Winter Van Life: Brian Head Resort
When We Visited: March 2019, January 2023
After skiing and riding Arizona Snowbowl in March 2019, we took a fun detour to Grand Canyon’s South Rim and Zion National Park. After about a week of sightseeing in the Southwest, it was time to head back to the slopes. Brian Head Resort in Dixie National Forest was our next stop and it would be our first time there.
When I showed up at Giant Steps Express just minutes before the lifts were scheduled to spin, I was a little confused. I’m accustomed to seeing long lines for fresh tracks, but the line was so short, I began to wonder if the mountain wasn’t opening for another hour. It still opened right on time.
I’m unsure what happens on weekends at Brian Head, but like our weekday visit in 2019, the line was relatively short on two powder weekdays in January 2023. Parking never reached capacity.
We appreciate the uncrowded slopes, but the little town of Brian Head seems kind of lonely. If you like après or other nighttime entertainment, this won’t be the place for you. Parowan, the small city you pass through before you climb the highway to Brian Head, is also very quiet.
Regardless of no party scene, there are plenty of other outdoor opportunities. Brian Head is located within 5 minutes of Cedar Breaks National Monument where you can cross-country ski, snowshoe, and snowmobile in winter.
Plan Your RV/Van Life Road Trip to Brian Head
brianhead.com
329 South Highway 143, Brian Head, UT 84719
(435) 677-2035
reservations@brianhead.com
Pass affiliation: Power Pass 2023/24, Loveland 2023/24, Monarch Mountain 2023/24
Lift Operating Hours:
- Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday, Sunday & Holidays 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Night Skiing Friday & Saturday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
For more information, see Brian Head’s Hours of Operations page.
Mountain Stats
- Average snowfall: 360 inches
- Skiable terrain: 650+ acres
- Vertical drop: 1,320 feet
Driving to Brian Head
The 20-minute drive to Brian Head Resort from the town of Parowan via Utah SR-143 is a two-lane highway that is windy and steep. We’ve seen very few cars mid-week. The entire 55-mile highway is designated the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway but parts of it are closed when snow is present. Something to put on your list to complete during warmer months.
Parking at Brian Head
Brian Head has 2 base areas – Navajo Lodge and Giant Steps Lodge.
If you’re a beginner, Navajo Lodge is best for you. It’s also the location of Brian Head’s Sports School which will appear on your right as you ascend Utah SR-143.
Otherwise, if you continue along SR-143 past Navajo Lodge, Giant Steps Lodge will appear on your left and accesses the steepest terrain at Brian Head.
If you’re looking for a quieter parking area, there is a small lot if you continue past Giant Steps Lodge. It will appear on the left and is located next to the #1 Wildflower lift at the Ski Bridge. However, please note, there is no ticket window here.
Regardless of where you park, you can ski/ride between all parking areas (conditions permitting).
See Brian Head’s Trail Map for a visual of the ski area’s layout, including their lodges and parking areas.
Tips on Skiing/Riding Brian Head
If you’re still learning to ski or snowboard, go to Brian Head to eliminate the stress of avoiding human obstacles. I ventured over to Navajo Peak, which is all greens and blues. When I got over there, so much time had passed before I saw anybody, I started to worry that I wasn’t supposed to be there. It was a weekday, so perhaps it’s a different experience on a weekend.
If steeps is your thing, you’ll probably find Brian Head to be too flat for you. There isn’t any terrain that requires jump turns or catching any air. However, if you don’t mind mellower terrain and The Greatest Snow on Earth® with fewer people to share it with, it’ll be a good day.
If the sun comes out, Brian Head has gorgeous views of Utah’s famous red rock in the distance, including Cedar Breaks National Monument. My favorite views were over at chair #7 The Dunes. My iPhone photos don’t do it justice.
In addition to the views, I recommend chair #7 The Dunes, if you’re still learning to ski/ride fresh snow. There’s nothing intimidatingly steep and the runs aren’t so long that you hopefully shouldn’t tire out by the time you get back to the chair.
Where to Sleep in Your Van/RV
Brian Head offers complimentary overnight camping in the uppermost parking lot of the Navajo Lodge for ski area patrons. Weekend camping may be available in the Giant Steps parking lot on select weekends with prior approval from the Reservations department. See Brian Head’s Resort Policies page for more information. (Scroll down to “Car & RV Camping”.) There are no amenities.
We chose not to stay overnight in the Navajo Lodge parking lot during our visit in March 2019 because the dirt lot was inches deep mud. However, we did stay In January 2023 when there was a lot of snow on the ground. The designated overnight camping lot is a little unlevel, but we were able to find a spot that was good enough with a great view of the mountain.
We only had one neighbor, tent campers, that bravely withstood the storm that came through overnight.
Painted Hills RV Resort – 14 miles / 25 minutes in Parowan – We discovered this brand new RV park when traveling from Eagle Point Resort to Brian Head in January 2023. They have beautiful private shower rooms with their own toilet, sink, and shower.
They can accommodate a lot of RVs, but there were only a few other campers during our winter stay. Everyone was spread apart, so we didn’t notice anyone. I was able to easily make reservations the same day.
We had a little trouble finding the RV park, and it didn’t help that we were arriving at dusk. Apple Maps and Google Maps were completely wrong, but we could see the RV park all lit up from I-15 and UT-143. It’s so new that it doesn’t appear on a satellite view. I later figured out there was a sign directing us when to turn onto their road from UT-143, but I missed it. A good reason to arrive at new places before the sun disappears.
AT&T cell service worked great here. We could text, email, browse online, and stream entertainment with no issues.
Parowan Gap – 24 miles / 35 minutes – Camping next to petroglyphs! When I called the Cedar City Field Office in March 2019, the stay limit was 14 days. We’ve stayed here twice. Once in March 2019, and again in January 2020. Both times, access to the vault toilet was unlocked. There were no other services. AT&T worked well enough for us to text, email, browse online, and stream entertainment. However, it was unreliable at times. If you have important work to do or a video call, we’d recommend parking it somewhere in the town of Parowan.
Cedar City RV Resort – 30 miles / 40 minutes in Cedar City – We stayed at this RV park for a couple of nights in March 2019 when it was Cedar City KOA Journey. Now it is owned by Rjourney and we haven’t been back since the ownership change.
Our experience before it was Rjourney was positive. It was so quiet when we arrived, for a moment, I thought they were closed. Only one other traveler joined us in the short-term section, and there were a few RVers in what appeared to be a long-term section. The shower facilities were dated, but clean, and the water was consistently hot. Cops frequently drove through during our visit, and they answered a call in the housing area adjacent to the RV park. I am unsure what that says about the area, because I didn’t necessarily think we were unsafe. AT&T cell service was very reliable.
Working Remotely at Brian Head
If you have AT&T, working at Brian Head is doable depending on what you’re trying to achieve. We were able to text, email, browse online, and stream entertainment, but it was a little spotty. If you need to a video call, you might run into trouble. For the best service, you’ll want to be in the town of Parowan, unless you have Starlink.
Where to Buy Groceries Near Brian Head
- Brian Head General Store – 1 mile in Brian Head – They only keep some basics, including frozen ground beef, so we made chili.
- Parowan Market – 12.5 miles in Parowan – We stopped here after skiing at Brian Head one day since the Brian Head General Store only offers basic necessities. If you need organic options, this is not your place.
Ski Areas Close to Brian Head
- Eagle Point Resort (Indy Pass 2023/24) – 67.3 miles / 90 minutes in Beaver
Sightseeing Near Brian Head
Zion National Park’s Kolob Canyons – 49.5 miles / 50 minutes – Check out our detour to Zion National Park on the way to Brian Head for our experience.
