Overview
Snowshoe Mountain is a ski resort in West Virginia. Snowshoe Mountain bills itself as an all-year destination, with skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and golf, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities the rest of the year.
1 sights · 6 things to do · 20 places to eat · 6 bars & cafés · 8 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Snowshoe
Green Bank Observatory
These radio astronomy telescopes are one of the main reasons the National Radio Quiet Zone was created and continues to be enforced. The largest is the 100 m Green Bank Telescope, which is so sensitive that it can detect…
Cass Scenic Railroad
What was built as a railroad for transporting lumber is now a scenic ride through the mountains. Cars are open-air, so dress appropriately for the summer or fall weather. Available trips are a 2-hour round trip to Whitta…
20 Below Teen Center
A hangout zone with activities and nightly programming for kids 13-20. Pool tables, video café, music, snacks, Wi-Fi, and charging stations.
The Big Top
Indoor playground with inflatable castles, climbing wall, bungee trampoline, and more.
Kids Night Out
For 5-12 year olds. Activities in The Big Top, pizza party, arts and crafts.
Comedy Cellar
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Jan.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- LWB Greenbrier Valley Airport, Lewisburg — 44 mi away. Directions
- SHD Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, Weyers Cave — 60 mi away. Directions
- IAD Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles — 142 mi away (major hub). Directions
Snowshoe is accessible by car from WV-66, which is itself accessible from US-219 or WV-92. From there, the drive to the top of the mountain is 6 miles, and takes about 15 minutes (maybe a little more if there's a lot of snow). Roads are generally plowed and reasonably well-traveled, and the mountain is drivable in an ordinary passenger car — as long as you prepare your car for winter driving and are comfortable driving on snowy roads, 4-wheel-drive won't be required (but would certainly be nice).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $79–$79 a night (typical $89), from 2 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $12 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$110, mid-range ~$150, comfortable ~$210.
Options are grouped as On the mountain, Off the mountain in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Green Bank Observatory, Cass Scenic Railroad
- Lunch The Last Run Restaurant
- Afternoon The Big Top, Comedy Cellar
- Dinner The Boathouse
- Evening The Connection Nightclub
Day 2
- Morning 20 Below Teen Center, Kids Night Out
- Lunch Appalachia Kitchen
- Afternoon The Spa at Snowshoe
- Dinner AK Market
- Evening Hoot's Bar & Grill
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
The lunch rush is roughly noon-1:30PM, and the dinner rush more spread out around 5PM (lifts stop running at 4:30PM). During these times, restaurants will be very crowded.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
History
Cheat Mountain was logged from 1901 to 1960, transporting timber and men on the Shavers Fork of the Cheat River and on steam locomotives. The nearby company town of Cass housed workers in dozens of nearly-identical houses. After the mill closed in 1960, the area was somewhat forgotten, and later re-discovered by Thomas "Doc" Brigham (who had previously opened Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain in Boone, North Carolina) as a site for a new ski resort, with Snowshoe opening in 1974 and Silver Creek (originally a separate resort) in 1983. The area's history of logging is preserved in the names of many of the ski trails and lifts. In the 1990s and 2000s Snowshoe merged with Silver Creek to form one large resort, and constructed the Village to provide on-mountain lodging, food, and shopping.
Get in
Snowshoe is accessible by car from WV-66, which is itself accessible from US-219 or WV-92. From there, the drive to the top of the mountain is 6 miles, and takes about 15 minutes (maybe a little more if there's a lot of snow). Roads are generally plowed and reasonably well-traveled, and the mountain is drivable in an ordinary passenger car — as long as you prepare your car for winter driving and are comfortable driving on snowy roads, 4-wheel-drive won't be required (but would certainly be nice).
If you're staying at Snowshoe Mountain, check in to your lodging before driving up the mountain. Check in for all Snowshoe Mountain rentals is at the Inn at Snowshoe at the bottom of the mountain. You can pick up your lift passes at the same time if you preordered them.
Each lodging complex has its own designated parking. General parking is free at Top of the World, or $5-25/day at Silver Creek.
By train
Amtrak at one point offered a "Ski Train" program that combined a train ticket from Washington, D.C., and a shuttle ride; it's not clear if this program still runs, but the train certainly does. The Amtrak Cardinal (connecting eastward to Charlottesville and Washington, and westward to Charleston all the way to Chicago) stops at White Sulphur Springs Station (WSS) near Lewisburg 3 times/week. From there you can rent a car or arrange a ride the remaining 70 miles to Snowshoe.
During summer and fall, you can ride the Cass Scenic Railroad (see § See and Do below) from Elkins into Cass, which is 10 miles (16 km) away from Snowshoe. However, the day-long trip is meant for sightseeing, not travel; a one-way is available, but you would then have to find another way out of town.
By plane
Snowshoe is not close to any major airports. The closest commercial airports are Lewisburg (LWB, 1½ hours' drive, service on United to Chicago and Washington) and Clarksburg (CKB, 2½ hours' drive, service on United to Chicago and Washington, on Allegiant to Orlando and seasonal to Myrtle Beach). The closest larger airports are Charleston (CRW) and Roanoke (ROA), both about 3 hours' drive away, both with service from American, Delta, and United.
Options for general aviation aren't any better. The closest public airfields include Elkins-Randolph County Airport (EKN, 29 nm N, 1 hour's drive), Ingalls Field Airport (HSP, 29 nm S, 2 hours' drive), Braxton County Airport (48I, 35 nm NW, 2 hours' drive), and the aforementioned Lewisburg's Greenbriar Valley Airport (LWB, 38 nm SW, 1½ hours' drive).
Get around
Snowshoe Mountain is oriented north-to-south, but displayed left-to-right or right-to-left on maps depending on which side of the mountain is being shown. Snowshoe Drive, the main road that takes you up the mountain, runs the length of the resort, and all parking lots are accessible from it.
Silver Creek
Smaller than the main basin, Silver Creek is the only area open for night skiing, and features several terrain parks. During the day there are 6 lifts and 18 trails; at night this is reduced to 3 lifts and 12 trails.
Snowshoe Basin
The main ski area, with 6 lifts and 38 trails ranging from bunny slopes to black diamond. At the top of the mountain, this is divided into the Village, where most of the restaurants and shops are located, and Powderidge, a separate concentration of lodgings closer to the Powderidge lift.
Western Territory
Located on the opposite face of the mountain, Western Territory comprises just two main trails, all black diamond or double black diamond.
Top of the World
Although connected to Snowshoe Basin by 2 trails, its location further up the mountain means getting to/from the Village takes longer.
The easiest way to get around is walking. The Village is a shopping and dining area in the center of the resort, set up as a pedestrian walkway; you can easily walk from one end of it to the other in a minute or two. Walking to the Village from most of the lodgings takes just 5-10 minutes.
There are also free shuttle buses that run up and down Snowshoe Drive. They run on about a 20-minute loop. There are a few different routes (not all buses go to Silver Creek, for example, since it's further out of the way) so check the sign on the bus to see where it's going next.
See and do
There are events throughout the year, including concerts, festivals, and competitions. Check the event calendar online.
Do 20 Below Teen Center
A hangout zone with activities and nightly programming for kids 13-20. Pool tables, video café, music, snacks, Wi-Fi, and charging stations.
Do The Big Top
Indoor playground with inflatable castles, climbing wall, bungee trampoline, and more.
Do Comedy Cellar
Do The Spa at Snowshoe
Nearby
Do Cass Scenic Railroad
What was built as a railroad for transporting lumber is now a scenic ride through the mountains. Cars are open-air, so dress appropriately for the summer or fall weather. Available trips are a 2-hour round trip to Whittaker Station, a 5-hour round trip to Bald Knob (the third highest point in the state), and an overnight round trip to Elkins; another trip to the ghost town of Spruce no longer runs.
See Green Bank Observatory
These radio astronomy telescopes are one of the main reasons the National Radio Quiet Zone was created and continues to be enforced. The largest is the 100 m Green Bank Telescope, which is so sensitive that it can detect the electromagnetic equivalent of a single snowflake hitting the ground. Digital cameras and cell phones are not allowed near the telescopes, but film cameras are permitted anywhere. (The gift shop sells disposable film cameras.) It used to be part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, but in October 2016 the site was defunded by the National Science Foundation. It continues to operate under a new private organization.
Buy
Equipment rental and purchase
Snowshoe Mountain has 3 rental locations for basic equipment, and 1 for pro equipment. They do not rent jackets or pants, for hygienic reasons.
- When purchased in advance: basic package adult $40/day, children 12 and under $30 plus free helmet; value season $35/$25. Unclear whether you can pick up rentals the night before.
Shop Expedition Rentals
Shop Top of the World Rentals
Shop Silver Creek Rentals
- High performance package $65/day, without boots $55/day. Boots alone $20/day. Optional $10/day insurance.
Other rental shops not affiliated with Snowshoe Mountain include:
Shop Elk River at Soaring Eagle Lodge
Shop Elk River in the Valley
Shop Snow Creek Mountain Sports
Shop Ski Barn
Shopping
A few ATMs are available on the mountain:
Shop Citizens Bank of WV ATM
Shop Citizens Bank of WV ATM
Off the mountain, you can get full-service banking at
Shop Citizens Bank of WV
Plan to purchase groceries and liquor elsewhere to bring with you. However, if your supplies run short, you can find some essentials at a price:
Shop Wildcat Provisions
Groceries and other essential items (such as over-the-counter drugs, cleaning supplies, etc.), plus other supplies like movie rentals.
Shop Cass Company Store
(Unverified) Once the only store that timber loggers paid in company scrip could shop at, today the Company Store sells mainly tourist merchandise, including some locally homemade food stuffs. It also serves as a small general store.
Clothing
Other
Shop WV Market
Artisan products made in West Virginia, including pottery, glassware, jewelry, and gourmet foods.
Eat and drink
Resort
The lunch rush is roughly noon-1:30PM, and the dinner rush more spread out around 5PM (lifts stop running at 4:30PM). During these times, restaurants will be very crowded.
Eat Appalachia Kitchen
Upscale American.
Eat AK Market
Breakfast sandwiches; lunch soups and sandwiches.
Eat Black Run Sugar Shack
Barbecue sandwiches and ribs
Eat Cheat Mountain Pizza
Very good pizzas, and cheap beers to match. Take-out orders accepted.
Eat Foxfire Grille
Fairly good burgers and sandwiches. Barbecue is pretty good as well, and is served with multiple styles of sauce at the table. Live music sometimes.
Drink Hoot's Bar & Grill
Food by day, DJs by night.
Drink The Locker Room Sports Bar
Bar food. Lots of TVs, billiards, foosball. Sometimes live music or karaoke.
Eat Old Spruce Tavern
Excellent sandwiches and salads, and no fried foods; everything is served with daily sides such as pasta salad. Great selection of craft beers in bottle, and a few local beers on tap. Smaller than most of the other restaurants, with just a few tables and a bar. Seating is self-serve, so if there isn't any available when you arrive, it's anyone's guess how long you could be waiting before someone leaves to make room.
Eat Sunset Cantina
Good but overpriced Tex-Mex food and drinks.
Drink Tuque's
Lunch soups, sandwiches, and poutine, the French-Canadian dish of French fries with brown gravy and cheese curds. Dinner same as Appalachia Kitchen. Live music F Sa 4:30-6:30PM.
Eat Waffle Cabin
Shacks offering Belgian sugar waffles, just big enough for a snack. Stand around and eat them while they're hot and crispy. Even plain they may be the best waffles you've had in a long time, but powdered sugar is free or you can add chocolate syrup if you crave a bit more flavor. (In the summer they offer ice cream waffle sandwiches.)
Off the mountain
Eat Elk River Inn & Restaurant
Fine dining made with local produce.
Eat The Fiddlehead
A surprisingly good restaurant, good enough to get away with calling itself a "gastropub" despite the rural location. Burgers, excellent hand-cut fries, and artisan pizzas, as well as some good vegetarian options, and a good selection of local beers on tap. Live music some nights. There's also a telescope on the back patio.
Eat The Last Run Restaurant
Reportedly good homestyle American meals, including some gluten-free items and farm-to-table foods.
Eat Route 66 Subs & Pizza Shop
Pizza, sandwiches, and breakfast all day. Delivery, and carry-out beer.
Sleep
On the mountain
Almost all of the lodgings on the mountain are privately owned and maintained, but rented by the resort. As a result, search and booking are blissfully simple: just use Snowshoe Mountain's website to search for the type and quality of lodging you want. (You can also request a specific unit when you book [probably only by phone], so if you return to Snowshoe and like a unit you stayed at previously, you can stay at the exact same place again if it's available.)
However, because units are maintained by their individual owners, it's difficult to give recommendations, since even adjacent rooms may be of totally different quality. The good news is, it appears that even "Economy" quality lodgings are in excellent condition: good quality furnishing, "full" kitchens that really are full (dishes, pots and pans, and utensils), etc. Higher-ranked units may include niceties such as granite kitchen countertops.
Most lodgings that advertise ski-in ski-out aren't ski-in ski-out. They're still close, but you'll have a few minutes walk. Check the "Policies" at the bottom of each location's webpage. They all start with "Approximate distance to slopes", which varies from "adjacent" (which will only be true for certain units) to "short walk" (it will specify how many yards) to "take the shuttle".
Off the mountain
Stay Inn at Snowshoe
Managed and booked through Snowshoe Mountain. Standard hotel rooms and one-bedroom condos. Shuttles take you up and down the mountain.
Stay Brazenhead Inn
Quaint wooden building with homey entryway and wrap-around patios to enjoy when the weather's suitable. All rooms have queen beds; upstairs rooms add a full bed in a loft reachable by a precariously steep and slippery ladder. Rooms are small, but adequate if all you want is a place to sleep. Meal package available, with dinner W-Su and breakfast and lunch Sa-Su. There's also a bar where you can have a pint with your friends or fellow travelers.
Stay Cass Inn
Stay Sharp's Historical B&B
Tickets
Winter
Lift tickets at Snowshoe are priced by demand. The price goes up as more tickets are sold for a given day, or the closer it is to the day of the ticket.
This means the best way to buy is on their website, as soon as you decide on your travel dates.
All lift tickets are valid for all 3 slopes (Snowshoe Basin, Silver Creek, and Western Territory) for the entire day (including night skiing at Silver Creek).
At the door, single day lift tickets (2015-2016 prices) are: weekends F-Su and holidays adult $89/day, student 13-17 $78, children 7-12 $74, midweek $79/$70/$66, value season (opening–Dec 17, Mar 13–closing) $59/$52/$49; children 6 and under and seniors 75 and over are always $10; military discount weekend 20%, midweek 40%. A 3-day ticket saves 20%. Proof of age is required for all non-adult tickets, including child tickets.
A season pass is available. Snowshoe Mountain is also part of the Ikon Pass, a multi-resort pass valid at more than two dozen U.S. ski destinations.
Summer
Summer activities passes, which includes climbing, lake activities, and lifts are: free for anyone lodging with Snowshow and for children 6 and under; 1-day $25, family (2 adults 2 children) $59 (extra family members $10/each), à-la-carte activities $10/each.
Bike park tickets (2014 prices) are: 1-day $40, 2-day $75, 3-day $99; Basin only (available M-W June 30–Aug 27) $25.
For golfing, greens fees (2014 prices) are listed online in a chart. To summarize: 18 holes $40-72, replay $30; 9 holes $29-45, replay $18.87. Prices after noon can be substantially cheaper ($40 versus $72 during the high season).
All-access pass
The Mountain Adventure Pass for $249/person (2014 price) gives you 3 days unlimited use of all summer activities, plus 1 day of "Bike Park 101" class or 1-day or bike rental.
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