Summer At Snowbird

Among the newest attractions at Snowbird is the Big Mountain Trail — seven and a half miles of mountain bike riding over wooden bridges, tabletops, through stands of trees and wide open meadows, all the way to the base. Additional trails carve scenic paths through alpine environments that are particularly colorful during the peak wildflower season in July and early August.

Then there's the Mountain Coaster, a two-person sled that runs on a track 3,120-feet long filled with twists, turns and loops, the Alpine Slide, a Zip Line, Mountain Flyer and a public rope course that tests balance, nerves and any possible fear of heights. In other words, there are many ways to get down the mountain.

For the younger ones there's a bungee trampoline, a climbing wall and a chance to strike it rich panning for gold. One of the more popular trips is a ride up the Peruvian Chair to a tunnel cut through the mountain that is the only skier-based tunnel in North America. It is 600-feet long and has been transformed into a mining history museum. At the end of the tunnel are the horseback riding stables.

Though some of the slope-side dining takes the summer off, many of Snowbird's best restaurants are open throughout the year. The Aerie is a modern-American gastropub that focuses on local, seasonal and organic ingredients while Snowbird's Mexican restaurant and Tequila Bar, El Chanate serves up authentic Mexican alongside an extensive tequila collection.

Snowbird’s beautifully renovated Cliff Spa features 21 treatment rooms, yoga studio, fitness center, rooftop pool and hot tub and salon — wonderful for restoration after a long day on the slopes, and equally ideal after some grueling downhill or anytime your body and mind may benefit from the resort's high elevation and mountain-specific treatment.

Those in the know say trails like Big Mountain have attracted a lot of attention and been well used for a lot of reasons, perhaps foremost among them that Snowbird's famous Tram quickly carries you to some spectacular views — definitely the main attraction for site-seers and casual hikers and a bonus for serious trekkers and mountain bikers.