Snowy Mountains Terrain Parks

Terrain parks are the playgrounds of snow resorts, with all kinds of lumps and bumps and rails to ride on, slide on and jump off. The resorts in the NSW Snowy Mountains are well set up for park lovers, with a variety of areas for different skill levels. A good tip is to ride to your limits, follow the rules and know the park etiquette.

Perisher

As you would expect, the biggest resort in Australia has the most terrain parks. There are five parks, set up for all levels of skier or snowboarder. Beginners should check out Yabby Flat and Piper terrain parks, which feature entry level box and tabletop jumps - ideal for learning the basics and gaining confidence.

Next level up is the Leichardt Terrain Park with a good range of boxes, rails and jumps. The Blue Cow park also has some large jumps while the Slopestyle Terrain Park at Front Valley is the crème de la crème with parks and features that attract the world’s best skiers and riders. Perisher also has the mini half pipe at Yabby Flat, and two rider cross courses – one in Centre Valley and a larger course in Sun Valley.

Thredbo

From first time park rats just starting out to extreme big air flyers, Thredbo has you covered. There are jumps of all sizes as well as a raft of box and rails to keep shredders happy. Playground Terrain Park is the place to start before you progress to the Cruiser Park with its small jumps.

Once you have mastered Cruiser head up to Antons, which is the place for the big guns with wall rides, rails, boxes, tubes and jumps of various heights. On High Noon there’s a Ridercross course aimed at intermediates wanting to conquer the turns, berms and rollers, and for the manic mogul lover, the moguls course at Meadows is a true test.

Charlotte Pass

This intimate, snowbound resort is a wonderful place for kids to learn, or for adults to chill out in a more relaxed environment while still getting their turns in. There are two parks to check out, with Charlotte’s Play Park a great place to start. It has a range of mini jumps and snake trails, while more experienced riders can test their skills at the Freestyle Terrain Park which has a range of challenging features. Park lovers will also like natural features like roll overs and natural drops, which can be sculpted into the wide slopes at Charlotte Pass as part of the Enhanced Natural Terrain initiative.