Ski Close to Home
Get your legs under you at Ski Brule, and stay for night skiing if it's a Friday or Saturday. With young kids, spend the morning at Crystella.
906-214-2308
906-265-9100
40 E Adams St
Iron River, MI 49935
Downhill Skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, from Iron County
Iron County • Upper Peninsula
The western U.P. is ski country, low hills under deep snow with the spruce running right down to the lifts. Iron County has two hills of its own and most of the big ones within a two-hour drive, which makes it a good place to sleep while you ski them.
2 HILLS
Right here in Iron County
9 MORE
Within about two hours of Iron River
LATE NOV.
When the first snowmaking hills open
NIGHTS
Night skiing at five hills within two hours
Start Close To Home
Where Can You Downhill Ski in Iron County?
Start with the two hills in the county. Ski Brule, just outside Iron River, is the big one: about 20 minutes from town, with snowmaking, a lodge at the bottom and night skiing on weekends. It's usually the first hill in the region to open.
Crystella in Crystal Falls is the other end of the scale, a small community hill run by volunteers. It's cheap, friendly and a good place for kids to learn. Check its Facebook page for this winter's hours before you go.
Stay In Iron County
Where to Stay for a U.P. Ski Trip
Day Trips
Ski Hills Within Two Hours of Iron River
Pick a hill, leave after breakfast and be back for supper. These are drive times on clear roads. Give yourself more when it's snowing.
| Hill | Where | Drive | Night skiing | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyes Peak | Florence, Wis. | About 45 min | Yes | A small county hill, open Friday through Sunday. Bring cash or a check. |
| Pine Mountain | Iron Mountain | About 1 hr | Yes | Its big ski jump hosts international competition most Februarys. |
| Norway Mountain | Norway | About 1 hr 10 min | No | Back open since 2024 after seven years closed. |
| Snowriver | Wakefield | About 1 hr 30 min | Check | A big two-mountain resort that gets the Lake Superior snow. Opens Nov. 26. |
| Big Powderhorn | Bessemer | About 1 hr 40 min | No | Forty-five runs and plenty of lake-effect snow. |
| Porcupine Mountains | Ontonagon | About 1 hr 45 min | No | A state-park hill with Lake Superior below the runs. |
| Marquette Mountain | Marquette | About 2 hr | Yes | A big hill on the edge of town, with a new chairlift due this winter. |
| Mont Ripley | Houghton | About 2 hr | Yes | A college-town hill above the Portage Canal, with skiing to 9 p.m. |
| Whitecap Mountains | Upson, Wis. | About 2 hr | No | Three peaks of trails, open this season after a rough year. |
Hours, night-skiing days and tickets change every season. Check each hill's own site before you drive. Mount Bohemia, in the Keweenaw, is a little over three hours away.
Plan It
A Three-Day Ski Weekend From Iron County
Stay in one place and ski a different hill each day. You'll spend less time packing and more time on the snow.
Head East
Drive an hour to Pine Mountain or Norway Mountain. In February, time it for the ski-jumping weekend at Pine Mountain, then ski the afternoon.
Go Big Out West
Leave early for Snowriver, Big Powderhorn or the Porkies, where the lake-effect snow piles up. You'll be back in Iron County for supper.
When To Go
When Do the U.P. Ski Hills Open?
The hills that make snow open first, around Thanksgiving. Ski Brule is aiming for November 20–22 and Snowriver opens November 26. The hills that wait for natural snow, like the Porkies, usually open in late December.
January and February are the surest months. Most hills run into late March, and the snowiest ones go longer.
On The Road
Driving to the Ski Hills in Winter
- Check the roads before you leave. Mi Drive shows plowing and closures on the state highways.
- Look at the forecast the night before. Lake-effect snow can bury the western hills while Iron County stays clear.
- Leave room for the plows. Stay at least 200 feet back.
- Keep a winter kit in the car. A shovel, a scraper, a blanket and a full tank before the long drives west.
Questions
Downhill Skiing Near Iron County: Common Questions
What is the closest ski hill to Iron River, Michigan?
Ski Brule, about 20 minutes from town. Crystella in Crystal Falls is the county's other hill, a small community-run slope.
Which ski hills in the U.P. have night skiing?
Within two hours of Iron River: Ski Brule on weekends, Keyes Peak, Pine Mountain, Marquette Mountain and Mont Ripley. Check each hill for this season's nights.
Can I ski more than one hill in a weekend?
Yes. Stay in Iron County and take day trips: Ski Brule one day, Pine Mountain or Norway the next, and the big western hills on the third.
When does ski season start in the Upper Peninsula?
Around Thanksgiving at the hills that make snow, like Ski Brule and Snowriver. Natural-snow hills open in late December.
Is there an inexpensive hill for kids?
Crystella in Crystal Falls. It's a small volunteer-run hill and a good place to learn. Keyes Peak in Florence is another small, low-cost choice.
Where should I stay to ski the U.P.?
Iron County puts you about 20 minutes from Ski Brule and within two hours of most of the U.P.'s big hills, so you can ski several without moving rooms.
Start Planning
Plan a Ski Trip to Iron County
Pick your hills, check the snow and book one warm place for the whole trip. Every hill on this page is a day trip from here.
Winter and tagged crystella, downhill skiing, iron county michigan, iron river michigan, ski brule, ski hills, snowboarding, upper peninsula skiing, winter.
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Iron County Michigan Visitors Guide
Iron County is one of the Upper Peninsula’s best kept secrets. From camping to fishing, hunting to canoeing, mountain biking to forest bathing – no matter your interests, the great outdoors and clear crisp air await you here.