Set in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Willard Mountain is a little known, small family-run, family friendly, low-key place with a few nice surprises. Willard has a vertical drop of 500 feet and 14 named trails. Upon arrival, you’ll find a quaint lodge with plenty of tables, a cafeteria, and a bar/restaurant with the best french fries in town.
There’s also a rental shop and a well-quipped ski shop run by knowledgeable, experienced staff. Once you have your equipment strapped on and are ready to go, you’ll notice that the lift lines are short. Willard Mountain has two double-chairs that run side-by-side — as soon as more than a few folks are lined up — they begin running the second lift. They also tend to run the second lift if ski school is in session.
At the summit you have a choice of many trails to ski/ride to the base. A good “warm-up” trail is the Bunny Hop. This long, meandering green trail is perfect for beginners. “Joe’s Special” — known as “The Joes” to locals — and “The Billies” are fine choices for intermediate skiers. For the experts — give “Upper Colonel” a try. This run is more challenging than it appears from the lift. One doesn’t realize the steepness and slight pitch to the right of this section until you are on it.
With luck and a snowy season, “Wipe-out” and “White River Run” and will be open. These trails are natural snow only with little grooming. Swish through the trees on these challenging pistes and get your speed up to return to the lifts.
If you need a break from skiing, try the tubing area. It’s fast and the attendants seem to enjoy their job.
Willard Mountain describes itself as “New York’s Coolest Little Ski Area” and they are true to their word. At Willard you’ll find friendly, helpful staff from the parking lot attendant to the lodge employees, all the way to the lifties. The patrons are friendly too, you can strike up a conversation as you wait in those short lines.
Willard is a great little gem if you’re the kind of skier who appreciates the smaller, non-commercial mountains that focus on the fun and friendship.
Willard Mountain Trail Map
Willard Vertical Drop and Stats
| Summit Elevation | 1415 feet |
| Base Elevation | 910 feet |
| Vertical Drop | 505 feet |
| # Trails | 14 trails |
| Longest Run | 5,000 feet |
| Skiable Area | 85 acres |
| Night Skiing | 35 acres |
| # Lifts | 6 lifts |
| Uphill Capacity | 3,000 / hour |
| Snowmaking | 70% |
| Annual Snowfall† | 80 inches |
Willard Ski Day Checklist
| Address 1 | 77 The Intervale Road |
| Address 2 | Greenwich, NY 12834 |
| Phone | (518) 692-7337 |
| Directions | Google Maps |
| Wx Page | NWS ALY |
| Point Forecast | NWS Willard Mtn |
| Report | Willard Conditions |
| Visual | Webcams |