On Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 a.m., Solitude releases its first block of 2026–27 parking inventory. Alta says its reservations open sometime in mid-October. Brighton's limited pre-season inventory went live back on Aug. 10. Opening day is still more than a month away, but the Cottonwood ski season has already started at the booking window.
From Holladay, either canyon is a short drive. That makes the four resorts' parking rules worth reading side by side. This season, a weekend morning is rationed by the clock and by headcount, and each resort runs its own clock. Big Cottonwood's paid windows close at 11 a.m. and noon. Little Cottonwood's run until 1 p.m.
The October-to-December calendar
The dates that matter fall well before most people wax a ski:
- Oct. 15, 8 a.m.: Solitude's first inventory release covers all dates. More spaces drop at 6 p.m. each Sunday for the following weekend, plus a small day-of release at 6 a.m. tied to cancellations and snow removal.
- Mid-October: Alta opens reservations for the season. During the season, more spaces release every Sunday at 3 p.m.
- Nov. 20: Alta and Solitude both list opening day, conditions permitting.
- Nov. 27: Snowbird's tentative opening date.
- Dec. 11: Alta's weekend and holiday reservation requirement takes effect.
- Dec. 18: Solitude's Moonbeam Lot requirement begins. The Nordic Center lot follows on Dec. 19.
Brighton's own operations page still lists opening day as TBD, and the Salt Lake Tribune's Sept. 20 opening-day roundup also had Brighton as TBD.
If Alta and Solitude open on schedule, both run reservation-free for the first few weeks. At Alta that window runs from opening day until Dec. 11. Solitude's rate table lists early season, from opening day to Dec. 18, as free for every vehicle.
Four resorts, four rule sets
| Resort | When rules apply | Paid window | 1–3 people | Carpool rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta | Fri–Sun & holidays, Dec. 11 to early April | 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | $25, or $10 with an online lift ticket | No carpool rate listed |
| Snowbird | Upper Gad Valley plate checks | 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | Most lots free, first come | 3+ carpool-only spaces |
| Brighton | Fri–Sun & holidays | Before noon | $25 | $10 for 4+ |
| Solitude | Fri–Sun & holidays, Dec. 18–Mar. 28 | Before 11 a.m. | $35 | Free for 4+ |
At Alta, the fee covers the Grizzly, Flagstaff south side, Wildcat, and Albion lots. Qualifying Alta and Alta-Bird passholders get a reusable parking key for free reservations. Alta also says it is capping each account at four active reservations, free and paid combined. The first no-show gets a warning, and each one after that costs $100.
Snowbird is new this season in a different way. Eligible season passholders age 19 and up get one free rolling reservation in the Upper Gad Valley Lot at Entry 1. Once a passholder uses it, they can book another as space allows, seven days a week. The resort had not posted its 2026–27 daily paid rates or a release date for the Lower Gad Valley, Pond, and Chickadee lots as of this writing.
Brighton's preferred parking is $30 any day. Solitude's Nordic Center lot charges $15 for 1–3 occupants and nothing for four or more, with a reservation, on weekends and holidays starting Dec. 19.
The clock does most of the work
Put the paid windows on one timeline and the canyons pull apart. Solitude's Moonbeam Lot goes free at 11 a.m., which the resort lists as new for 2026–27, and needs no reservation after that hour. Brighton goes free at noon. Alta's requirement runs until 1 p.m., and Snowbird's Upper Gad Valley lot opens to first-come parking at 1 p.m.
Living close to both canyons, a Holladay skier can get a full afternoon in either one. The difference is that Big Cottonwood stops charging up to two hours sooner. On a Saturday when a late start is the plan, the canyon choice also decides whether parking costs anything at all.
Weekdays erase most of it. Brighton and Solitude list Monday through Thursday as free on non-holiday dates, and Alta's requirement applies only Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Solitude's holiday dates are Dec. 25 through Jan. 3, Jan. 18, and Feb. 15.
Headcount is the other lever
Carpool thresholds aren't the same across the four, either. For a weekend morning before the cutoff:
- Solitude: a full car of four parks free, compared with $35 for one to three people. That's the widest gap of the four. The free spot still requires a reservation.
- Brighton: four or more pay $10 instead of $25, also with a reservation.
- Snowbird: three people is enough for the designated carpool-only spaces in the Main Lot, Upper Gad Valley, Entry 1, and Superior lots.
- Alta: the parking page lists no carpool rate. The discount there comes from buying a lift ticket online, which drops the reservation to $10.
So a household of three heading up Little Cottonwood on a Saturday qualifies for Snowbird's carpool rows. The same three heading to Solitude pay full price unless a fourth rider joins.
The bus schedule hasn't been published yet
As of Oct. 12, UTA's ski service page gives fares and general timing but no 2026–27 schedules or start dates. The live Route 972 schedule page returns "No stops found for selected options." UTA says seasonal service typically begins in late November or early December. The listed one-way fare is $5, or $2 for qualified reduced fare, and eligible resort season passes, the Ikon Pass, and the Visit Salt Lake Super Pass include the service.
For reference only, last season's routes looked like this. Route 972 served Solitude and Brighton with stops at Midvale Fort Union Station, Fort Union Blvd and Highland Drive, the 6200 South/Wasatch park-and-ride, and the Big Cottonwood Canyon park-and-ride. Route 994 ran to Snowbird and Alta from Historic Sandy Station and the 9400 South park-and-ride. In its November 2025 change-day notice, UTA set last season's starts as Nov. 29 for Route 972 and Dec. 5 for Route 994. None of these details are confirmed for this winter.
One thing holds every season. UDOT's Cottonwood Canyons travel resources page says the park-and-ride lots near the canyons are typically full by 8:30 a.m., weekdays included. A bus plan starts with getting to the lot in time.
The bigger fixes aren't part of this winter
On May 13, 2026, UDOT finalized its long-range plan for Big Cottonwood. KSL reported that the plan includes a 1,750-space garage and mobility hub near Fort Union and Wasatch Boulevard, buses running every 10 to 15 minutes at first, demand-based tolling, and intersection and bus-priority work on Wasatch Boulevard. KSL also reported that some of it could begin as early as the 2028 winter season. The same article said no phase of Little Cottonwood's selected plan, Gondola Alternative B, had been put in place because of gondola-related litigation.
That leaves the resorts' reservation systems, the bus, and the traction law as this season's tools. UDOT can put canyon traction requirements in place 24 hours before a storm. When the canyon beacons flash, tires need at least 5/32 inch of tread, and the tire and device rules differ for AWD and 4WD vehicles compared with 2WD.
Closer to home, Cottonwood Heights' Big Cottonwood Canyon Trail and 3000 East safety project began July 13 with an estimated summer or fall 2026 finish. UDOT's Cottonwoods Connection pipeline page projected work through summer 2026, but it doesn't confirm completion.
Gear before the first release fills
The rest of the pre-season calendar is close to Holladay:
- Oct. 16–17: Utah Skimo's free fall swap runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Skimo.co, with drop-off the day before. It takes ski-mountaineering and lightweight touring gear.
- Oct. 23–24: The Salt Lake Valley Ski Swap fills the Promontory Building at Utah State Fair Park, 155 N 1000 W. Friday entry is $7 for ages 14 and up, and Saturday is free.
- Nov. 7: TUNA's cross-country swap runs 9 a.m. to noon at Canyon View Elementary in Cottonwood Heights. It's Nordic only, with no alpine or backcountry gear.
For season leases, Ski 'N See lists season rentals and tune service at 1339 Fort Union Blvd. and 1844 E. Fort Union Blvd. in Cottonwood Heights. Rentals are for Utah residents and handled in store.
Some homes are a few minutes closer than others to Fort Union, Wasatch Boulevard, and the canyon mouths. If that distance is part of how you're weighing your next home, Whitney Foley Real Estate can walk you through Holladay with a skier's map in mind. Let's find your perfect property.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
