Sundance Mountain Resort: A Family Day Trip from Park City

Redford's Mountain

Sundance Mountain Resort, founded by Robert Redford in 1968, sits at the base of Mount Timpanogos about an hour south of Park City. A completely different vibe from up here. More intimate, more artistic, gorgeous in a quieter way. A family day trip feels like stepping into another world.

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Winter at Sundance

Sundance's ski area is small but perfectly formed. Roughly 540 skiable acres for the 2025-26 season, with the new Electric Horseman lift and 165 acres of expansion landing for the 2026-27 winter (that will be a 32% bump). It still never feels crowded. The terrain is a gift for intermediates and the views of Timpanogos are spectacular. Lessons for kids start at age 4. The lack of crowds means more runs and less time in lift lines.

Bring quality ski goggles. The tree skiing through Sundance's aspens is magical and the light through the trunks at dusk demands real lenses, not a rental fogger.

One drive warning. If you are coming down from Park City, do NOT take Guardsman Pass in October or early November. The county sand trucks have not started yet and that road bites. Take the standard route through Heber and Provo Canyon. Adds 15 minutes, saves your week.

Summer Activities

Scenic Lift Rides. Take the chairlift up for panoramic views of the Wasatch Back.

Zip Lining. A beautiful zip course through the forest canopy. Charlie loved it the first summer he qualified for the weight minimum.

Nature Trails. The Stewart Falls hike is about 3.2 miles round trip and ends at a stunning two-tiered 200-foot waterfall. Moderate enough for kids 6 and up. Bring $6 cash for the Aspen Grove access pass at the trailhead.

One local warning that nobody puts in the Sundance brochure. Moose. The Sundance trails have moose, especially the early-morning hikes. Same rules as our Round Valley moose - 50 yards minimum, turn around if mama and calf are blocking the path.

The Art Scene

Sundance's Art Studio is the soul of the resort. Glassblowing, pottery, jewelry-making classes for all ages. Watching artisans work is free, and the hands-on classes are a memorable family activity. There is also a small independent cinema showing art house films.

If you are bringing a kid who has never made anything with their hands, this is the place. Even Wyatt at five came home with a watercolor he still has framed in his room. The instructors are working artists in residence and they treat the kids like real apprentices.

Dining at Sundance

The Tree Room is famous for Redford memorabilia and farm-to-table menu. Refined but not stuffy. For a more casual family meal, the Foundry Grill offers excellent food in a relaxed mountain lodge setting - the eggs Benedict and smoked trout hash are the orders. The Owl Bar has the original 1890s rosewood bar Redford rescued from a biker bar in Thermopolis, Wyoming and restored - bullet holes from Butch Cassidy's Hole-in-the-Wall Gang still in the wood.

Pack an insulated water bottle for the drive. The canyon road is beautiful but services are sparse and altitude makes everyone thirstier than they expect. Comfortable hiking shoes are non-negotiable for the trails. Do not forget the sunscreen. UV at altitude is stronger than you think. A hydration pack keeps hands free for holding little hands on the trail.

The Locals' Take

For Park City families, Sundance is the sanity day-trip. An hour and a half south, completely different mountain energy. Drive down for breakfast at the Foundry, an art studio block, a hike to Stewart Falls, dinner at the Tree Room, back the same night. One of the best Utah day-trips Sean and I have ever done.

Resort Day-Trip Essentials

Tried-and-tested picks:

• mineral sunscreen for kids
• UPF 50+ kids sun hat
• insulated kids water bottle
• waterproof phone pouch
• kids snorkel mask set
• waterproof dry bag