Where is Brian Head Utah?

Brian Head is located in southern Utah, far away from the high profile Utah ski resorts such as Park City and Snowbird. It’s 245 miles south of Salt Lake City (3.5 to 4 hour drive) and in the region of the southern Utah national parks. Brian Head is 61 miles west of Bryce Canyon (1.5 hour drive) and 73 miles north of Zion National Park (1.5 hours).

It’s not surprising that Brian Head is frequented by lots of folks from Las Vegas considering that it’s only 202 miles northeast of Las Vegas (a 3 hour drive).

Nearby Towns

There is very good on-mountain Brian Head lodging but if you’re looking for very affordable accommodations, there are a couple of towns nearby. Cedar City (population approx. 30,000) is 33 miles from Brian Head, whilst Parowan (population 2800) at the mouth of Parowan Canyon has a dodgy looking Days Inn.

Flying

Gateway airports are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Both airports receive frequent direct flights from many major US cities.

Driving to Brian Head Ski Resort

Take the Interstate 15 (from either Salt Lake City or Las Vegas) to exit 75 in Parowan. If driving up from Las Vegas there is some striking scenery, particularly in the Zion region. From the exit off I-15 it’s only a 14 mile drive up the mountain to Brian Head. When the road is snowy, a 4WD vehicle is advisable or chains may be required. If you rent a car in Las Vegas it’s highly unlikely to be winterised and have snow tyres or chains, so you’ll want to get a 4WD. If you get a rental car from SLC, you should be OK with just a SUV.

The climb up to the Brian Head Ski Resort is steep-ish and a little bit windy. The drive up (and down) is gorgeous past some red cliffs and rocks that are typical of the area.

Private Transport Providers

There are shuttle buses from Cedar City and St George to Brian Head, but only on Saturdays.

Other Ski Resorts Nearby

There aren’t any major ski resorts near Brian Head.

Las Vegas Ski Resort (in Nevada) is past Las Vegas and 240 miles from Brian Head.

Sundance Resort Utah is 216 miles northeast of Brian Head. The many Salt Lake City ski resorts are a little further north.