A Local’s Guide to Skiing at Sunday River

You can go to every state in New England and find someone that has skied Sunday River—and there’s a good reason for that. Sunday River is the “happy place” of so many, and after just one visit you’ll see why—the mountain has 884 skiable acres, 139 beautiful trails, and comfortable chairlifts. What could be better?

In this blog post, we will share all the insider information you need to know before visiting Sunday River—the best ski trails, restaurants for every kind of foodie, how to avoid crowds, special events, insider tips, and a whole lot more! Dust off your ski suits and boots—it’s time to head to the Rivah’!

History

Sunday River has a rich history that dates back to the early 1950s. The area was first developed as a ski resort in 1959, when a small group of ski enthusiasts saw snowy mountains full of potential. Over the years, Sunday River expanded significantly, adding more trails and lifts to accommodate the growing number of visitors. By the 1970s and 1980s, it became known for its diverse terrain and number of ski trails. The resort continued to evolve, enhancing its facilities and services, which solidified its reputation as a premier destination in New England. Today, Sunday River is one of the largest ski areas in the northeastern United States, attracting ski enthusiasts from across the country.

Travel Tips

• From most major cities North and South, I-95 is the primary access highway. From all points South, Take Exit 63 (the Gray exit) and Route 26 North into Bethel. From all points North, take Exit 75 in Augusta, followed by ME US-202 East, ME-4 North, and then follow ME-26 South into Bethel. Once you arrive in Bethel, there will be signs guiding you to Sunday River Road. Or, you can just follow the line of cars from Massachusetts with Thule cargo boxes on their roofs.

• If you're visiting during the Winter months, be sure to pack plenty of warm clothes! Bring wool sweaters, warm jackets, and insulated winter boots with good traction!

• In my opinion, the best time to ski at Sunday River is Monday-Thursdays, Sunday afternoons, or anytime during the months of January or March. February tends to be the busiest month, due to vacation weeks and peak snow conditions.

• Parking lots fill up FAST. Arrive before 8:00a.m. to get a decent spot.

• I would recommend parking at South Ridge Lodge. It’s the most central lodge with the most parking and food options.

Lodging

There is no shortage of quality accommodations in the Bethel area— with hotels, inns, resorts, condos, and property rentals all available—there are options for every budget.

• The Jordan Hotel (slopeside)

• Grand Summit Hotel (slopeside)

• Snow Cap Inn (<5 minutes from the mountain, dog-friendly)

• The Bethel Resort + Suites (downtown Bethel)

• The Elizabeth Inn and Restaurant (downtown Bethel)

The Trails

Sunday River has a variety of trails for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels. Categorized by difficulty, here are some of the “must-do” trails:

Beginner

• Lollapalooza—a long, exciting trail with stunning views

• Dream Maker—a fan-favorite, wide trail that allows for long, wide turns

Intermediate

• Lazy River—a relaxed trail with easy turns

• Kansas—slow, rolling trail that provides amazing 180-degree views of the Mahoosuc Range and Grafton Notch

Challenging

• White heat—longest, steepest, widest lift-serviced trail in the East

• Last Tango— wide open, beginner-friendly glades

Winter Activities

The Igloo

The Igloo (yes!—an actual igloo) is a unique mountain experience complete with food trucks, an ice bar, moody vibes, music, and more. The igloo is open daily from 10:00a.m. to 30 minutes before last chair at the Jordan 8. Enjoy apres at the igloo on Saturdays from 5-8:30p.m. At this time, the igloo is only accessible by ski trails.

Jordan Spa

Unwind at the mountainside Jordan Spa with their impressive selection of services. They have a nice array of body treatments to cleanse, hydrate, and detox, as well as 60 and 90-minute massages and specialty facials.

Cross-Country Skiing

If you feel like ditching the fat ski’s for skinny ski’s—there are two amazing cross-country skiing centers located right in Bethel. Inland Woods + Trails, located at the Bethel Resort, offers 25km of ski, snowshoe, and fat tire bike trails. They also offer equipment rentals, informative ski lessons, and season passes. Carter’s Cross-Country Ski Center, located on the Intervale Road, offers 55km of dog-friendly ski trails ranging from beginner to difficult. They also have a quaint little ski shop where they sell and rent quality ski equipment and clothing.

Ice Skating

The Bethel Recreation Department maintains a community ice rink on Philbrook Street in downtown Bethel. Check out the ice rink Facebook page for daily updates on conditions. At this time, the rink is bring-your-own skates.

Bowling

River Lanes is the local bowling alley/arcade/sports bar and is only a 10-minute drive from the mountain.

Movie Theater

Bethel’s locally-owned independent movie theater, The Gem, offers all the latest and greatest films in a relaxed, cozy atmosphere. Their ticket and food prices are extremely reasonable and they offer a great selection of snacks, candy, pizza, draft beer, and canned alcoholic beverages.

Dining

With nineteen dining options, Sunday River is paradise for any foodie!

Sunday River offers a variety of breakfast options to fuel your day on the slopes. For a quick coffee, smoothie bowl, or basket of mini doughnuts, swing by Coffee Hound. If a sit-down breakfast is what you need, check out the cozy menu at Camp. Northern Lights Cafe has gourmet coffee and tea and light breakfast foods—like breakfast sandies, parfaits, and breakfast burritos.

Lunch options include Cilantro Burritos, known for burritos, burrito bowls, and nachos. If noodles and sushi are more your speed, be sure to check out Cho Sun. The Crow’s Nest Cantina serves up tacos, burritos, draft deer, and speciality cocktails with views of White Heat.

If Apres is your vibe—drinks and small bites are available all over the mountain. The Foggy Google has yummy apps, soups, salads, sandwiches and they have happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3-5:00p.m. The Barker Bar has lunch, snacks, and plenty of beer. Nothing says apres like chips and dip and margs—the Crow’s Nest Cantina has both.

Warm up with a nice, cozy dinner of fresh oysters and homemade ramen in a private igloo at the Last Run Room. Or check out the yummy pub fare at Shipyard Brew Haus. Sliders Restaurant is a little slice of heaven, serving up Italian favorites like arancini and homemade bolognese.

Special Deals

Sunday River has “community days” for Maine residents that live in local school districts. Lift tickets are $24 for adults and free for kids and must be purchased in-person. Check their community programs page for more information.

Select Sundays and Tuesdays are “Maine Days” when any Maine resident can ski for a discounted rate. Check out their calendar for upcoming dates and pricing.

Twilight Skiing is only $10 for local Maine residents and $24 for non-residents on select Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays from 3-6:30p.m.

Sunday River is known for hosting events for every age—including live music, festivals, and more! Be sure to check out their events page for information on upcoming events.

Insider Tips

• Warm up with fried dough pizza or cinnamon rolls at the Peak Lodge Food Court

• To avoid crowds, ski mid-week or Sunday afternoons

• The base area lifts (Barker 6, Chondola 7, White Cap Quad 9) tend to be busiest—so opt for mid-mountain lifts if you want to avoid waiting in line

• Make dinner reservations. Many of the restaurants (Camp, Mountain Room, Last Run Room, Shipyard Brew Haus) all take reservations so you can spend more time skiing and less time waiting.

Leave no Trace

When it comes to enjoying time outdoors, remember the golden rule: Leave No Trace. It’s as simple as picking up after yourself, staying on the trails, and leaving nature just as beautiful as you found it. Think of it like being a good guest—keep things clean, respect the wildlife, take only memories and leave behind only footprints. By practicing Leave No Trace, you help preserve the magic of Maine for future adventurers to enjoy, so everyone can keep enjoying the same beautiful, wild world we love.

Interested in more insider Maine skiing tips and recommendations? You can find them all here.

Want more Maine travel inspiration + information from a local Mainer? Follow MyMaine on Instagram!

If you love spending time outdoors in Maine, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page (or click here) and subscribe to my e-mail list! By doing so, you’ll be the first to receive all of my latest and greatest outdoorsy Maine content straight to your inbox! And I solemnly swear that I won’t sell your e-mail to spammers or scammers living in their mom’s basement.

With love,

My Maine