Skiing in May in Colorado
May is the tail end of the Colorado ski season and it belongs to Arapahoe Basin, the high resort that routinely runs into mid May and sometimes June, so May skiing means warm spring corn, blue skies and a party atmosphere at one or two mountains while the rest of the state has closed for the summer.
Reviewed for the 2026 season by the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team
Can you still ski in Colorado in May?
Yes, but at very few places, and Arapahoe Basin is the heart of it. Sitting high on the Continental Divide, A Basin habitually skis into mid May and in good years keeps going into June, and it is the resort the whole state's spring scene revolves around once the others shut. In a typical recent year it has planned to close in early May and then extended a final weekend when a late storm dropped fresh snow, so the exact last day moves with the weather, but May skiing there is the norm rather than a surprise. Breckenridge, also high in Summit County, sometimes adds a token late day or a brief reopening for a spring celebration after its main season ends, and a handful of other high resorts occasionally limp into the first days of May.
Everything else is done. Most Colorado resorts close between late March and mid May, and the famous destination mountains, Vail, Aspen, Telluride and the rest, have wound up well before May arrives. The honest picture is that May is a one or two resort month: you go for the experience of skiing in shorts under a hot sun, not for a choice of mountains or a full open ski area. If A Basin has a strong base and a late storm, May can be brilliant; if it has been a warm, lean spring, the season can end earlier than usual, so always check the current status before committing.
What is the snow actually like in May in Colorado?
May snow in Colorado is classic high altitude spring corn, governed by the daily freeze and thaw rather than by fresh powder. Cold clear nights refreeze the surface, the morning sun softens it into smooth, forgiving corn, and by afternoon it turns heavy and slushy, especially on sunny lower aspects. The drill is a relaxed late start to let the snow soften, a few hours of lovely forgiving turns through late morning and midday, and an early finish before it gets sticky. This is friendly, low consequence skiing on the open upper terrain that survives, not the steep cold conditions of midwinter.
Late season storms are the wild card and the magic. Colorado can deliver a substantial May dump, and a foot of fresh on a sunny spring day at A Basin is one of the best experiences in American skiing, which is exactly what has prompted late season extensions in recent years. The flip side is that a warm, dry spring shrinks the snowpack fast and brings closures forward, and even in a good year the open terrain is a fraction of the full mountain, with lower runs bare and only the high, north facing and snowmade pitches still skiable. Plan for variable cover, ski the mornings, and treat any fresh snow as a bonus.
How busy and how expensive is May skiing in Colorado?
May skiing in Colorado is cheap, sunny and social rather than serious. Late season lift tickets are a fraction of peak winter rates, with closing weekend day tickets often heavily discounted, and there are no winter accommodation premiums, so a May trip is one of the most affordable ways to ski the state, easily under $2,000 per person if it is built around a few days at A Basin rather than a full winter style week. The scene is the draw as much as the skiing: pond skims, tailgate parties in the famous beach lot, live music and a loose end of season atmosphere.
Crowds are concentrated rather than heavy. Because so few resorts are open, the ones that are can get busy on warm weekends and especially on closing day, when locals turn out in force for the party, but midweek in May is quiet and relaxed. The cost savings come from the season, so there is less to optimize than in winter, but it is still worth sorting your discounted lift ticket through #AFFILIATE_LIFTPASS, any transfer from Denver through #AFFILIATE_TRANSFER, ski hire through #AFFILIATE_SKIHIRE if you are not bringing gear, and travel insurance through #AFFILIATE_INSURANCE, since a warm spring can end the season earlier than planned and upend your dates.
Who should ski Colorado in May, and who should skip it?
May in Colorado suits spring skiing fans who love warm corn turns, sun and a party atmosphere, locals and visitors chasing the longest possible season, and anyone who wants a cheap, low key few days on snow to round off the winter. For the right person, a sunny May day at Arapahoe Basin with a beer in the beach lot afterward is one of the most enjoyable days in American skiing, and the value is excellent.
It suits almost everyone with bigger ambitions poorly. If you want a choice of resorts, a full open mountain, reliable deep snow or guaranteed cover, May is the wrong month, because you are betting on one or two resorts and on the spring weather. Powder hunters should look to February, families wanting ski school and a full resort should come December through March, and anyone who needs certainty for an expensive long haul trip should not build it around a season that can end early in a warm year. If you specifically want late season sun and longer days with more open terrain than May offers, late March and April across the bigger Colorado resorts are the smarter choice.
May in Colorado: the case for and against
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Where to ski in Colorado in May
For May we would point you first at these, each with our full review:
- Arapahoe Basin. The heart of Colorado spring skiing, routinely open into mid May and sometimes June with the best late season scene.
- Breckenridge. High Summit County terrain that sometimes adds a late day or a brief spring reopening after its main season ends.
- Winter Park. A high resort with deep snow that occasionally lingers into the first days of May in a strong snow year.
Sources we checked
Common questions
Can you ski in Colorado in May?
Yes, but at very few resorts, with Arapahoe Basin the main option. A Basin habitually skis into mid May and sometimes June, while Breckenridge occasionally adds a late day and most other Colorado resorts have closed by then. May skiing means warm spring corn at one or two high mountains, not a choice of open ski areas, so check the current status before booking.
When does Arapahoe Basin usually close?
Arapahoe Basin typically runs into mid May and in good snow years keeps going into June, making it the latest closing resort in Colorado most seasons. The exact last day moves with the weather: in a recent year it planned an early May close, then extended a final weekend after a late storm, while a warm dry spring can bring the closing date forward.
What is May skiing like in Colorado?
It is high altitude spring corn skiing driven by the daily freeze and thaw. Cold nights refreeze the snow, the morning sun softens it into smooth forgiving corn, and by afternoon it turns heavy and slushy. The play is a late start, a few hours of friendly midday turns on the surviving upper terrain, and an early finish, with any late season storm a welcome bonus.
Is a May ski trip to Colorado worth it?
It is worth it for spring skiing fans who want cheap, sunny corn turns and a party atmosphere, since late season lift tickets are heavily discounted and the scene at Arapahoe Basin is unique. It is not worth it if you want a choice of resorts, deep snow or a full open mountain, in which case February for powder or March for sun and open terrain are far better.
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