Three Idaho Resorts Rank in SKI Top 30 West

Sun Valley, Grand Targhee and Tamarack all make SKI Magazine's annual list of the top Western ski destinations.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Skiing

Photograph of an empty chairlift line climbing a snowy conifer slope toward an alpine ridge under clear winter light. — Three Idaho resorts, Sun Valley, Grand Targhee and Tamarack, made SKI Magazine's annual Top 30 Western ski resorts list, with Sun Valley climbing to No. 6. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you plan a ski trip to one of these Idaho resorts this season?

SKI Magazine's annual Resort Guide named three Idaho destinations among its Top 30 Ski Resorts in the West. Sun Valley Resort climbed to No. 6 from No. 8 in the prior year, while Grand Targhee Resort ranked No. 9 and Tamarack Resort debuted at No. 25.

Why it matters

The rankings are based on responses from SKI Magazine's Reader Resort Survey, offering skiers a snapshot of how resorts are rated by their own customers. Multiple Idaho resorts appearing on the list highlights the state's place among major Western ski destinations.

Sun Valley Resort moved up two spots to No. 6 from No. 8 last year, while Grand Targhee Resort, which has more than 2,600 skiable acres, ranked No. 9 and has made the list six of the last eight years. Tamarack Resort debuted at No. 25.

The players

SKI Magazine

SKI Magazine is a long-running ski publication that produces an annual Resort Guide based on reader surveys.

Sun Valley Resort

Sun Valley Resort is one of the oldest destination ski resorts in North America, located near Sun Valley, Idaho.

Grand Targhee Resort

Grand Targhee Resort is a ski area known for its deep powder, located in Alta, Wyoming and accessed through Driggs, Idaho.

Tamarack Resort

Tamarack Resort is a year-round mountain resort in Idaho's West Central Mountains above Lake Cascade.

The details

SKI Magazine ranks resorts based on responses to its Reader Resort Survey, and this year's list features Sun Valley Resort, Grand Targhee Resort and Tamarack Resort from Idaho. Grand Targhee sits in Alta, Wyoming, but is reachable only through Driggs, Idaho, while Tamarack is set in the West Central Mountains above Lake Cascade.

- SKI Magazine published the Top 30 Resorts in the West list on November 6, 2026.

Season Trajectory

Sun Valley's climb from No. 8 to No. 6 and Tamarack's debut at No. 25 continue the pattern of Idaho resorts holding a steady place in SKI Magazine's annual Western rankings. Grand Targhee's six appearances in the last eight years show the resort has been a consistent presence on the list.

Skiers planning Western trips may use the ranking to compare Sun Valley, Grand Targhee and Tamarack alongside other destinations. The list is based on reader responses, so it reflects how existing guests rate their experiences.

The takeaway

Idaho's three ranked resorts show that the state holds a strong position among Western ski destinations, with Sun Valley rising in this year's rankings. Readers planning ski trips can use these reader-based rankings as one point of comparison.