When the snow melts at ski resorts, they often invite visitors to use their facilities for other outdoor pursuits. While activities like hiking and mountain biking immediately come to mind, summer slopes are also top notch locations for disc golf courses.
As disc golf continues to gain notoriety, ever more destinations are installing courses to attract warm-weather tourists. Here you can find out which disc golf courses affiliated with skiing areas are among the world's 25 best.
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Click or tap below to jump to a section you're interested in.
- How did you identify and rank the courses?
- Where do your course length and difficulty ratings come from?
- Top 10 best disc golf courses at downhill ski slopes: In-depth looks
- Top 25 best disc golf courses at downhill ski slopes: List
Ranking the Best Ski Area Disc Golf Courses
Here's how we came up with the rankings in this post:
- How did you identify ski area disc golf courses?
Disc golfers adding courses to the UDisc directory can tag them as certain types of property, e.g., private, public, camp, or military. Another property tag option is "ski area." We ranked the courses with this tag using the same methodology behind the World's Best Disc Golf Courses. After that, we went down the list sorting out which courses were affiliated specifically with downhill ski areas until we had the top 25.
Keep in mind that any course not labeled "ski area" at the time we ran our search was not eligible for this list. - Why is it limited to downhill ski areas?
Often, those looking to play disc golf at a ski area want stunning mountain views and drastic elevation changes, and this post is meant to help those searching for that experience find the best places to have it. Downhill ski areas check those boxes much more often than cross-country ski areas. - Why might a course with a higher rating in UDisc Courses be ranked behind a course with a lower rating?
The rankings are based on disc golfers' ratings of the courses in UDisc. However, we didn't go purely off of current rating. Our methodology accounts for differences in regional rating norms, applies more weight to recent reviews, and helps identify which courses with excellent but relatively few ratings are true destinations rather than just local faves. - What qualified as a downhill ski area disc golf course?
The course had to be affiliated with a property where downhill skiing is available when conditions favor it. However, the courses did not have to be installed on ski slopes (though some are). - Did you limit what part of the world the courses could be in?
No. Disc golf courses affiliated with downhill skiing areas all over the world were eligible.
Where Do the Length & Difficulty Ratings Come From?
You'll notice below that we have length and difficulty ratings listed for most courses. These are based on scales UDisc first released in the latter half of 2023.
The length categories are based on how long a course's holes are on average:
- Very short: Less than 180 feet (55 meters)
- Short: 180-247 feet (55-75 meters)
- Mid-length: 247-310 feet (75-95 meters)
- Long: 310-394 feet (95-120 meters)
- Very long: Greater than 394 feet (120 meters)
We assess difficulty by combining length rating with technicality ratings. Technicality is based on how players' scores on a courses' holes compare with scores on holes of similar lengths recorded with UDisc across the world. In simple terms, courses with holes mostly in line with global averages are Not Technical, those with most holes above average are Technical, and those with most holes scoring well above average are Highly Technical.
Depending on its length and technicality, a course falls into one of four categories, each signified by a symbol in the UDisc Courses directory:
- Easy
- Moderate
- Challenging
- Very challenging
To learn more, check out our blog post explaining this disc golf course difficulty rating system.
To top 10 overview | To post navigation | To top 25 list
The Best Disc Golf Courses at Ski Areas: Get to Know the Top 10
Click or tap below to learn more about the world's top disc golf courses at downhill skiing areas, e.g., what they're like to play, interesting history behind the courses, and more.
10. Black Diamond Disc Golf Course: Emery County Park, South Wales, New York
Multiple Layouts? Yes
Layout Lengths: Long | Very long
Layout Difficulties: Very challenging
Cost? Free
Course Established: 2008
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Black Diamond at Emery Park on UDisc Courses
Black Diamond is a familiar face from our first look at the world's top ski area courses last year. It stands in Emery Park, which is almost 100 years old and covers nearly 460 acres/186 hectares in western New York state. The park is used year-round for a variety of activities (seasonal ones like downhill skiing and other winter sports included), and it started offering disc golf about fifteen years ago.
One of Black Diamond's UDisc Course Ambassadors, Matthew Hess, talked to us about the layout and the lovely surroundings disc golfers can expect as they make their way through the track.
"The course is pretty evenly split between dense woods and park style golf," Hess said. "The front nine is more heavily wooded and the back has longer, more open holes. The park landscape is beautiful. It has a creek, two ravines, and four waterfalls that players can see throughout their round. From hole 1, the view of the opposing hill in the fall is great for pictures and leaf peeping. There are many stone structures that are around 100 years old throughout the course from when the park was built by the Works Progress Administration."
Though the course has four layouts, only two of them (White and Gold) have permanent tee pads. If you decide to take the Gold tees on, Hess said to expect a layout that's "the hardest in western New York."
You can also expect a course that's constantly enhanced and maintained by extremely dedicated volunteers. Hess said the group recently raised hole nine onto a "painted black gemstone diamond" in a nod to the course's name (which, of course, is a nod to skiing) along with constructing new walkways, hanging directional signage, and making layout improvements.
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9. The Hill Disc Golf Course: Hanson Hills Recreation Area, Grayling, Michigan
Multiple Layouts? Yes
Layout Lengths: Long
Layout Difficulties: Challenging
Free or Pay-to-Play? Free but donations appreciated
Course Established: 2011
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Hanson Hills - The Hill Disc Golf Course on UDisc Courses
Hanson Hills Recereation Area in Grayling, Michigan, has two disc golf courses: The Hill that plays through the downhill skiing area and the much flatter Pine Knoll. Both are well-rated on UDisc, but The Hill's elevation changes seem to enchant players just a bit more. Of course, you can just play both and decide on your personal favorite while you're there.
You'll need a full bag to tackle The Hill as it has fairways tight and broad, long and (fairly) short, uphill and downhill. As its UDisc length and difficulty ratings of Long and Chalenging suggest, The Hill is designed for experienced players, so it's probably not a great choice for playing with children or brand new players. If you play all 24 holes, only nine of them are under 300 feet/91 meters.
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8. Furutangen Diskgolfpark: Futurangen, Osen, Norway
Multiple Layouts? The course's holes can be played in a few different combinations, but there are not different tee or basket positions for holes.
Layout Lengths: Mid-length
Layout Difficulty: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? Free
Course Established: 2018
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Furutangen Diskgolfpark on UDisc Courses
Furutangen is a resort offering cabins, dining, and year-round family-friendly leisure activities in eastern Norway about 2.5 hours by car north of Oslo, the country's capital.
The disc golf course opened six years ago and has proven to be a popular attraction thanks to its excellent tee pads, thoughtful hole design, and top-notch maintenance. Fairways typically take players through the area's forest of skinny pines and often utilize the terrain's frequent elevation changes to add challenge and variety. The first six holes of the course are designed to be more beginner-friendly while the other 18 are moderately difficult and aimed at fairly experienced players.
Bowling and minigolf are also on offer in summer if you're looking to pair disc golf with another activity at Furutangen.
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7. Sky High Disc Golf Course: Mountain High – North Resort, Llano, California
Multiple layouts? The course's holes can be played in a few different combinations, but there are not different tee or basket positions for holes.
Layout Length: Mid-length | Long
Layout Difficulties: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? $19 per round per player
Course Established: 1999
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Sky High at Mountain High North on UDisc Courses
Of over 450 disc golf courses in California, Sky High at Mountain High's North Resort is among the 10 best based on ratings by disc golfers with UDisc. Originally designed by Dave Dunipace, co-founder of disc golf equipment giant Innova, the course's 27 holes can be played in a variety of combinations that suit different skill levels – though the course is generally made with experienced players in mind.
No matter what holes you play, though, your eyes are in for a treat.
"A full round of 27 holes takes you on a 2.5-mile [four-kilometer] hike through the Angeles National Forest where you are apt to see hawks, deer, coyotes, and more," said John McColly, a representative of the company California Mountain Resorts that owns Mountain High. "The elevation is 6,000 feet [1,828 meters] so players are surrounded by pine trees with spectacular views of the valley below."
Disc golf, which McColly said is "continuously growing," is far from an afterthought at the resort, and Mountain High loves how the course adds value to their property in warmer months without interfering with other offerings.
"Disc golf is a good addition to our summer activities," McColly said. "It utilizes terrain that otherwise wouldn’t have been used plus it drives business to our restaurant, pro shop, etc."
Along with checking out its disc golf pro shop, the resort provides tons of other things to do before or after your round, such as camping, hiking, lake activities (swimming, fishing, kayaking, etc.), as well as an on-site bar and grill.
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6. Solitude Mountain Resort Disc Golf Course: Brighton, Utah
Multiple Layouts? The course's holes can be played in a few different combinations, but there are not different tee or basket positions for holes. The property does have a separate short beginner course.
Layout Lengths: Long
Layout Difficulties: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? Free with option to avoid some climbing with a $22 lift pass
Course Established: 2001
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Solitude Mountain Resort on UDisc Courses
Solitude Mountain Resort's course ranks among the top five places to play disc golf in all of Utah. At 9,000 feet/2,743 meters above sea level, the air up there will feel very different for the majority of disc golfers, and your discs' flight patterns will show it. At high elevations, disc tend to be more overstable, so that beat in driver you always throw for hyzer flips might keep the hyzer and lose the flip when you toss it at Solitude.
There are a couple of ways to play the course. One is a traditional 18 that's all par 3s, but seven of the holes are over 400 feet/122 meters, including the extremely downhill, 644-foot/196-meter hole 18. The other is a nine-hole layout that avoids most of the longest holes plus the uphill ones. It does include the same insane finisher as the full 18, though.
Expect consistently great views and fairly broad fairways as you hike through whichever configuration you choose. Know that in spite of its name, Solitude Mountain is best played with company. The mountain vegetation makes for thick rough, and having a buddy or two to help with spotting drives could save you a trip to the disc golf shop.
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5. Arapahoe Basin Disc Golf Course: Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Colorado
Multiple Layouts? No
Layout Length: Mid-length
Layout Difficulty: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? Free
Course Established: 2018
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Arapahoe Basin Disc Golf Course on UDisc Courses
Arapahoe Basin is the highest course in this top 10. lt takes players on a remarkable journey through the Rocky Mountains beginning with a hole that sits at around 11,000 feet/3,200 meters above sea level. Those rules about disc stability at high elevations we just mentioned in our overview of #4, Solitude Mountain, are even more true here.
We've covered the origin story of A-Basin (as it's often called) at length in a post called "Disc Golf Hits The Slopes During Skiing Off-Season." Give it a read to find out how the ski area's Lift Operations Manager convinced A-Basin's higher-ups to let him put in a course that was among the top five places to play disc golf in Colorado in 2023 and draws a constant stream of summer visitors.
Notably, the course is in a protected high-elevation environment, and its design had to be approved by the U.S. Forest Service before it went in. It plays through and along trails that pre-date the disc golf course, so its construction had very limited impact on the delicate and beautiful environment it invites disc golfers to enjoy.
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4. Disc Golf Allgäu: Allgäuer Berghof, Ofterschwang, Germany
Multiple Layouts? No
Layout Length: Mid-length
Layout Difficulty: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? €8 per player per round (half off for PDGA members). €6.50 for those under 18. Family price for two adults and up to three children is €28.
Course Established: 2009
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Disc Golf Allgäu on UDisc Courses
Located at the foot of the Alps in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Ofterschwang, Germany, has hosted numerous downhill races for International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Ski World Cups. Disc Golf Allgäu has a very short winter course that's set up in view of the ski lifts and a big course for when the slopes are covered in grass instead of powder. At well over 4,000 feet/1,200 meters above sea level, this is the highest course in Germany.
Along with magnificent views, the course is known for its wide variety of holes, cows with jingling bells who seasonally graze on some of the more open fairways, and friendly operator – U.K. native Paul Davies. The course boasts a disc golf shop that's open Thursday-Sunday, but you can often catch Davies there on other days leading groups or meeting up with visitors for a round. If you go at a time the shop isn't open, make sure to contact Davies before starting a round.
You can get to the course three ways:
- Driving up to the Berghof Hotel that's a short walk from the course (there's a road toll of €8)
- Taking the Weltcup Express (World Cup Express) chairlift to the mountain top and walking about 20 minutes to the course (€20.50 total takes you both up and down, service from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). You get a €2 discount on your round if you take the lift.
- Parking below and hiking 40 minutes to an hour to the course
3. Hiittenharju DiscGolfPark: Hiittenharjun Hiihtokeskus (Ski Resort Hiittenharju), Finland
Multiple Layouts? No
Layout Lengths: Very long
Layout Difficulty: Very challenging
Free or Pay-to-Play? Free
Course Established: 2020
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Hiittenharju DiscGolfPark on UDisc Courses
In 2024, Hiittenharju ranked as the fourth best overall course in disc golf hot spot Finland, which is currently the only country other than the U.S. with over 1,000 disc golf courses. The track's ample elevation, wooded fairways, and challenging layout draw praise from most everyone who takes it on.
Expect tight paths to the basket and the frequent need to throw hard and long to get down them with a prayer of birdie or par. The current average score on UDisc for Hiittenharju's single, very long, very challenging layout is a grimace-inducing 18-over par. It's also a good idea to bring plenty of water and snacks if you're playing on a hot day as the ski resort is closed outside of skiing season and players typically walk around five kilometers/three miles during their rounds.
Needless to say, tackle this one only if you and any playing partners are experienced and up for a bit of punishment.
It's also worth mentioning that this course is about an hour west by car of Tampere, a city that will co-host the first Professional Disc Golf World Championship ever held outside of North America next year. If you're making the trip to watch that, this could be on your radar as a possible destination course to cross off the list when you're nearby
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2. Standing Rocks Disc Golf Course: Standing Rocks Park, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Multiple Layouts? The course's holes can be played in different combinations, but there are not different tee or basket positions for holes.
Layout Lengths: Short | Mid-length
Layout Difficulties: Moderate
Free or Pay-to-Play? $5 per day per player
Course Established: 2000
Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Standing Rocks Disc Golf Course on UDisc Courses
Standing Rocks is a top five disc golf course in Wisconsin and among the best 100 disc golf courses in the world. Park Specialist Josh Nemec with the Portage County Parks Department that manages Standing Rocks Park told us the course got its start when local disc golfer Randy Shukar got permission to design and build the course.
"Utilizing the downhill ski area and our cross country ski trails, Randy worked on designing an 18-hole course," Nemec said. "Through the success and support of the community, the course evolved into 21 holes, a nine- and 12-hole loop in 2000. Through more support in 2002, another 12-hole loop was added, bringing the total of permanent holes up to 33. The loops are known as the West (12 holes), Mid (nine holes,) and East (12 holes), and they flow well together – setting up multiple possibilities depending on the amount of time that you have to play."
The course's fairways incorporate the terrain's frequent ups and downs as they wind through the woods.
"Standing Rocks Park is a 524-acre [212-hectare] park that is the result of glacial deposits or 'till,'" Nemec explained. "The various unsorted rock and sediment that the glacier left behind leads to lots of elevation changes in a heavily wooded landscape. With elevation changes and wooded fairways, all skill levels enjoy the disc golf course."
The East Loop is best for beginners with its 12 holes that average just 71 meters/232 feet. Experienced players are likely to have fun challenging the full 33-hole layout if time allows. If it doesn't, the West Loop provides the most challenge.
If you're into other outdoor sports along with disc golf, you can make a very big day out of a trip to Standing Rocks.
"Another thing that I constantly see is the amount of crossover in different user groups," Nemec said. "Multiple times I see people go out mountain biking in the morning and then come back to the parking lot, put their bikes away, and grab their disc golf bags. Truly a benefit to having multiple things to do on the same piece of property."
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1. Brewster Ridge & Fox Run Meadows: Smugglers' Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, Vermont
| Brewster Ridge Number of Holes: 18 Multiple Layouts? Yes Layout Lengths: Short, Mid-length, Long, Very long Layout Difficulties: Easy | Moderate | Challenging | Very challenging Free or Pay-to-Play? Online booking - $10 weekdays and $12 weekends. On phone or in person - $12 weekdays, $15 weekends. All prices per round per player. Course Established: 2012 Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Brewster Ridge Disc Golf Course on UDisc Courses |
Fox Run Meadows Number of Holes: 18 Multiple Layouts? Yes Layout Lengths: Short, Mid-length, Long, Very long Layout Difficulties: Moderate | Challenging | Very challenging Free or Pay-to-Play? Same as Brestwer Ridge. Course Established: 2015 Photos, hole lengths, current course conditions, and more: Fox Run Meadows Disc Golf Course on UDisc Courses |
We opted to give the two world class courses at Smugglers' Notch Resort in Vermont's Green Mountains a tied first place. You can't find a better set of disc golf courses at one facility anywhere in the world – and we're not exaggerating. Brewster Ridge ranked #5 in our 2024 list of the World's Best Disc Golf Courses and Fox Run came in at #7. No other place has two courses that outrank that combo.
Brewster and Fox Run offer two very different experiences, with the former testing players' accuracy in the woods and the latter asking for bigger shots on more open fairways. But both offer multiple tees suited to every skill level.
Smugglers' Notch added disc golf to their offerings with the express goal to become one of the world's premier destinations for the sport, and their dedication to that hasn't wavered. The courses are impeccably maintained and there are upgrades and improvements happening constantly. The tracks have hosted two Professional Disc Golf World Championships and are also home to the annual Disc Golf Pro Tour stop, the Green Mountain Championship.
Learn more about both of these slices of New England disc golf paradise in our in-depth feature posts "World's Best Disc Golf Courses: #5 Brewster Ridge" and "World's Best Disc Golf Courses: #7 Fox Run Meadows."
The Best Disc Golf Courses at Ski Areas: World's Top 25
| Rank | Course Name | Year Est. | City | State/Province | Country | Layout Difficulties1 |
| 1 | Brewster Ridge & Fox Run Meadows | 2012, 2015 | Jeffersonville | Vermont | U.S.A. |     |
| 2 | Standing Rocks Disc Golf Course | 2020 | Stevens Point | Wisconsin | U.S.A. | |
| 3 | Hiittenharju DiscGolfPark | 2020 | Harjavalta | Finland | |
|
| 4 | Disc Golf Allgäu | 2009 | Ofterschwang | Germany | |
|
| 5 | Arapahoe Basin | 2018 | Keystone | Colorado | U.S.A. | |
| 6 | Solitude Mountain | 2001 | Brighton | Utah | U.S.A. | |
| 7 | Sky High Disc Golf Course at Mountain High | 1999 | Llano | California | U.S.A. | |
| 8 | Furutangen Diskgolfpark | 2018 | Osen | Norway | |
|
| 9 | Hanson Hills – The Hill | 2011 | Grayling | Michigan | U.S.A. | |
| 10 | Black Diamond at Emery Park | 2008 | South Wales | New York | U.S.A. | |
| 11 | Hickory Hills | 1999 | Traverse City | Michigan | U.S.A. | |
| 12 | Brighton Ski Resort | 2021 | Brighton | Utah | U.S.A. | |
| 13 | Vilsta Discgolfbana | 2007 | Eskilstuna | Sweden | |
|
| 14 | Riekstukalns | 2019 | Baldone Parish | Latvia | ||
| 15 | Donner Ski Ranch | 2018 | Truckee | California | U.S.A. | |
| 16 | Hope Lake Disc Golf Course At Greek Peak | 2021 | Cortland | New York | U.S.A. | |
| 17 | Varingskollen Frisbeegolfpark | 2018 | Vargveien | Norway | |
|
| 18 | Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort | 1997 | Vadito | New Mexico | U.S.A. | |
| 19 | Øverby | 2024 | Øverbyvegen | Norway | |
|
| 20 | Hidden Meadows | 2018 | Superior | Wisconsin | U.S.A. | |
| 21 | Ridge Runner Disc Golf Course | 2021 | Turin | New York | U.S.A. | |
| 22 | Summer Trails at Alpine Valley Resort | 2023 | East Troy | Wisconsin | U.S.A. | |
| 23 | Tyrol Basin Disc Golf Course | 2018 | Mount Horeb | Wisconsin | U.S.A. | |
| 24 | Kirkwood Mountain Resort | 1999 | Kirkwood | California | U.S.A. | |
| 25 | Boyne Mountain | 2001 | Boyne Falls | Michigan | U.S.A. | |
1. Find out what these symbols mean by jumping to the explanation earlier in this post. Courses with no symbols in this section haven't converted their courses from Classic Layouts to the latest Smart Layouts, a necessity to receive a UDisc difficulty rating.
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Think We Missed Something?
If there's a fantastic disc golf course at a skiing area you think we missed, feel free to check if it's in the UDisc disc golf course directory. If it's not, here's how to add a course to UDisc.
