USA Alpine Slides: A Thrillseekers Guide


Alpine slides are a thrilling family-friendly attraction located throughout the United States.

These rides are typically found in mountainous areas, most often ski resorts, allowing riders to glide down a track at high speeds while enjoying the incredible scenery around them.

Part of our mission has been to document these amazing rides and while doing this we couldn’t find a resource for all the alpine slides in the United States.

So we decided to make our own!

In this article, you’ll find the most complete directory of alpine slides in the United States.

And while alpine slides are not as popular as they once were (they’ve been replaced by alpine and mountain coasters), they still continue to provide a lot of joy and excitement to riders of all ages during the summer months.

Contents

Map of United States Alpine Slides

The following map shows the location of every alpine slide mentioned in this article:

California

Magic Mountain Alpine Slide (Big Bear)

Location: Magic Mountain Recreation Area, Big Bear Lake
Cost: $9 (single ride) | $40 (5-rides)
Ride time: 1:45 minutes
Opening times: Year-round

The Magic Mountain Alpine Slide (Big Bear) alpine slide is the only alpine slide in California. So this makes it a pretty unique experience if you’re visiting.

This dual-track alpine slide is a quarter mile (400 meters) long and has a downhill ride time of about 1:45, depending on your speed.

This alpine slide is located at the Magic Mountain Recreation Area at Big Bear Lake, a popular outdoor adventure area with lots of different activities.

You can find more information about this alpine slide in our comprehensive guide to the Magic Mountain Alpine Slide (Big Bear).

Colorado

Colorado is the most popular destination for alpine slides with four options to choose from:

1. Breckenridge Alpine Slide

Location: Breckenridge Resort (Peak 8 Base Camp)
Cost: $34 (single ride)
Ride time: approx. 2 minutes
Opening times: Summer only (June to September)

The first alpine slides on our list in Colorado are the Breckenridge Alpine Slides.

Located at Peak 8 Base Camp and accessed via the Breckenridge Gondola, if you’re in the area this is a summer activity not to miss.

Breckenridge happens to have three alpine slides!

You can purchase a single-ride ticket, bundle or a day pass which gives you unlimited rides on the alpine slides.

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Breckenridge Alpine Slides.

2. Purgatory Resort Alpine Slide

Location: Purgatory Mountain Resort, Colorado
Cost: $54 for Activity Day Tick (includes unlimited rides on the alpine slide)
Ride time: 1:45
Opening times: Summer only (June – October)

Next on our list are the Purgatory Resort Alpine Slides.

Located a bit further south than most of the alpine slides in Colorado, the dual-track alpine slide is one of Purgatory Resort’s most loved summer activities.

Each alpine slide is more than half a mile long and can reach a speed of up to 25 mp/h.

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Purgatory Resort Alpine Slides.

3. Steamboat Howler Alpine Slide

Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Cost: $17 – $20 (single ride)
Ride time: 1:45
Opening times: Summer (May – September)

One of the most popular summer activities in Steamboat Springs is the Howler Alpine Slide.

At 2,400 feet (732 meters), this ride is a great summer activity, is that it is suitable for almost everyone in the family.

With the recent closure of the Outlaw Mountain Coaster, the Howler Alpine Slide is sure to be a popular ride this summer

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Steamboat Howler Alpine Slide.

Steamboat Howler Alpine Slide, Colorado

4. Winter Park Alpine Slide

Location: Winter Park Resort, Colorado
Cost: $49 – $59 for an Activities Day Pass (includes unlimited rides on the alpine slide)
Ride time: 1:45
Opening times: Summer (June to September)

We can’t think of a better way to spend a summer’s day than cruising down the Winter Park Alpine Slide.

This alpine slide is 3,000 ft (914m) long, has a vertical drop of 600 ft (183m), and takes about 1:45 to complete, depending on your speed.

The Winter Park Alpine Slide holds the title of the longest alpine slide in Colorado! So it is one alpine slide not to be missed.

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Winter Park Alpine Slide.

Illinois

Chestnut Mountain Alpine Slide

Location: Chestnut Mountain Resort
Cost: $12 (single ride) | $47 (five ride combo) | $67 (eight ride combo)
Ride time: 2 minutes
Opening times: May to October

Next on our list and the only alpine in the state of Illinois is the Chestnut Mountain Alpine Slide.

At 2,050 feet (625 meters) long, this dual-track alpine slide is a very popular activity at the Chestnut Mountain Resort during summer.

The upper section of the track is where you’ll get the best views of the Mississippi River so don’t forget to look up!

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Chestnut Mountain Alpine Slide.

Michigan

Crystal Mountain Alpine Slide

Location: Crystal Mountain Resort
Cost: Not available
Ride time: 1:00 minute
Opening times: May to October

The Crystal Mountain Alpine Slide is located at the Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, Michigan.

With 1,700 feet (518m) of track and a downhill ride time of about 1:00, this is an incredibly popular family ride during the summer months.

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Crystal Mountain Alpine Slide.

Minnesota

Lutsen Mountain Alpine Slide

Location: Lutsen Mountain
Cost: $16.50 (single ride) | $49 (4 rides) | $54 (unlimited rides)
Ride time: 2 minutes
Opening times: May to October (weekends only in May and September – October)

Lutsen Mountain in Minnesota is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

In summer, the mountain transforms into an adventure playground with a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, mountain biking and the Lutsen Mountain Alpine Slide.

The Lutsen Mountain Alpine Slide is a thrilling experience that takes riders on a thrilling downhill journey, featuring twists, turns and breathtaking views.

The Lutsen Alpine Slide is half a mile long (800 meters) and takes about 2 minutes to complete, depending on your speed.

The experience also includes a chairlift ride to the top of Lutsen’s Eagle Mountain where you can enjoy incredible views of Lake Superior.

The Lutsen Mountain Alpine Slide is a thrilling family-friendly summer attraction that offers a unique way to experience the natural beauty of the area so make sure you try it out this summer!

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Lutsen Mountain Alpine Slide.

Montana

Whitefish Alpine Slide

Location: Whitefish Mountain Resort
Cost: $12 (single ride) | $22 (two rides) | $36 (four rides)
Ride time: 90 seconds
Opening times: May to September

The Whitefish Alpine Slide is the only alpine slide in Montana and one of the most popular summer attractions at the Whitefish Mountain Resort.

This thrilling ride provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience the resort’s incredible views while zooming down the winding alpine slide tracks.

The alpine slide is one of our favorite activities for families and thrill-seekers alike.

It’s worth noting that the Whitefish Alpine Slide had a complete redesign in 2019.

A new track was added (there are now two tracks that run parallel to each other) with more carts to reduce the wait times at the top.

The experience also includes a ride up Chair 6 to the starting point where you can incredible views of the surrounding landscape.

With a 90-second downhill ride time and two alpine slides to choose from this is a ride not to be missed.

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Whitefish Alpine Slide.

Oregon

Ski Bowl Alpine Slide

Location: Mt Hood Ski Bowl Resort
Cost: $25 (2 rides)
Ride time: 2 minutes
Opening times: June – September

The Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Alpine Slide is the only alpine slide in Oregon and one of the most popular summer attractions at the Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Resort.

This thrilling ride provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience the stunning scenery of the Pacific Northwest while zooming down a winding alpine track.

The Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Alpine Slide is 2,640 feet (804 meters) long and has a total vertical drop of 350 feet (106 meters).

You can expect the ride to take about 2 minutes, depending on your speed.

The Mt. Hood Ski Bowl alpine slide only operates during the summer season (June – September).

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Ski Bowl Alpine Slide.

Vermont

Bromley Alpine Slide

Location: Bromley Mountain
Cost: n/a
Ride time: 2 – 3 minutes
Opening times: May to October (daily operations from mid-June until the end of the season)

Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

In summer, the mountain transforms into an adventure playground with a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, mountain biking and the Bromley Alpine Slide.

Built in 1976, the Bromley Alpine Slide is a thrilling experience that takes riders on a journey down the mountain, featuring twists, turns and breathtaking views.

There are three separate alpine slide tracks, all starting at the top of the Alpine chairlift and finishing down at the bottom of the ski area.

The Bromely Alpine Slide is one of the longest alpine slides in North America with a total length of approximately 3,500 feet (1,067 meters).

More information about this ride can be found in our guide to the Bromley Alpine Slide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any alpine slides left?

Yes – there are still more than 17 alpine slides operating in the United States.

You can find alpine slides in California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming.

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