Ski Resorts Near Pittsburgh – Head to the Laurel Highlands

Hidden Valley – A Ski Resort for Beginners

Hidden Valley is known in many ski circles as being a resort for families, especially those who are wanting to learn how to ski or improve their novice skills. There are a decent number of trails here, and the resort itself is less crowded when compared to neighboring Seven Springs (below), which gives it a bit more spacious feel while also having several enjoyable, if not smaller, slopes.

We classify Hidden Valley as a ski resort for beginners because the bulk of the trails are rated green and blue, and some of the blues are on the easier side of the spectrum meaning that they can be tackled by novices that want to try to improve and become intermediate.

One of our favorite things about Hidden Valley is it is a great spot to take a lesson if you're a beginner, which really helped drive home some of the points you need to keep in mind when hitting the slopes.

Check out more information on Hidden Valley by clicking here.

Seven Springs – A Ski Resort for Intermediates

Out of the three resorts featured in this guide, Seven Springs is by far the most popular, and with good reason- the property is huge!

This resort has something for everyone, be it several dozen ski slopes for all skill levels, a large lodge full of many amenities, restaurants, and activities, one of the best courses for snow tubing in PA, and numerous other outdoor activities for both winter and summer alike. Suffice it to say, you could easily spend a week here and barely do it all, and that is exactly why we love it.

We classify Seven Springs as being intermediate, despite having a number of easy to navigate green slopes, for two reasons. First, the resort is home to many blue and black diamond trails that those who have greater skills will be able to appreciate (including the north face section which is a bit more advanced as well). Second, this park is the most popular of the three featured on this list, which means if you are there during busy hours you'll have to spend some energy navigating away from other skiers. This is second nature to those who know what they're doing, but maybe not so much for beginners and is important to note.

To book a room at Seven Springs, click here.

Laurel Mountain – A Ski Resort for Experts

Odds are good you fall into one of two camps when it comes to Laurel Mountain Ski Resort. Camp #1 includes those who have no idea what this resort is. Camp #2 includes those who are die-hards who dream of the resort.

You see, Laurel Mountain was a local favorite ski resort that closed in the early 2000's and was re-opened for the 2016/2017 ski season after many years of work and campaigns from the locals who love this small hideaway in the mountains. Talk to anyone in the lodge who is a local, and you'll quickly understand their intense love of this property and how happy they are that it is finally operating once again.

This resort is the smallest of the three featured in this guide, but what it has it does exceptionally well. The resort is an inverse mountain with a completely renovated chalet-style lodge at the top, and all trails merge at the bottom where the park's one and only ski lift ferries you back to the top. Beyond this, there is no infrastructure on the property as it is located on state property that is leased to Seven Springs for skiing.

It is just you, the mountain, and the small but stunning lodge. Intrigued? You should be.

We classify this one as being for experts as the roughly one dozen or so trails are not easy in the slightest. The few greens are more like easier blues (with quite long runs, too), and the trails get progressively harder from there. In fact, the resort's double black diamond, Lower Wildcat, is said to be the steepest slope in the state of Pennsylvania, just to give you an idea on what we're talking about.

If you can handle blue trails with ease, or tackle black diamonds without hassle, we are confident you will absolutely adore this resort. You may not be able to do all the trails, but if you are willing to tackle most you are going to have a fantastic time and maybe even make a few friends with the locals along the way.

We are not avid skiers, and this park is still beyond our skill level for sure, but we can appreciate a beautiful property and amazing slopes when we see them. This is one of those places that only encourages us to get better so we can return.

You'll understand why when you get there.

Check out more information on the Laurel Mountain Ski Resort by clicking here.

We'd like to thank the Laurel Highlands Visitor Bureau for inviting us down to experience these three epic ski resorts in the Seven Springs family. As always, all opinions are our own.

Looking for accommodations in the Laurel Highlands? Check out some great options on VRBO!

Looking for more things to do in the Laurel Highlands? Head over to Frank Llyod Wright's Fallingwater House or Kentuck Knob! Or perhaps grab a meal at Out of the Fire Cafe!