Road trip · Utah
Brian Head from Las Vegas
Brian Head from Las Vegas: I-15 through St. George to exit 75 at Parowan, then SR-143. Drive times, a 1–2 day plan, Cedar City stays and passes.
Updated Nov 1, 2026 · 15 sources
Brian Head is the ski resort Las Vegans drive to when an hour at Lee Canyon isn’t enough. It sits above the small town of Parowan in southern Utah and advertises Utah’s highest base elevation, more than 360 inches of snow a year, over 650 acres on two connected mountains, 75 runs and 8 chairlifts. It’s far enough that you have to plan for it, and close enough that plenty of people do it as a long day trip.
The drive
Take I-15 north from Las Vegas through Mesquite and St. George. Brian Head’s directions are simple from there: get off at exit 75 in Parowan, then drive about 14 miles up the mountain on SR 143 to the resort.
- Distance: About 205 miles from the Strip by our OSRM routing estimate.
- Time: About 3 hours, per Brian Head, which also lists 1.5 hours from St. George and 35 minutes from Cedar City. In winter, plan on longer, plus stops.
- Time zone: Utah is on Mountain Time, one hour ahead of Las Vegas. You lose an hour driving up and get it back driving home.
- The climb: The last 14 miles gain most of the elevation, and that’s where weather matters. UDOT can require traction devices in severe winter weather; its chain-up page explains Utah’s tire and traction rules, and winter driving to Lee Canyon and Brian Head has the Nevada side. Check UDOT Traffic before leaving, or call UDOT’s 24-hour line at 866-511-8824 (or 511 from a Utah area code).
- Don’t take Cedar Breaks: The resort notes that the Cedar Breaks Scenic Byway (Highway 148) and the park’s Rim Road close in winter. Map apps sometimes suggest them. See the Park Service conditions page.
If you don’t want to drive, Brian Head’s page mentions the St. George Shuttle with stops in St. George, Cedar City and Brian Head, and says you’ll otherwise need a rental car because there’s no public transportation up the canyon.
Parking and getting around
Parking is free at both lodges, first come, first served, with no reservations. Brian Head’s tip: if you’re a beginner or have a lesson, park at Navajo Lodge; for intermediate and advanced terrain, park at Giant Steps Lodge. The town and the resort run a free shuttle on a 15–20 minute loop between the two lodges and local lodging during the ski season.
Tickets and season
- Opening: Opening scheduled for November 6, 2026, seven days a week, snow permitting.
- Lift hours: 9:30 AM–4:00 PM MT daily (8:30 AM–3:00 PM PT, Las Vegas time), per the lift ticket page.
- Lift tickets: Like Lee Canyon, prices vary by date. Brian Head’s ticket page says 26-27 tickets have “many days starting at $9,” that “the earlier you buy the more you save,” and that tickets come with $10 Brian Head Cash. Buy online and print your ticket at the kiosk with the QR code from your email. The same page says purchases can be refunded in full within 48 hours.
- Kids: 12 and under ski free with the free Power Kids pass.
- Tubing: Brian Head also has a tubing hill at the Giant Steps base, $25 and up per person for 90 minutes, ages 4 and up. Lee Canyon doesn’t offer tubing; see snow tubing near Las Vegas.
Which pass covers Brian Head?
Pass box. Brian Head is a Power Pass mountain. The full Power Pass, Power Pass Select (Lee Canyon’s 12 Day Power Pass) and the Weekday Power Pass (on your chosen weekdays) all include it; the Power Pass Core (4-day) counts Brian Head against its four days. The Lee Canyon Weekday Pass doesn’t. Kids 12 and under ski free. Compare them in which ski pass to buy if you live in Las Vegas.
Brian Head vs. Lee Canyon
Both are Power Pass mountains, so the choice is mostly about time and terrain. Using each resort’s published numbers:
| Lee Canyon | Brian Head | |
|---|---|---|
| From the Strip (routing estimate) | 53 mi | 205 mi |
| Resort’s drive time | less than an hour from the Strip | about 3 hr |
| Terrain | 445 acres (235 lift-served) | 650+ acres |
| Runs | 36 | 75 |
| Chairlifts | 4 | 8 |
| Average snowfall | 129 in | 360+ in |
| 2026/27 start | Nov 20 (scheduled) | Nov 6 (scheduled) |
The snowfall numbers are each resort’s own claim and may be measured differently. Taken at face value, Brian Head offers more terrain and more natural snow, and Lee Canyon is far easier to reach.
A 1–2 day plan for beginners
A day trip works if you leave Las Vegas by about 6 a.m. PT, which gets you to the lifts around 10 a.m. Utah time. You’ll be driving home in the dark after a full day, starting on a mountain road. That’s the part to take seriously. One night makes it a much easier trip.
Where to stay. Brian Head’s lodging page lists Brian Head Lodge (the resort’s own lodging, (435) 677-9000) in town, and in Cedar City, about 35 minutes away per the resort: Courtyard by Marriott, Hampton Inn by Hilton, Holiday Inn Express & Suites and SpringHill Suites by Marriott. We haven’t checked rates.
Day 1. Leave Las Vegas in the morning and stop for fuel and food in St. George or Cedar City. Check UDOT Traffic for SR-143 before you leave Parowan. Book tickets and rentals online ahead of time.
Day 2. Beginners and lesson-takers park at Navajo Lodge, per the resort. Ride until mid-afternoon, then drive home in daylight; you get an hour back on the clock in Nevada.
Before you go. Ski patrol and hospital info for Brian Head is on before your first snowboard day. New to all of it? Start with your first ski or snowboard day, which is written for Lee Canyon but applies here too.
Check the Lee Canyon forecast if you’re deciding between the two on a given weekend, and see our ski resorts near Las Vegas list for the other options within a day’s drive.