We came here for a weekend and I would give it 4 stars for tubing and 2 stars for skiing. That is how we landed at a 3 star review. The place is pretty small and right off the highway. Parking was easy and not too long of a walk to the check-in. There is one restaurant and you can see my separate review for that. We did tubing the first day and skied the second day. My pro tip is to make a group reservation, which requires a minimum of 10 people. Otherwise, it is first come first served and they sold out both days we were there by the time we arrived at 9:30am. Having a group reservation also lets you skip the line to pick up your equipment as they have it all set out for you in a room that is shared with other groups where you can change and keep your stuff. The tubing was awesome! There were 5 lanes, with varying speeds and they let us tie up to 4 people together and go down some of the slower lanes. There was very little waiting and the tubes were fast! The magic carpet ride up was relaxing. Skiing on the other hand, was not as great. There is only one lift and one run. At least you don't have to worry about merging. It is all man-made snow and the lifts are slow. They were letting people go solo and with only 2 people to a 4 person chair with a huge line. The rental equipment was dated, but at least it was not expensive. This would be fine for any beginners. read more

Disclaimer: This 4 star review is for a very specific use case and your mileage may vary. I've found this to be an excellent place to bring new people who have never skied and kids their first times learning. If you are an experienced (even intermediate) this could easily be a 1 star experience. Highlights: It is a quick drive from Atlanta (~2.5hrs) it is pretty cheap (very helpful for new people or kids who might not get a full day or enjoy the more expensive slopes elsewhere). We needed up paying about 250-275 for lift tickets and equipment for 2 adults and 1 kid (we had an amenity pass). Lodging in the area wasn't terribly expensive. Slopes: The area is small, there is one bunny hill with a treadmill style lift, then one ski hill with a ski lift. The ski hill might be a blue (maybe a little easier). It is narrow with trees on both sides and with a left turn going into a steeper down hill. Check in: My advice is go early on Friday (we checked in at 1) and the line was short and getting equipment was easy. We got a multi day pass so we could keep the equipment and didn't need to check in Saturday. The set up they had seems like they were prepped for long lines which with the amount of staff and system they had could eat most of the day waiting. Bunny slopes: nice wide casual slop easy for beginners. The treadmill lift was nice but slow. Main slope: with lots of new people it can get crowded and depending on the weather could be icy. The line for the lift can get long and would not be surprised if you ended up waiting in line or on the lift 3x longer than you skied. Advice: check the webcam to see how long the lines are! We went early then left for lunch and nap when it got busy. Slope side tavern: surprisingly nice stop to get food and drinks. Dose of hot chocolate is helpful for the little ones during a break. Tubing: There is a tubing option onsite, get tickets in advance it may sell out early. read more

Sapphire Valley Ski Area - Bunny slope going down to the main lodge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Sapphire Valley, North Carolina

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My review is mainly for the tubing experience at Sapphire Valley Ski Area. We researched the area and thought snow tubing would be a fun activity for our group of 5 adults in early January. We were staying at the Fairway Forest Resort which was really close by & the resort provided us with discount cards for everyone in our group. The admission is generally $30 per session; however with the discount the price was $22.50....a great price for 1.75 hours of tubing because I can't think of too many other touristy activities that you can do for this amount of money. The sessions are scheduled for every 2 hours, and are limited to 50 tubers each session so the run isn't too crowded or the wait to get up the hill isn't too long. When we arrived on a Saturday morning the 10:00 and 12:00 sessions were already sold out; we waited in line for about 20 minutes & the 2:00 session sold out too. (I actually preferred waiting till the 4:00 session because now we had a few hours to explore the area and have a nice lunch.). We bought our 5 tickets & they gave us stickers to attach to our clothes that designated we were tubers in the 4:00 session. We came back at around 3:30 (free parking, also a plus,) and decided to have a quick drink in the adjacent SlopeSide Tavern which had a full bar, reasonable prices, and wasn't crowded at all. They also serve food; but we didn't order any. After our drinks we lined up by the tubes where a guy gave us a short, (2 minute,) talk about how to carry tubes, how to get on & ride the "magic carpet," and actually going tubing. The "magic carpet" is basically a long conveyor belt that transports you to the top of the tubing hill. It takes just a few minutes to ride to the top once you step on the slow-moving belt with your tube. The instructions were simple, and there is very little skill involved. There were plenty of tubes available. There are 4 designated tube lanes and there are workers at the top of the hill and the bottom of the hill to help you get going and to stop you at the end. It was super fun, and I saw children as young as about 4 enjoying their tube rides. For our afternoon session the snow had gotten quite icy & hard which I think added to the quickness of the course. It's pretty hard to stay forward-facing when tubing. Most times you spin around a few times and bounce up in the air and against the icy sides of the tracks. I felt like I was going to fly out of my tube; but I never did, and never saw anyone else leave their tube either. There are sturdy handles on the tubes to hold on to and also bottoms...so your "bottom" stays dry. In our 1.75 hour session I rode tubes down the hill 6 times. It definitely got less crowded so the wait was shorter after the first hour. We ended up leaving at about 5:15 but we probably had enough time left to go about 4-5 more times. (Like I mentioned; $22.50, or even the full $30, is a great price for this experience.) I am over 50 and this was my first time ever snow tubing. I was a little hesitant at first; but I'm so glad I did it! The Sapphire Valley Ski Area is a great family friendly resort. The only improvement I would make is better signage designating the different lines, (ski tickets, ski rentals, and tubing.). This Florida girl had a great tubing experience in Sapphire!! read more

We went for there upper course zip lining. Very fun, and had two great guides! Very fun. read more

Sapphire Valley Ski Area - Zip lining - Ski Resorts Near Me - Sapphire Valley, North Carolina

We have skied all over North America and if you are looking for the same experience as in Colorado or Utah then you will be disappointed. However, if you have family that have not skied before or you are looking to have a blast riding a quad lift and traversing all 1600 feet, then this is the place. Over the last few years the ski area has changed quite a bit. The people who run the lifts are awesome. Always there to help the beginner off the lift. The Ski School is amazing and staffed by some of the most patient individuals and the cost is astronomically low as compared to other facilities. The rental process has gotten much better with a larger staff and even some new equipment. My boys have skied for a while and tried snowboarding this year. Within a day they learned and vowed not to return to skiing! It is a great hill to learn and take a large group. The Slopeside is one of the most fun places to grab some food and drink while you watch the fun on the slopes. We love the one way in and one way out so we can watch our grandkids the entire time. They are getting closer to 5 star! Highly recommended for the beginner. If you come early you can get on the slope quicker. Parking is usually not an issue. read more

North Carolina certainly isn't known for its great ski resorts, but in an unimpressive field of competitors, Sapphire Valley sets a new low. Disorganized and understaffed, they were completely unprepared to operate in the time of COVID, and seemed to be winging it when it came to getting people safely through the equipment line and onto the slopes. While our tubing experience the first day of our visit was fine, getting lift tickets to ski on Day 2 was a nightmare. Unlike other resorts that are taking advance reservations for tickets and rentals, Sapphire Valley operated on a first-come, first-serve basis, which forced skiers to wait in line outside in the cold for more than two hours for the privilege of getting a lift ticket and ski gear. The whole process is a mess -- boots are fitted in one building, skis in another, and poles are up for grabs in buckets that look like trash bins. It seems like they threw all of it together at the last minute, and skiers will leave tired and frustrated by the entire experience. We pulled into the parking lot at 7:30 a.m., and didn't get on a lift until after 10. Sadly, the long wait is hardly worth the effort. Sapphire has a single lift and a single run, aside from the spacious beginner slope that's actually pretty great for first-timers. Advanced skiers will be bored after about 30 minutes, and novices will quickly be frustrated by the narrow single hill, which offers little room to practice their turns. The good news? Tubing at Sapphire's Frozen Falls Tube Park was a blast -- well run, efficient, and you can make reservations the day before at the community center. Also, the Slopeside Tavern served up tasty food and good beer at a surprisingly reasonable price -- right at the base of the hill. But the resort's disorganized approach to lift tickets and equipment rentals make it hard to recommend for anyone looking for a day on the slopes. read more

I had an amazing time tubing, great field and very good service. The only negative was the reservation process. The resort was not Taking reservations in advance only the same day 1st thing in the am. We had to go to days in a raw because the fist time it was sold out by 8:30am. It will be a lot more beneficial to have a more comfortable and organize process. read more

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It's a place for beginners and kids to learn to ski for the first time. During the New Years weekend they were very understaffed, it took us over an hour and half do get tickets, paperwork and skis, not acceptable! Also they ran out of equipment around noon, get there early! The cafeteria had a super long line and the food looked horrible, we left the ski area to eat and come back later. Nothing to do in town at night and poor choices for restaurants. Not impress! read more

Sapphire Valley Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Sapphire Valley, North Carolina

This is a pretty small ski area, consisting of a short beginner/intermediate ski run, a bunny slope and a tubing hill. There's a small snack bar, rental shop and ski school office. Agree with other reviews...the process and amount of time it takes to get a lift pass is a little silly. But, once that's out of the way, not a bad place. Great for families learning to ski or for folks that haven't skied for a while. Also good option if you have small kids. My family and I had a great time together; slopes weren't overly crowded and we all had fun learning, getting warmed up and falling down and laughing. All in all, a fun place for a family to spend a day. read more

We went physically the day before to make sure we can secure a ski lesson for my children they said to come very early. We showed up right when they open and there was a line outside the door. We stood in that line from 8 AM till 10:30 in the morning while waiting in the line we wanted to make sure we were going to have a lesson since my kids have never skied before. The old man in the front who needs to retire Not only verbally abused every single person in that line but when I tell you that we sat there for two hours and I watched them both eat breakfast and mistreat every single person in that line. I felt like I was in the DMV with my kids on vacation. That's what you're gonna get and stand there for. I kept asking if we were going to be able to secure a lesson. They said they couldn't get in contact with the people that were 200 feet away. I walked over 200 feet to find out. They only had two ski instructors for the entire day. They tell you that they don't know for the simple reason that there is a no refund policy after they charge you and you pay a ski you can't get a lesson, so good luck if you're first timer and you die because you just signed your life away on their waiver Don't ever come here don't ever waste your time standing in line by the time we made a decision to get out of the line at 10:30 in the morning the other rude lady in the front says "sorry we have sold out for tubing for the day." They only have two instructors for 700 people. I didn't come on vacation to be verbally abused. The only place in Sapphire where the staff is super rude and nasty while you pay for them to attend you. The only thing I wish is that I can give them zero reviews they wasted our vacation time and our plans for the day. read more

So walking up it looked amazing! Clean, friendly, and organized. Once we walked into the reception area, the line was wrapped around the room and there was only one person working the registration. Then, went to pick up the rentals, same situation, one person working skies and one working snowboards. This place opens at 9 and just for me and my wife to get our equipment was an hour. Poorly managed. Later that afternoon, my wife wanted to exchange her snowboard for skies, ($10 dollar charge) and they ran out of skies so she got put on a waiting list. And we found out that the best part is......they had taken people's money for rentals that they couldn't supply!!!!! The food served was $10 for a hamburger (no lettuce or tomatoes) and a bag of chips. Hot dogs were the same price. The lines to get on the ski lift was directly at the bottom of the slope where beginner snowboarders and skiers were supposed to stop. None of the management seemed to care. The ski lift also was traveling clock wise, but the slope was off to the left. So instead of the lift assisting you by pushing you onto the slope as it glides back around, to head down the mountain, it actually inhibited you from getting onto the slop and pushed you off the opposite side. I injured my knee because of this. We purchased a multi-day pass. Once I decided that I did not need to try and participate in skiing because of my injury the first day, I tried and failed to get a refund on just one day. Terribly managed, terrible service. read more

I wish I could give this place a negative star. We arrived here 9:30, 30 minutes after they opened and by 10am they were out of snowboards. It took 45 minutes just to get in to door and buy a pass. We had to wait outside for an hour and 45 minutes to get boots and then another half out to get skis (which I never wanted but had to do because they didn't have snowboards). All of these lines are located in different places instead of one streamlined process. All in all we waited for 3 hours before we could even get to the slopes. They also had no bibs or snow clothing either. They refused to refund money, and the staff was very disgruntled and unfriendly. Basically they have the "yeah, we hate it here and we're not giving your your money back" mentality. Basically a terrible experience, waste of time and robbery of almost $200. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY HERE!!! I also left a complaint on their Instagram and they blocked me. So don't expect any customer service from this place. And maybe be wary about some ratings and reviews cause they're clearly sweeping negativity under the rug. read more

This spot is overprice, understaffed, and overwhelmingly disorganized. There is no direction on how to get your rentals, and you're gonna spend 2 1/2 hours ( DURING THE OFF SEASON) to get all your equipment. We got here right when they opened and they ran out of snow boards and snow bibs within the first 30 minute. You're gonna wait in 4 separate lines before you actually get all your equipment. Would not recommend. read more

We are from Florida. My kids have never seen snow. My 9 year old snow had a blast snow skiing here! It was his first time. By the end of the day, he looked like a pro coming down the hill! read more

Sapphire Valley Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Sapphire Valley, North Carolina

Not exactly tahoe. This place is kind of cute and definitly affordable (after 5 makes it even cheaper). There is one bunny area (I hesitate to even call it a hill) and one actual slope - which is basically a beginner slope with a four person black diamond chairlift. Any kind of real skier would be totally disappointed. Personally I used to be on the high school ski team, but havn't skiied in about 10 years. This was a good hill to spend a few hours on getting my snow legs back, but either this is a really easy run or I am a much better skier than I ever thought I was. There is also a tubing area that looked like a lot of fun. read more

We treated our kids to a ski weekend, or we tried. since we are over 3 hours away, I called twice to confirm hours, condition, whether we needed a reservation, etc. each time I was greeted with answers assuring me that they never sale out, and even though a charity event was scheduled we could still ski. Upon arrival to the area, which was absolutely beautiful, it quickly went downhill (no ski pun intended). We were in a line out the door before the center even opened, no one could guide us to where we needed to be, we found out we needed amenities card, which took over 30 minutes to get, then proceeded to the next line for over 1 hour, to be told that all equipment has been rented for that day and the next. A reservation system needs to be in place, with better instructions, and a less chaotic experience. Since we had been turned away from skiing and snow tubing, we thought we might enjoy the rec center at the resort. We donned our bathing suits and headed for the hot tub. My son is 13 and bigger than most adult men, was not allowed to use the hot tub With his family! The lady was rude, snapping her fingers at him and pointing to the rules. Just be warned of this place. I don't want any other family to spend the amount of money we did to receive the disappointment my kids felt. read more

The resort didn't disclose to me the tack on fees for boot rental when I got there. The website doesn't accurately tell you the pricing they try to tack additional prices the upcharge you. The slope is great of beginners and I would give a 5 star if it wasn't for there business practices. The sales woman wasn't very friendly in the café but the turkey sandwich was great. read more

It took us 2.5 hours to get lift tickets, boots, and ski rentals -- all of which were separate lines (not logical). You wait in line to get a lift ticket (overpriced considering there is only one run), then wait in line for boots, then wait in another line for skis. Meanwhile, there's no guidance on how to put your equipment on or where to go next. We arrived before 9am and did not ski until 11:30. Many people who arrived after us did not get gear at all. The process of returning gear was also unclear; we had to leave ours in a random corner. There was lots of mud by the rental shop. I understand they may have been more crowded than usual and that social distancing may have disrupted their process, but this process was truly horrific and not worth the one small slope that they have. read more

I'm giving this place 1 star not because of any disappointment in the size of the skiing. If you haven't figured out by the time you got here that this is a beginner's only family-oriented place, then you've obviously not done your homework. Instead I'm getting this a 1 star because they completely failed to staff up to handle the holiday crowd. So on the Friday of the New Year's weekend, it took our group 2 and 1/2 hours to get tickets and equipment. That's simply unexcusable. Because of it's size, it's a great place to come and learn ( everyone is either a beginner, or helping a beginner). Just be sure to get here as soon as they open or maybe a bit earlier earlier. And avoid the holidays or just be ready in to wait a long long time. The family sitting next to us told us they came on Thursday of the week between Christmas and New Year's, got here right when they opened, and it still took them an hour and a half to get their tickets and equipment. Maybe another piece of advice would be to simply rent your equipment elsewhere. Anyway, once you have your gear and are on the slope, there's lots of good times to be had with the kids. read more

Terrible place , nobody works , they stand around and and tell you different information that makes no sense, terrible place !

This is a fun family oriented ski area. Kids have a blast playing in the snow, doing the snow tubing and the bunny slopes. The food is average at best, especially for the pricing and especially for the long waits. Speaking of long waits, if you want to ski, you need to be prepared to wait for a good 2 hours. They're horribly slow and understaffed. Overall I would recommend a visit but be prepared for a whole day die to the waits. read more

This place was God awful at giving directions as to what to do with your ski gear and where to go next. After you pay it became figure it out for yourself. No one telling you how to do anything at all. And they also gave me a snowboard with a broken strap that couldn't properly hold my foot in the snowboard. However the food was great and the kitchen service was very good Nicole our waitress was phenomenal. read more

I grew up snowboarding here...its a small mountain, but all the locals come here when the weather is right. On good seasons there will be real snow, and if not then they spend endless hours blowing snow for us to enjoy. This is situated in the small town of Cashiers, NC...This town is so small that it only had ONE stop light until recently, now I think they have 2 or 3! It's a place you'll find friendly people, fresh farmers markets, animal farms, pumpkin patches, wilderness and lots of earthy things to do. Sapphire valley is also a resort, so if you're visiting then I recommend also renting a cabin. The views are lovely in the fall/winter time..Leaves are changing color, the air is brisk and cool..I miss this place! All of my childhood friends live here...And every time I go back it's like no time has passed. The Ski Area is decent, (nothing compared to mountains out west)but more for beginners...This is where I first learned and began to snowboard..The people who work here/own the place are very friendly and will always remember you. Right next to the ski area is an indoor/outdoor swimming area, jacuzzi, game room, sauna, etc. So if you've had enough on the slopes then head down to the hot tub for some major relaxation. The food is great here, everything is home cooked, so you can't go wrong with anything you order.... All in all an great weekend get away. read more

If you're and avid skier/snowboarder, don't waster your time. However, if you've never done either, it's a great place for beginners. You don't have to worry about hills being to intimidating. Trust me, the first time out it doesn't take much. It's almost funny to me when I hear people say how big the hill is. Well, it is just a hill, but compared to flat land. Still, good place to learn. read more

$105 dollars for a family of 4 to go snow tubing! For the price you would think the 5 guys "working" the tubing area would help us drag the tubes and give us instructions. All they do is push you down the hill which was not impressive either. The "snow" was hard and icy as well. This place is overpriced and has rude workers - if you want to go snow tubing head over to Scaly Mountain which is a little bit of an improvement. If you want to skiing go to an actual ski resort because this place is a joke. read more

For Christmas Eve I took the family skiing for the first time. My teenage kids have never skied before, my wife had not skied for 30 yrs. and I snowboarded for the first time. This resort was the ideal location. Everyone there was a novice or helping a novice....it was great for beginners and the price was about 60% that of the larger hills 60 miles further from my home in SC. The length of time required to get the rental equipment definitely could use some improvement. read more

Resort is clean, biggest complaint is the noise from the creaking floors above my unit, barely got any sleep as a result. Other minor issues, but again clean. read more

Didn't like it at all. The workers were rude and the snow patrol wouldn't let you do anything fun. All it is in one slope that lasts all of 30 seconds and they didn't blow snow the whole time they let it all turn to slush. I would not recommend it. read more

Loves it!! I have had some of the best childhood memories at this ski slope. Its a small mountain, yes only one hill ,located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Sapphire Vally North Carolina. Wait come to think of it they do have a bunny hill for the kids too. They offer a variety of equipment for rental. Anything from tubes, to snowboards, even ski bibs or boots. If you are a beginner they have lessons. This small ski resort has a large log cabin to rest between lifts to the top of the mountain. They serve fresh food all day long. I can remember how wonderful the hot chocolate always was!! I went to this ski lift day after day after day in the winter months as a child and teenager, snowboarding with all of my friends. I love this place and will bring my kids here to learn to snowboard and ski. I miss this place. The people here are always kind to travelers and appreciate the tourism. If in Sapphire Vally North Carolina in the early months of the year check this little hidden gem out!!! read more

First time skiing ever, couldn't have picked a better spot! If you're looking for a tease on what skiing is all about, this spot is the place for the experience! Great prices, friendly people, and a beautiful area all around. Will be planning my next family trip soon! read more

Good place to bring your family, and small children to learn to ski. It has a bunny slope with a magic carpet and and green slope. The green is very short, but there are no lift lines. read more

Very poor service, rude workers and long wait for lift tickets. One lift worker consistently yelled at most every guest. Staff is very rude and unhappy. Equipment is old and worn. Take your money and your family somewhere else (with a real hill). This place will only disappoint. read more

I have visited this resort in the past and only returned for the convenience of on site lodging adjacent to the ski lift because we were traveling with our children who are novice skiers, on a holiday weekend. The resort failed to notify us, (owners) in advance that our accommodations would be changed due to renovations that are undergoing. Instead, they took the liberty of switching us to an affiliate resort 2-3 miles away. Kimba (from Hollywood Florida) at the front desk was not at all customer service oriented, and Kaitlyn, the Wyndham VIP owner representative Manchurian mouthpiece for leadership (I was not allowed to speak with a supervisor or manager) conveyed the sentiment that since that because this was check-in day, there is nothing that can be done. There were better options available to us had we known that our reservations were invalid and our 20+ years as owners with Wyndham were not valued. Not only will I not return to this resort, but Wyndham has lost a loyal owner. read more

it was my first time snowboarding and i thought it was really good for learining. however i do not think that people that are experienced would have much fun. there are 2 slopes one kiddie slope and the other simi hard. i would reccomment this for anyone with children it seemed like a great family place to go!!! the staff is super friendly and i would reccomment lessons!!! :) read more

I went up there with a group of friends to celebrate my birthday in February. The experience was awful. When we first arrived we waited over three hours in line just to get our ski equipment and boarding passes. Near around two of waiting one of the workers told everyone that the reason the line was moving so slow was because it was a holiday weekend and they had ran out of skis. They then proceeded to tell us that it would be another hour or so. She said we could leave and come back tomorrow or keep waiting. Even though it was a holiday weekend, they are a ski resort they should have been prepared with extra skis. Since we were only up there for a night we continued to wait for rentals. When we finally made it to the front of the line, the women at the register was incredibly rude. She talked down to us like we were ignorant and when my boyfriend who has had hearing issues since he was born politely asked her to repeat what she had said because he couldn't hear her, she snapped her response back at him. If that was not enough she told us that they had ran out of skis yet again and we were going to have to wait a little longer. A couple people in our group were snow-boarding so they went ahead and got their equipment because they had snowboards available. Me and my brother were skiing so we continued to wait, as we were waiting some people dropped their skis off. Well the women at the counter tried to give the skis to the group behind us in line. I had to go up to the counter and say something because she was just going to skip right over us. We FINALLY got skis and we were getting our boots fitted for our skis. The girl who helped me was incredibly helpful, but the man who was helping my brother was a different story. My brother walked up to the counter and the man asked him if he knew how to put his lift pass on, after he showed him how he walked off. After i finished getting my boots fitted i looked over at my brother and asked where the man helping him had went. He proceeded to say he had no idea. Well as i was looking around i spotted the man who was supposed to be helping my brother, he was sitting in a back corner drinking a soda talking to another co-worker. He just walked away in the middle of helping my brother. He never came back over so i had to ask the girl that helped me to finish fitting my brothers skis. Well we finally got on the slope, thats right they have ONE slope to go down. They also have a bunny slope but that was being occupied by some little festival they were having. It was my boyfriends first time snow boarding so obviously he was still learning. A man that worked there told my boyfriend that since he didn't know how to stop or slow his board down properly that he had to get off the slope and wait for the bunny slope to reopen, which was going to be another hour. The nerve of these people, we already waited over 3 hours to get our equipment and now he thinks that my boyfriend is going to wait another hour just to snowboard. That was the final straw. How do they expect people to learn if they have the bunny slope closed off. We paid our money to ski, and we were not going to wait around another hour just to use the bunny slope. Well went skied for an hour or two which was fun. It got old quick though because they only had one slope to go down. Another note the food was incredibly over priced in the lodge. Take my advice, spend a little extra money and go somewhere else. I was on a budget so i thought this would be a good place to go, boy was i wrong. Spending a little extra money at a different place will be much more worth, spending less money at this dump. read more