The Scenic Gondola at Winter Park Resort is a seasonal, family-friendly attraction in Grand County, Colorado. Starting at the base in Winter Park Village, the scenic gondola brings passengers up to 10,700 feet above sea level to enjoy breathtaking views of the Fraser Valley, the Great Continental Divide, and the surrounding Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest landscape.
Open seasonally in the summer and winter, gondola riders can enjoy the Sunspot Mountaintop Lodge at the top terminus of the ride, which features a restaurant, bar, many sitting areas, live music, and other events.
Accessibility
During the winter, gondola tickets are sold on a walk-up basis due to the popularity of the resort. In the summer, advanced purchases can be made through the resort at a discounted rate. All year long, tickets for the gondola are sold at both Balcony House and the Lower Ticket Office.
Open daily when in season, gondola running hours are typically operated between 9 AM and 4 PM in the winter and 10 AM and 5 PM in the summer. Winter Park Resort often extends these hours on weekends during the late winter and early spring, with a free fare for foot passengers to enjoy the twilight hours from mid-mountain.
At full capacity, gondola cars have enough room for a maximum of 10 passengers. If the safe operation of the ride is inhibited by present weather conditions, the gondola may be temporarily closed to the public. Accessible for ticket holders of all mobility levels, the ride is perfect for family members of every age and is even dog-friendly during the summer season.
Winter Park Gondola Activities
In the summer, gondola tickets can be purchased and bundled with an all-day activity pass which includes access to the alpine slide, a putting course, climbing wall, and ropes courses.
Hiking: At the top of the scenic gondola, hikers can take a short walk to Venture Out Vista where they will enjoy seasonal wildflowers and unobstructed views of the Great Continental Divide. Serious hikers also have the option to utilize a variety of moderate and challenging hiking trails, including the Ute Trail, which zig-zags down the mountain to return to the base area on foot.
Mountain Biking: Visitors hoping to mountain bike at Winter Park will receive complimentary access to the scenic gondola with the purchase of a ticket or season pass for the Trestle Bike Park. In the same sense, mountain bikes are not permitted on the gondola unless visitors have already purchased a Trestle Bike Park ticket.
Winter: While you may be sharing the trip with some skiers or snowboarders, a scenic gondola ride in Winter Park can be complemented by many of the other activities offered by the resort. Besides world-famous downhill ski slopes, visitors can enjoy a snowshoeing or ski-biking tour as well as the family-friendly tubing hill.
To reach Winter Park’s Village, you may be lucky enough to ride on the Village Cabriolet, which connects to the upper parking area.
Details
Address: 145 Parsenn Rd, Winter Park, CO 80468
Phone: 970-726-1564
Seasons and Hours:
- Summer: Open daily from mid-June to early October, 10 am – 5 pm
- Winter: Open daily from mid-November to early April, from 9 am – 4 pm
- Between Jan 13 and April 2, lifts extend Friday & Saturday hours from 4 PM – 7 PM with free admission
Cost: Daily flat fee per person
Summer Website: winterparkresort.com/things-to-do/activities/summer-scenic-gondola
Winter Website: winterparkresort.com/things-to-do/activities/winter-scenic-gondola