past. Sundance added another layer to Park City’s identity, creative, bold, and deeply independent, blending mountain quiet with artistic pulse in a way almost no other ski town achieves.
Five fascinations about Park City.
5. Park City once supplied over a fifth of the nation’s silver.
In the late 1800s, Park City was a booming mining town, and at one point, its silver output was so prolific it fueled over 20% of the U.S. supply. Beneath those ski runs are miles of tunnels and hidden shafts that tell the tale of a much different kind of gold rush.
4. You can ski through history here, literally.
The Silver to Slopes tour at Park City Mountain takes skiers past preserved mining structures with stories of the city’s past. It’s the only ski resort in America where you can carve down trails and pass old mine carts on the same run.
3. The U.S. Ski Team calls it home.
Park City isn’t just a place to ski, it’s a training ground for champions. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team is based here, and Olympians often train right alongside everyday thrill-seekers on the very same slopes.
2. There’s a ski lift right on Main Street.
In a blend of convenience and charm, the Town Lift starts smack in the middle of downtown Park City. One moment you’re sipping coffee, and the next you’re gliding up the mountain, making it one of the few places where urban and alpine truly merge.
1. Park City has more art galleries than ski lifts.
Sure, the slopes are legendary, but this town is just as serious about its art scene. With more than 20 galleries and the annual Sundance Film Festival drawing creators from around the globe, Park City is a creative haven with a snowy twist.
Where meaningful travel begins.
Start your journey with Foresyte, where the planning is part of the magic.
Discover the experiences that matter most.
