Sundance Mountain Resort is a small, soulful mountain retreat beneath the towering summit of Mount Timpanogos, in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Created by Robert Redford, who bought the land in the late 1960s and named it after his role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, it has long been dedicated to the arts, nature and conservation, and it gave its name to the famous Sundance Film Festival.
Sundance Mountain Resort is a small, soulful mountain retreat beneath the towering summit of Mount Timpanogos, in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Created by Robert Redford, who bought the land in the late 1960s and named it after his role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, it has long been dedicated to the arts, nature and conservation, and it gave its name to the famous Sundance Film Festival.
Location: Sundance, Utah, USA
The resort lies in a steep, forested canyon on the Alpine Loop, at the foot of Mount Timpanogos, about 25 minutes from Provo and around 45 minutes from Park City and Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City International Airport is the nearest major airport.
The setting is quieter and wilder than Utah's bigger ski resorts, with forests of aspen and pine, waterfalls and rugged peaks all around. Mount Timpanogos, at 3,582 metres one of the highest peaks in the Wasatch, dominates the view.
The Alpine Loop, the scenic mountain road that passes the resort, winds through deep canyons and aspen forests around Mount Timpanogos, and it is one of the most beautiful drives in Utah, especially in autumn. Nearby, Timpanogos Cave National Monument offers guided tours through a series of limestone caverns high on the mountain.
Rooms and suites at Sundance
In January 2026, the resort opened The Inn at Sundance, with 63 ski-in, ski-out rooms and suites near the Outlaw Express chairlift, its first hotel-style accommodation. Designed over five years, it uses reclaimed timber and Native American artworks, with an oversized footbridge over the North Fork Provo River, and it echoes the scale and seclusion of Redford's own cabin.
Alongside the Inn, the resort offers its traditional cottages and private mountain homes, scattered among the trees, with rustic Western interiors, fireplaces and porches. Rates at the Inn start at around $650 a night, while cottages vary by season.
The cottages are scattered through the woods along the river, many with stone fireplaces, porches and handcrafted furniture, and they have long been the heart of the Sundance experience, offering privacy and a deep connection with the surrounding forest.
Facilities at Sundance
The Tree Room, built in 1970 around a living tree, is the resort's signature restaurant, holding a MICHELIN Key and known for its pepper steak; it was refreshed in 2026, along with a new Library Lounge. The Foundry Grill serves relaxed mountain cuisine, and the Owl Bar, a small, Western-style bar with live music, is a favourite gathering place.
The Springs, a set of outdoor pools with a sauna and cold plunge, and the spa offer relaxation after a day outdoors. The resort's art studios offer classes in pottery, jewellery and photography, and in summer the Bluebird Cafe Summer Concert Series brings live music to the mountain. The ski area is small, with uncrowded slopes, and there is hiking, mountain biking, zip-lining and fly-fishing in summer.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is the hike to Stewart Falls, a two-tiered waterfall on the flanks of Mount Timpanogos, through aspen groves that turn brilliant gold in autumn. For the ambitious, the climb to the summit of Timpanogos offers views across the whole of the Wasatch.
In winter, ski Sundance's quiet slopes, with views of Timpanogos and the Utah valleys below, then warm up with a drink by the fire in the Owl Bar.
Why Sundance is one of the best mountain hotels
Sundance Mountain Resort earns its place because it offers something different from Utah's big ski resorts: a small, artistic, nature-focused retreat with a strong sense of place and history. Its ski area is modest, and prices for the new Inn are high. But for couples, artists, film lovers and anyone seeking a peaceful mountain escape with character, it is a special place.
Redford sold the resort in 2020, but its spirit, centred on art, environment and community, remains, and the new Inn has been designed to honour the rustic, understated style that has always defined Sundance.
When to go to Sundance
Sundance is open year-round. Winter, from December to March, brings skiing on quiet slopes and cosy evenings by the fire. Summer, from June to September, is ideal for hiking, concerts and arts programmes. Autumn, from late September to mid-October, brings spectacular golden aspens on the Alpine Loop, one of the finest fall-colour drives in the West. Note that the Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder, Colorado, from 2027.
Questions, answered
- Who founded Sundance Mountain Resort?
- Robert Redford, who bought the land in the late 1960s and named it after his role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He sold the resort in 2020.
- Is there a hotel at Sundance?
- Yes. The Inn at Sundance opened in January 2026, with 63 ski-in, ski-out rooms and suites. The resort also offers cottages and mountain homes.
- How far is Sundance from Park City?
- Around 45 minutes by road. Provo is about 25 minutes away.
