Cataloochee Ski Area

Ski resort · Haywood County

Cataloochee Ski Area

Ski resort · Haywood County

2

1080 Ski Lodge Rd, Maggie Valley, NC 28751

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Cataloochee Ski Area by Photo by Katia Singletary/age fotostock
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null
Cataloochee Ski Area by null

Highlights

Cataloochee Ski Area offers gentle slopes for all ages and skill levels, with a friendly vibe, tasty food, and efficient rentals, perfect for a fun day on the snow.  

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1080 Ski Lodge Rd, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 Get directions

cataloochee.com
@cataloocheeskiarea

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1080 Ski Lodge Rd, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 Get directions

+1 828 926 0285
cataloochee.com
@cataloocheeskiarea
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@skiCataloochee

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Jul 11, 2025

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@cntraveler

"Roughly 50 minutes directly west of Asheville, at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, Cataloochee Ski Area is North Carolina’s oldest It’s geared more toward the beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, being small in stature and featuring just 740 feet of vertical, but does offer eighteen runs spread across five lifts and one terrain park. The resort is also home to one of the world’s best snowboarders; X Games gold medalist and world-class rider Zeb Powell, who grew up riding Cataloochee’s runs and perfecting his madcap style in its terrain park. In fact, Powell credits Cataloochee’s lack of vertical as one of the main reasons he developed his singular style of uber-creative snowboarding."

North Carolina Ski Resorts: The Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Weekend Ski Trip
View Postcard for Cataloochee Ski Area
@afar

"The Southeast may not offer the never-ending runs of the Rockies, but when you need your fix, snow is snow, and Cataloochee’s 740 feet of vertical drop and 5,400-foot summit elevation rank it among the region’s best. Five lifts service the mountain, including the Omigosh lift to the summit and access to a wide beginner-friendly area aptly dubbed Easy Way. For late risers, a twilight pass grants access from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. (also allowing time to hit the tubing park in the morning). Nearby Maggie Valley offers ample dining and lodging, plus easy access to the national park. Be sure to detour to Cataloochee Valley in the morning or evening for a glimpse of the elk herd that was successfully reintroduced into the park in 2001."

The Best Things to Do and See in the Great Smoky Mountains
View Postcard for Cataloochee Ski Area

Robert Greene

Google
We always have a great time skiing and boarding here. Staff is friendly and helpful. The food is surprisingly great, and they have a nice variety of craft beers at the bar. I love how your session starts on your first run, not at specific times. They really have the equipment rental process as fast and efficient as possible, especially the boot fitting station.

Nitzan laster

Google
I would like to warmly recommend a trial lesson at this ski resort. I came today to learn skiing for the first time without ever trying it before. After an hour's lesson and a few more hours of practice, I understood the technique and was able to ski. This is largely thanks to the teacher who taught me, Nancy, who patiently explained the basics and gave us tips. Later, we practiced and Nancy corrected us. I am very happy with the experience and hope to return soon.

Rebecca Mason

Google
Fun fun!! Lots of slopes ranging from little to Black Diamonds, which made it excellent for the beginners as well as the seasoned snowboarders. All the staff were really friendly and helpful as well. I just wish that the Western Theme Park, Ghost Town in the Sky- that is 2 seconds down the road from the Ski Area, was still open! So bummed it closed down. So many great memories from going there when I was little! Nothing beat the long chairlift ride that you had to take to get up to the top of the mountain to get to the entrance of Ghost Town.❤️ Someone needs to buy that place and reopen it!!

Sarah Kelley

Google
Overall, we had a really good time! Wish their bunny slopes were a little bit wider. It was hard for the kids to get on it once all the little school kids got out there. Lodge was nice, budge to spend a lot of food though. Haven't been here in 15 years, so it was nice to come back.

Heather T

Google
If you are a beginner, this is probably not where you want to start. We decided to try this place with our 11 year old who wanted to learn and for my husband and I to refresh our skills, since we haven’t been on a snowboard in 15 years. This was the closest place to us and a few other reviews stated it was good for beginners. Both my husband and I learned to snowboard at a resort in PA, so perhaps all the resorts in the south are just very different than what I’ve been to in the past, but after we got our rentals and I saw Creek Hallow (green slope where most start), I had to laugh. If you are truly a beginner you are going to find it to be a nightmare if you go on a weekend!! People stand in the middle of the slope, people walk UP in the middle when you are trying to ski/board down, people just sitting in the way hanging out. I’ve literally never seen anything like it at any of the places I’ve been to previously. Nobody enforces any rules here? I’m not sure how people are actually supposed to learn when you can’t even get down the slope. It was actually super frustrating for our son, who was ready to just give up after 30 minutes. Since obviously this isn’t a cheap day, and we did sign him up for a lesson, we encouraged him to give that a chance. Thankfully the instructor took the group over to the Beginner’s luck slope, which was closed off to the public, so far less chaotic and because the instructors enforced some form of order over there the kids could actually make it down the slope. After his lesson we were able to wait in line and do a few runs down Easy Way as the crowds for the lift had dwindled down a bit. Prior to that the lift lines were just insane and it’s hard to even maneuver around them. I would say if you are advanced and don’t need to use the easy slopes (like Creek Hallow), this place is maybe more for you. Just be prepared for large crowds - long lines for rentals, lifts and the line for food wrapped the entire way around the building.

Chen Robyn

Google
Thanks to the snow storm. The first night when we arrive here, the snow is as good as the snow in Salt Lake City. Very powder! And less people during this weekend. The rental is 50 with tax coming with boost and board. Very reasonable price. The second is a big sunny day, cozy weather. And the snow is still quite good! Parking lot is pretty spacious. Always check the lower parking lot first !

Patricia Jones

Google
I had a blast coming to ski here! I purchased tickets online to help speed up the process. I arrived early so there were no lines to obtain our boots, & skis. Just know you'll stop at 3 buildings before hitting the slopes. The 1st is admission to obtain your passes, the 2nd is the building right behind it to obtain boots & helmets, the 3rd the building behind it to obtain ski & poles. I don't know what the bad reviews are talking about because everyone I encountered was pleasant. The staff on the slopes were so helpful in providing tips (I'm a beginner lol). It did get crowded as the afternoon crowd arrived. The lines for the lift would get long but moved quickly. There was someone scanning passes & someone helping people get on so maybe a 5 min wait max. The bunny hill for learning was packed with people so idk how anyone was able to practice. I saw a few instructors teaching various age groups how to ski down the mountain throughout the morning. Overall, I'd suggest arriving early to avoid the crowds and coming ready to have fun.

Joey Jursic

Google
I preface this about all the wonderful resorts in NC. You are skiing in North Carolina, do not expect Colorado slope difficult or Utah levels of snow. What you can expect is a mountain that is made for the enjoyment of skiers here on the Ice Coast. I’ve been coming here for 6+ years and have hundred of miles and thousands of vert feet here. In certain cases, it’s hot, crowded, and difficult to find parking. In other cases, the mountain is wide open that leaves you in the best case to have a great ski sesh. The park is gets better every year and their cat cage crew knows what the people want. The new lift that is coming next season will bring the top of the mountain that much closer. This is a local mountain no doubt about it, however if you find yourself coming up here for a weekend of skiing, you will not be shunned or shamed. You are welcome and will enjoy your time and a great mtn run by people that actually feel like they care. Come for a great time and a good experience. If that’s not what you’re taking here, go up to Sugar cause that’s all you’ll get and see there. Cataloochee is my home mountain and I’m proud to call it that.

Caleb M.

Yelp
If you're heading to Cataloochee Ski Area, make sure to look for Bake--he's hands down one of the best employees there! From the moment we arrived, Bake made our experience smooth and enjoyable. His knowledge of the slopes, patience with beginners, and friendly attitude really stood out. Whether you're renting gear, asking for advice, or just chatting about the best runs of the day, Bake has you covered. He went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time, even giving us tips on how to improve our snowboarding. It's rare to find someone so passionate and customer-focused these days. If I could give more stars, I would. Thanks, Bake, for making our day at Cataloochee unforgettable!

Marianna C.

Yelp
I don't know why it's at 3 stars. I loved it. First time coming to this resort as a newbie ski-er and I had a blast. Staff was very friendly and food was good. Equipment was in great condition.

Jeff R.

Yelp
What a fun time. First time skiing and we had a blast. Our instructor(male from Peru) was great. Great instructions and patience. Everyone from start to finish was great. Easy check in, picked up equipment in a fair amount of time, and just everyone answering questions. Facilities were dated but it was fun. Lifts moved efficiently. Only negative I see was the price of food and beer. We haven't been to the high end ski resorts but this place is fun and very hospitable. We will be back!

Krud D.

Yelp
Great smaller East Coast ski resort located in Southern North Carolina. 18 runs and every once in a while they will open up the meadows when they get a lot of snow. Hope to go again when my boy is old enough for ski school.

Olivia M.

Yelp
Overall good first time experience! There should be more signage for new people ( as my group was) to understand the flow of things . Some of the staff was super rude when we asked for directions or questions regarding something. The locker rental should be included in price.

Jennifer L.

Yelp
Took my family which included grandparents, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, daughter, and husband to Tube World. The kids were from 3-7 years old so they played in the kids area (Wee Bowl). These Florida kids loved playing in the snow! They loved the little hill the adults pushed them down in tubes. The area was just big enough for all the kids to throw snowballs, build little snowmen and just enjoy the area. There is a fire that many of the adults stood around to keep warm. There is also a food truck with warm drinks heavy snacks to eat. It was definitely a win for our family!

Miki H.

Yelp
Our Youth Group, FBC Sylvester, visited Cataloochee for our 3rd MLK trip. Much improvements since our visit last year. Group reservation advanced paperwork method was a bit more challenging this time, but Madison answered every email question I had. The extra info collected DID make things move smoother at check in. The most obvious improvement, was the boot station. Much more organized. Although a bit pricier, it was a relief to be able to use plastic for locker rentals. We did have a couple of students that decided to ski at the last minute, who had to purchase tickets at the main ticket counter. Sad to say that the person at the counter was a bit rude to our students. Our group lesson instructors for ski and snowboarding were awesome. Tana was patient and a great instructor. We'll be back MLK weekend 2025!

Hugo O.

Yelp
Great for a family getaway, has enough greens to blacks so you don't get bored. night skiing available, rental check in easy and quick and staff is friendly and happy to help great for beginners.

John Y.

Yelp
Season ticket holders were just robbed by Cataloochee management! 3 days ago they announced 23/24 season pass purchasers could snowboard the "rest" of this season and have been repeatedly stating 3/26 (as of yesterday) was this seasons anticipated close date and suddenly closed today. So nearly a month just vanished from what they stated yesterday on their website's snow report that's updated daily! The weather forecast hasn't changed much in 24 hours and think this is just pure greed, wanting to cut staffing, snowmaking expenses as they already collected many season passes. F@$k their icy slopes, muddy parking lots, and room temperature chicken tenders, I'll be taking my business to Beech or Sugar! Beech closed temporarily and Sugar is still open so I think their season passes are a better investment.

Tanner S.

Yelp
Good at the beginning of season and not the best at the end, but they still have great ski patrol and great snow makers and everything great place to ski in the east coast

Karina L.

Yelp
I love Catalooche ski Area. The fact that there's a ski resort two hours from the city it's amazing. Never had an issue with rental or staff. Most people just want their whole life figured out. Wrong. 5 starts would recommend

Eloisa C.

Yelp
This is for Tub World only.Way too small and ice melts and when you slide mud goes on face. A lot of people and not enough ski donuts.

James S.

Yelp
Wow. Wow. Wow. Potentially one of the nicest slopes we have been too. We pre purchased our tickets and the check in was absolutely a breeze. Go to the kiosk in the main lobby down stairs, scan your QR code off your phone and it prints your passes. Go to step two which is your boots and they simply scan your pass and wave you on. No paperwork, upon arriving at the boot section the measure your foot and put your boots on for you, rent a small locker for $5 and stow your shoes and items, slide over to step 3 which is board rental, grab your board and bam you're on the mountain. The staff is super nice and very helpful, different slopes for different experience levels, and lift operators who care about their jobs. Cataloochee ski resort was an absolute blast and I would defiently recommend it to anyone who wants to hit the slopes!

Savannah M.

Yelp
DO NOT RECOMMEND...THIS PLACE IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE AND NO GOOD...AWFUL EXPERIENCE! My church youth group and I reserved gear 2-3 weeks ahead and after we drove 3 hours up there from Snowbird and waited in the parking lot for an hour they declined us and told us the person who gave reservations no longer worked there. So there for we couldn't go skiing and snowboarding. I do not recommend. The Staff were rude and disrespectful towards everyone and there were more than around 7 more church groups with us. They told us the devastation news after we rented and purchased the bibs and clothing. And awful customer service. Horrible experience and wasted 7 hours of our time. This is awful and disappointing. Date- February 19, 2022 Rating- 0 Stars if I could.

Eric T.

Yelp
This review applies to TUBE WORLD. Skiing was pretty good and the staff were quite nice but lifts were jammed on a holiday weekend. As long as you bought lift tickets ahead of time, all is good. On the other hand...A few bad apples spoil the bunch. What should have been a great end to a good day turned into a very jarring and disappointing experience. After a day of skiing we went tubing at TubeWorld. On our second run the attendant at the top of the run turned my wife around backwards. She requested very politely to not go down backwards, but they pushed her down that way anyway. My wife is petite and not too adventurous so it's just so out of line to lord your power over a much smaller woman. I missed it because I went down just before her. She was annoyed and upset but we went back again. She got a different attendant next to the one who'd pushed her down backwards. Again we asked politely to just go down feet first. I confronted the first attendant for his behavior..."the ice caused her to turn around." Uh huh...what a jerk. My wife's second attendant made as If he was going to spin her this time. Again she asked not to be spun but to go down feet first. Incredulous, she said, "you wouldn't...please don't". He leered at her and spun her down the hill. Unbelievably poor and dangerous behavior. Despite speaking to the manager I doubt there were any repercussions. So, go at your own risk. Clearly management has hired bad apples and you might get them too. February 20, 2022

Oliver T.

Yelp
Our family visited on MLK day on Jan 21, 2019. This was the first time our family went skiing, though I've been a few times before. I was a bit worried how busy the place would be. The webcam on Sunday Jan 20 showed the place was packed. We even heard it stopped selling lift tickets by noontime. On MLK day, it was not really that crowded. Wait times at the ski lift was just a few minutes. We went with a group and I'd highly recommend going as a group. In addition to getting the group discount, you also get to use the group building where you can store all your stuff for free. Otherwise, you'll have to use the lockers for a small fee. You can bring food into the group building. I didn't see anywhere else you could eat if you brought your own food. We arrived at 9 AM (left Atlanta at 6 AM) and got our equipment (boots, helmet, skis). It takes awhile to get fitted and get your equipment. Plan at least an hour, especially if you have a lot of people in your group. They don't rent goggles or gloves, but there's a store where you can buy them at reasonable prices. There is no cell phone coverage here. But there is free wifi at the lodge. So, was able to do wifi calling/texting on my phone. For group lessons, didn't realize 5 year olds cannot join. Small children must have private lessons, which run $100/hr. So, I decided to just teach my son myself. In front of the main lodge, there is an area for absolute beginners to practice (Wolf Creek Hollow). It's a small hill with a moving sidewalk to get to the top of the hill. However, it's a bit dangerous getting there since it's also the bottom of the lifts for the advanced skiers. So, there's a lot of people skiing fast to get in line. There's another area called Beginner's luck, but they said adults couldn't be in that area. By the afternoon, the family learned enough to be able to ski down the Easy Way trail. They were blowing artificial snow during the entire day. As a beginner skier, I found it difficult to ski in artificial snow. It's more like skiing on ice granules. I can see how some people can view this place negatively. It is a small ski resort. But, this is the South, so can't expect any good skiing places around here. It's a bit chaotic with people leaving skis everywhere, so you need to make sure you remember where you put your equipment when you go inside the building. If you arrive in the afternoon to ski, make sure you arrive well before 1:30 to get all your gear. The restaurant food is a bit expensive, but not outrageous. Food quality is average. Seating is crowded with little room to maneuver. Skiing here can get pricey and I don't think it's really worth it if you have to rent stuff and only do a half-day, which is just 3 hours. There are some reviews about complaints of the staff. However, we found them generally to be helpful. Overall, coming with a group on MLK day and doing an entire day was worth it for us. It's only a 3 hour drive from Atlanta and our family had a fun time for our first time skiing.

Christian L.

Yelp
I've snowboarded in Colorado my whole life so I've been spoiled with fresh powder and great snow. Coming to the east coast for the first time I was expecting the icy conditions that everyone complains about. However the conditions weren't as bad as I thought they would be and the runs are fun considering they don't have a lot of mountain to work with. About halfway through the day, they set up a park with a couple rails which was a nice touch! The staff was friendly here and overall I had a great time at Cataloochee! If you can handle a bit of ice and enjoy a nice chill place to go down a mountain then Cataloochee is a great place to visit!

Danielle P.

Yelp
12/ 17 Small ski resort, nothing fancy, nor alot of people which we like!! All the staff were kind and friendly when I asked questions. It was raining and the wind was blowing, so I opted to not take ski lessons that day. I will return in Jan/ Feb once there is more snow and the conditions are better. But here are a few pics, they did have lots of people that day taking lessons...This is a great place for all beginners, if you want more keep it movin. Ive lived in Alaska and Germany, so Im Ok with small! Folks will find anything to complain about! I will update my review at a later date...

Thi D.

Yelp
Not very worth it to spend more than one trip here in your entire life, and only if you have no other options. Prices are comparable to other ski resorts in the area. Lines were actually not that bad, although it can be very disorganized for the rides for the lift. Only two trails were open, not a lot available for both experienced or beginner skiers. Surprisingly getting rental equipment wasn't as tedious as other reviews made it seem. Skiing in the northern states would probably be much more worth it overall.

Thomas M.

Yelp
Don't waste your time trying to get private ski lessons here. They will not take reservations and say it's first come first serve on day your are skiing. We're told the ticket office (where you get your private lesson appointment) opened at 7:30am. We were in line at 7:45 and were told we were number 6 at that time on waitlist. Several times late morning and early afternoon I checked on our progress. At 12:00 I was told there were still 4 people in front of us and by 1:00 that number was three people. We never received a call or email - please don't waste your time.

Raymi G.

Yelp
Good information desk that answered all of my questions. Staff to get all the gear was very friendly and extremely helpful with all the questions we had. Would definitely come again.

Nick F.

Yelp
They ripped us off. Spent $340 on lift passes and rentals but didnt get to use them, and so they they just kept the money. After buying these, we waited in a giant line for rentals only to discover they did not have the right size for my daughter, so we couldn't ski. Tried to get a refund not 5 minutes after learning this, and they said a manager would have to review and would get back with me. Never heard anything. Have left several voicemail's, but they wont even return my calls. i did not ride the lift. i did not use their slopes. i did not put on a single piece of rental equipment. i took almost none of the staff's time. Yet they felt just fine about keeping $340 of mine.

Misty P.

Yelp
Over all we enjoyed ourselves and are likely to return. If you want to go in the morning session, be sure to reserve in advance. We arrived an hour early and were turned around due to them being sold out. We were able to kill some time and return for the evening session. Since we had booked online, chocking in was pretty easy. The process/ flow for how to get rented gear could be better. They had us get our boots and helmet first, then ski equipment and lastly our bibs and jackets. So had a lot of stuff to lug around and back inside another building. It is nice that they have all of these items for rent since this was a spontaneous trip and we are unlikely to use any of the gear often. Once we were fully suited, we arrived 15 minutes early as directed for our privet lesson...25 minutes later we were greeted by our instructor. He was friendly and had some great stories and basics. After our 1 hour we were far from ready for the lift/ mountain. I will say the "bunny" slope was mostly ice, and seeing as the mountain was more powder- that may have been easier to work with it. We plan to go back for another lesson and hopefully feel comfortable enough to take on the lift!

Jack J.

Yelp
Place is extremely unorganized. Got our lift tickets and went to go get rentals only to realize we had to pay for the rentals with the lift tickets. NO SIGNS FOR THIS. Wasted an hour during this. Then had to get back in the rental line...which nothing is together. Boots are in one hut. Skis in another across the street. It's complete chaos. After getting through a 2 hour mayhem we final hit the slopes...what a cluster. After 2 runs we decided to get lunch and a beer. NO BEER served here. Not only that you have to download this app to order lunch. No problem right...wrong. There WiFi is garbage. Wasted an hour and then when we got our food it was not worth the wait. When we left it was like a mud pit at base camp. Bring your boots cause they will be covered in $hit by the time you leave. Expect to take some of it in your car. Bring a towel. You'll thank me later. I know coming here isn't like skiing/snowboarding in the Rockies...but my overall experience was just poor. I would definitely reconsider before I spend any money here again.

Daryl B.

Yelp
This place is just a tourist trap! First of all Ive never seen lockers that require you to PAY AGAIN every time you open the door. Hard to get change too. Nasty and unkept. The place has horrible bathroom and were the nastiest Ive ever seen. One stall in each bathroom for men. No supplies, locks that don't work, and smells of urine. The food had to ordered online only using an app. Then the wifi there is terrible. Then I was so glad to finally get my chicken strips I grabbed it and went to sot down. I was shorted an item. When I complained they just pointed to the sign that says "check you order before walking away from the counter. Hmmm. Something tells me this is a common occurrence. SO UNORGANIZED! Staff is rude and NOT helpful. We had our reservation number but we has to go back and get ID out if the locker before we could get out life ticket. REALLY people? Parking was a nightmare. Muddy, The snow was ice. Just ice. The "learning" are is so small there is very little opportunity to teach new learners or children.

Sosun K.

Yelp
Wow-what a great ski resort - we purchased our tickets/ ski and snowboard rental the night before on online. Upon arriving everything went so smooth from parking to getting tickets and rentals. They were enforcing mask and covid procedures - obviously if you're skiing you can take the mask off but once your down the mountain you must wear your mask. Their were medics around making sure people wore mask & were also handing out the mask in case you lost yours. 3 lifts one for beginners - intermediate level - experienced, the lines got semi-packed but moved quickly. Foodservice is a touchless ordering system, you scan the bar code and order your food from a mobile device or from the downstairs computers they offer **their is no signal*** so you have to connect to their WiFi -They have the password on the board by the food. This place was really fun and special in it's own way.

Lindsey F.

Yelp
Things I liked: easy to get rental gear, beautiful scenery, and easy access for the east coast community. Decent slopes, but not enough space for the beginners with the capacity they support daily. COVID Cons: way too overcrowded... and the lift attendants only enforce covid rules for visitors it would seem. There were kids (with unlimited passes) in front of us in line for the lift with no masks, and to make it worse they were spitting in the snow and throwing snowballs at the lift attendant WHILE he was working today. The attendant was even throwing snowballs back. They also let regulars skip the lift lines. It didn't feel like they were offering reduced capacity at all, and were selective with covid rules. I saw ski patrol enforcing mask rules for some and not others. They did offer to provide a mask to those who did not have their own. The lockers are aggravating as well. It's a single use only with quarters system. It's really annoying when you want to access your belongings, but have to pay $0.75 every time you want to open the locker. We ended up just leaving it unlocked throughout the day since we only had shoes and water stored. If you drive, it might be better to use your vehicle, but know you might have to trek to get there. If you want a decent meal, it's worth packing a lunch and snacks, or just driving down into the valley to grub. Overall it's a smaller venue, offers little in the way of green trails and learning spaces for first timers. It's also incredibly difficult to get to some of the green slopes and because the trails are not clearly marked, it's easy to accidentally end up on a much harder slope than expected. I don't really see myself returning.

Louis J.

Yelp
Horrible customer service, save your money and go to a better ski area. They gave me a call-back-number that was impossible to reach, spent 6+ months trying to reach this extension, no success!

Gail C.

Yelp
Our daughter and grandkids visited last week and the kids wanted to try snowboarding. We called numerous times and no one ever answered phone. All we wanted was info on classes, ski runs open etc. website showed 4 runs open with good man made snow. They took a chance and drive the 1-1/2 hrs only to find that one hill was open, the snow was pretty much non existent and the crowds of people trying to ski etc was crazy. They turned around and drive 1-1/2 hrs back.

Rendon L.

Yelp
Great spot, friendly staff, I will definitely be coming back again! The staff always had a smile on their face! The people boarding and skiing weren't super rude if you were new to winter sports. Most places with artificial snow it's hard and icy here it was fairly soft and I had no bruises or anything from falling (trust me I did plenty of falling too).

Justin A.

Yelp
Friendly staff efficient flow through lines. Safe. Bathroom and good snacks on premises.

TyeElle L.

Yelp
This is a two part review. Will update after I visit second part. 1. tube world was fun. It wasn't crowded which was good. The tubes are in good shape and it's fun. However I found it funny that everyone who took photos before and after us has their photo on the computer but ours were not. So manager at Tube world If you find the photos of the African Americans from Saturday 12/21 around 10:30 am I would like them. She said they might have been deleted. Umm why because they folks In the photo were of color 2. Ski area is nice people are friendly. But people come to really ski. I was like whew but I handled it well.

Isaac L.

Yelp
This is a good spot to learn/beginner. The two open runs are pretty short. They make their own snow so a lot of it was icy. I wish they had an longer easy run for the brand new people/ kids. Kids can go from a tiny area to one with all the adults.

Russell D.

Yelp
We met friends here on Saturday. They had been here before, but we had not. We stopped by the Cataloochee Ski and Sports location in Maggie Valley on the way in to get our lift tickets and one set of ski boots. I'm really glad we did as this saved us from the long lines at the lodge. The parking lot was very muddy from recent snow / rain. There was no gravel to be seen. There is a steep hill that you have to walk down from the parking to get to the ski lodge. This wasn't too bad until later when we had to walk back up that hill with tired legs. Plan for your car to get muddy inside and out. By the middle of the day the ski lifts were overwhelmed with skiers. The lines were very long and the entire area at the bottom was chaotic. There are clearly not enough ski lifts for the amount of lift tickets they are selling. The slopes were in good condition and they were not making snow which made the actual skiing part quite enjoyable. Unfortunately this didn't make up for the hassle of getting back to the top. The food in the lodge was pretty good. They were doing o good job of moving people along. The prices were high, as we expected they would be, but everything was piping hot. The dining area was also chaotic and lots of people were leaving their personal items all over the tables so it was difficult to find a place to eat. We would not return here even if it was free.

Dustin E.

Yelp
Great time and much better conditions than expected! Easy check in and equipment rental. Probably the most efficient process as I've ever been through in over 20 years. I would recommend this ski area over some in New Mexico. The staff were also very friendly and helpful!

Logan F.

Yelp
This place is an absolute joke. Our boards were stolen so we talk to ski patrol they say go to info desk so we did and we asked to see cameras cause we have info on where abouts our boards went well they wouldn't let us see the cameras and the manager said the IT guy Al doesn't get there til 4pm so I asked the police if that was true and he said no they have no IT guy they see cameras up there all the time so the police said that was a lie and then they wouldn't help us at all for it we had info a guy in a maroon Nissan came in and grabbed 2 lib tech boards where ours was so we just wanted to see cameras one time to see we know the time limit and all. This place is the absolute worst mountain I have ever been on and I will not be going back! A pro snowboarder said it's the most unprofessional mountain he has ever been to this place is trash!

Savannah G.

Yelp
WORST SKI EXPERIENCE EVER. Seriously read all my points before spending any of your hard earned money on this TRASH. 1. SO UNORGANIZED! There are no signs to guide you. You have to wait in random lines to get what you need only to realize you've started your wait in the wrong line, and have to start from scratch. 2. The staff is a joke. In fact, couldn't spot one to help you out or answer questions. You're on your own here folks. Never skied or boarded before? Don't expect a run down or any tips from the employees of this establishment. You'll have to purchase a full on lesson to get answers to a few beginner questions. 3. After waiting in lines for over 2 hours you are gifted with the continued unorganized chaos of the ski lift lines. No help, no signs, no idea which lift takes you to which slope. 4. FOOD. Hoping for a beer or cocktail? Forget it they don't have it. Wanting to sit down inside to eat in warmth? Hope you like eating on the floor or standing in your uncomfortable rental shoes. You have to download an app to place your order which is next to impossible because the WiFi is an abomination. The food is pricey and resembles cafeteria food from a public high school. 5. Lastly, the rudest man who ever existed will verbally assault and crucify you if your mask game isn't on point. I was drinking a coffee and trying to make a phone call when an older man approached me in such a rude manner to remind me (as hostile and power hungry as possible) that masks were required. I apologized and put my mask back on as I knew I was in the wrong. He came back around and stared at me-prompting me to tell him that I had my mask on like he requested. He then looked at my friend who's mask had slid down under her nose just a bit, and told her she needed to fix her mask and needed to wear it properly. All of this would have been fine but other patrons were maskless around us. When my friend pointed that out he moved in close to her face ( 1. Not respecting social distancing and 2. Hoping to intimidate) asked her how people were supposed to eat and drink with a mask on.. we were eating and drinking mind you. She said it was his demeanor that she didn't like. He told her that he didn't like people who couldn't follow the rules. Just very uncomfortable and unbelievably rude. We visited on 02/06/2021. This man needs to be talked to. He was tall, older, gray hair, hostile, and unnecessary. It's not okay to purposefully try to intimidate women. Get it together. There's a way to go about everything with decency. Don't come here people. Spend a little bit more and go to Beach Mountain or another establishment for a genuinely happy experience.

Katie H.

Yelp
Complete tourist TRAP!!!! If you want to wait in line for hours and hours and never get on the mountain.. this is it. Understandingly so during the holidays it was crazy busy. Hundreds, if not thousands of people in line. Waited two hours to pay for lift tickets and rentals. The line to actually get the rentals was even longer. We got there at 10am, waited at 1pm with no end in sight finally got a refund for the $600 we spent for tickets/ rentals for the family. This ski resort had no problem taking your money but also had no way or organization to accommodate that many guests. Our family wasted the entire vacation day and filled with such disappointment.

Maggie S.

Yelp
Fun but NOT family friendly. We went for two days and encountered 1.5 helpful staff. Most workers were rude at best: grumbling, moving slow/ not eager to help, ignore you, vaping and smoking with lift riders (their friends). Music at exit lifts was very explicit. Skiing was fine, nothing amazing.

Rob C.

Yelp
We drove from Gatlinburg because they weren't making snow due to warm weather. Cataloochee Ski Area had 4 runs open. It was busy because they were one of the few places open but it was fun. Good small ski area. Snowboards allowed. Fairly easy to get to and parking was free and easy in and out. Food and selection at the lodge wasn't spectacular and could use some improvements.

D L.

Yelp
2-3 hours to even begin to ski... first, we stood in an hour long line of ALREADY PURCHASED online tickets..... then a 45 min line for the ski boots..... then another 1 hour + line for skis..... there needs to be a better system. I heard the ordering food mission was well a MISSION! Kids had a great time on the slopes.... however, it's hard to get past being there at 9 and not being able to ski until 12!

Nate S.

Yelp
This is a warning to all skier's using Chataloochee's online reservation system. I would absolutely not use it if I were you. Once you have placed your order, you are out the money no matter what. We used the online system for 2 lift tickets and ski rental for my daughter after reading that they had limited spaces due to Covid policies. After reservation, we needed to change the date of the reservation due to changes outside of our control. I called 8 times over the course of two weeks during normal business hours and never once did anyone answer the phone. I left a message 4 times, no one ever called back. Two days BEFORE my reservation I put through a credit card dispute hoping someone would call me. Two weeks after the reservation date, I got a letter from Travis Worrell, Assistant Ski Manager with a copy of the fine print of the online reservation showing "NO REFUNDS, EXCHANGES, DATE CHANGES OR TRANSFERS FOR ANY REASON." I guess he was legally are entitled to my money, but that doesn't make it right. It was a $150 mistake I will not make again.

Jake H.

Yelp
Reasonably prices, friendly staff, & decent slopes. I recommend staying in Waynesville vs Maggie valley.

Alyssa Q.

Yelp
My husband and I spent hours skiing here and enjoyed every minute! We rented equipment and snow pants. Just a tip - they ran short of smaller adult-size pants and only had XL by the time we arrived, so I rented a kids XL instead of adult S and this worked just fine. Many families were skiing and the mix of adults and kids made me (a first-time skier) feel more comfortable. They offer lessons, but we started instead by just riding the conveyer-belt style rubber mat up the beginner slope to practice keeping our balance and stopping. We did this a few times, then graduated to the next two slopes. If you fall, it's ok - many people do! You get better very quickly. If two Floridians can do it, anyone can.

Amy L.

Yelp
This review is for Tube World only. Some pros: easily accessible from road; easy to find; smaller crowds; reasonably priced. Some cons: after a few runs, the tracks just became pure ice, making your trips downhill just incredibly too fast; gravel at end of run just doesn't offer a safe experience; mud holes at end of runs made it feel like you were hitting pot holes in the road with your car, I hurt my back bouncing in a mud hole. Just didn't feel safe after about 5 trips downhill. We wrapped our trip up early, and we weren't the only ones. Just not my favorite place to snow tube, so we'll go elsewhere the next time we feel like tubing.

Thomas B.

Yelp
So much fun skiing. I don't know how other places are but this was great for my first time.

Cyrus J.

Yelp
Messed my leg up and still had a good time. Well priced for the snowboard rental but it was a little thicker than anticipated.

Travis S.

Yelp
We called the office and asked if we should purchase everything online or just come down since we needed everything (lift tickets, skis, pants, etc.). Lady on the phone told us it was easier to just come down and do it in perosn. We get there, completely sold out, manager claims he trained everyone there so they'd of never said that. Sent us away. Absolutely would never ski here. Management is awful.

Iris B.

Yelp
We went snow tubing this morning. We had fun - the lanes were particularly fast. But we were disappointed that none of the employees manning the lanes were wearing masks. And most weren't particularly friendly.