Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine & Escape2ski provides info on; vertical drop 2340ft/713m, total trails 135, closest airport 76mi/123km, lifts 19, and more.

Sunday River Ski Resort is located in the small town of Newry where the population tends to grow once the snow begins to fall. Bethel which is located adjacent to Newry is the larger of the two towns and offers many year-round amenities to visitors of the region.

Sunday River Ski Resort was the vision of Howard Cole who led the Bethel Area Development Corporation and wanted to bring winter recreation to this lovely countryside. After experiencing several delays, Sunday River Skiway opened to the public on Dec 19, 1959, with a T-Bar and Rope Tow and three runs on Barker Mountain.

As the ski area gained popularity and the number of skier visits continued to increase, it was time to expand. So in the fourth season, the ski area added additional trails and another T-Bar. It was not until the 1971-1972 ski season that the ski resort installed its first chairlift.

Over the years, Sunday River Ski Resort continued to gain interest from both the local community and the entire country, and in 1980 the resort was purchased by Les Otten. Over the next 15 years, under his ownership, the resort expanded with the addition of new trails, zones, and chairlifts, as well as, skiable terrain on eight interconnected mountains that offer a different terrain experience.

The eight peaks of Sunday River include White Cap Mountain, Locke Mountain, Barker Mountain, Spruce Peak, North Peak, Aurora Peak, OZ and Jordan Bowl.

Today, Sunday River Ski Resort is owned and operated by Boyne Resorts a family owned resort business that prides itself on providing a great family experience. As the reputation of Sunday River Ski Resort grows, the resort has reached the world’s stage as it is continually featured in many ski and snowboard magazines.

On the Slopes

• Sunday River Ski Resort features terrain on all eight mountain peaks that is suitable for even the beginner or intermediate skier or snowboarder. Night skiing is an option on Friday, Saturday and select holidays from 4 pm to 8 pm on a limited number of trails.
• Sunday River and the qualified snowmakers are well prepared to tackle Mother Nature with over 2000 Snow Guns.
• Sunday River Ski Resort has six terrain parks, which includes Flow State with jumps, rails and boxes, a family Boarder Cross course in the Barker Basin and a Super Pipe.
• There is a dedicated team of snow sports instructors working at the Sunday River Perfect Turn Ski and Snowboard School. Call 207-824-5959 for more info on skiing, snowboarding, Telemark and race training lessons and programs. Private Clinics for all ages, Adult Programs, and learn to ski, and snowboard programs are all offered.
• Someday Bigger Daycare is available for parents and can accommodate children from six weeks to six years. It offers arts and crafts, story time, group time and rest time. Call for reservations or inquiries at 207-824-5083.
• Sunday River Ski Resort has a great selection of on-mountain lodging options for those who want to wake-up at the slopes. The resort features over 1200 rooms in such places as the Jordan Grand, the Grand Summit Resort Hotel, and Slope-side condos.

Off the Slopes

• Sunday River Sports is a great place to see the latest ski and snowboard equipment, logo apparel, plus it offers a comprehensive boot fitting service. There is a Main Store located in the South Ridge Lodge for small amenities and other items.
• The resort features fine dining, as well as more casual options all over the mountain at places like the Foggy Google, the Mountain Room, and Camp, which is home to great comfort food.
• Sunday River Ski Resort offers some fun activities to experience away from the slopes. You can enjoy the thrill of Snow Tubing and also Kids’ Night Out for ages 5 to 12 on Saturday evening throughout the ski season and on Wednesday during vacation weeks.
• If staying at Sunday River Ski Resort is not an option or if you are looking for a more central location to enjoy other activities, the town of Bethel is a great place to stay. It has lodging options such as the Bethel Inn Resort, Bethel Village Motel, Norseman Motel and more. There is also a great selection of dining and shopping options in and around Bethel, Maine.
• The town of Bethel and the surrounding area also offer a great list of activities such as sleigh rides, snowmobiling, ice fishing, fat biking and snowshoeing. Also, the Bethel Nordic Center located at the Bethel Inn Resort and Carter’s Nordic Center provides many groomed trails.
• Sunday River Ski Resort operates a scheduled Resort Shuttle service that runs from the various base areas, parking lots and lodging properties with the South Ridge Base Area being the hub of the operation. The service is FREE.
• Mountain Explorer operates transportation service between the Town of Bethel, Maine, and the Sunday River Resort. Bus service is FREE.