Deer Valley Layout

View of Arrowleaf, Flagstaff, Silver Strike, and Shooting Star Condos

There are two base areas at Deer Valley. There is lower Deer Valley which is called Snow Park and there is upper Deer Valley which is called Silver Lake.

Park City locals use the terms lower Deer Valley and Snow Park interchangeably.  Same goes for upper Deer Valley and Silver Lake.

If you are searching Park City vacation rentals, please call us (877) 808-6872 and we will be happy to help you better understand the exact location of the properties you are considering.

Snow Park Lodge sits at about 7100 feet, located about 1.5 miles from Old Town's Main Street.  City bus service makes it easy for skiers to get dropped off and picked up at Snow Park Lodge.

Silver Lake Lodge in upper Deer Valley is located at about 8100 feet.  One route to access it by car is via Royal Street - there are a series of switchback turns that make it an interesting climb. The other route to Silver Lake Lodge is via Marsac. Drive time is more or less the same using either route.

Properties in the Snow Park area (lower Deer Valley) are primarily ski condos. Rentals are easy to find - prices go from $300/night to $1000/night. The price difference is size, view, and private ski shuttle service.

Several condominiums in lower Deer Valley have a contract with Deer Valley Resort to provide for private shuttle pick up and drop off to Snow Park Lodge.  Prior to booking a lower Deer Valley unit,  check on if there is private shuttle availability. Condos with door-to-door ski shuttle service are similar to ski in/out properties and they cost less!

An advantage of lower Deer Valley lodging is that people are less likely to get altitude sickness at the lower elevation. While there is no guarantee that you won’t be affected by the altitude, your chances are better below 7500 feet.

Upper Deer Valley properties are comprised of condo-hotel, condominiums, townhomes, and incredible private homes.  An upper Deer Valley (Silver Lake) rental is  more expensive than a comparable lower Deer Valley property.  The price difference is usually about 40% to 50%.  A $500/night unit in lower Deer Valley may cost $750/night in upper Deer Valley.

Ski in-out  from your accommodations in upper Deer Valley is not a given fact.  Some units are almost ski in/out, and many others are not ski in/out at all.


Use care when you book upper Deer Valley lodging to make sure you understand ski run access.  It is a bummer to pay $1000/night thinking the accommodations are ski in/out, then find out that you have a 100 yard hike to the lifts.   Call us at (877) 808-6872 and we can usually explain the exact access from any property you are considering.

There are two other development areas in upper Deer Valley, but are not part of Silver Lake. The prestigious Deer Crest area is located to the east of Silver Lake and is comprised of high-end mountain homes ranging from 6,000 square feet to 9,000 square feet – keep in mind this is the normal size range as there are monster mountain mansions that are much larger! Home rentals here are usually $1500 to $3500/night. Deer Crest homes are usually best suited for large groups, and prices are often highly negotiable.

To the west of Silver Lake is the newest development area in upper Deer Valley which is called Empire Canyon. New slopeside condominiums (Shooting Star, Arrowleaf, Flagstaff, and Silver Strike) surround the Silver Strike lift. Also located off the Silver Strike lift is a Talisker club facility for dining. Condo rentals here are usually $700 to $1200/night.

Beyond a Park City Vacation Rental

Park City Offers Excellent Rental Homes

The character of Park City has been slowly changing over the past 3-4 years from a seasonal vacation destination to a place where families set their roots and make Park City their home.

Park City started changing into a location desired by full time residents in the 1990s and 2000s. Motivating factors included small town environment vs. metropolitan area, overall attitude of mountain town residents, health consciousness, and accessibility to winter sports and summer recreation.

Being only 25 minutes to the Salt Lake City via Interstate 80, Park City now has easy access to quality health care facilities, shopping, air transportation, i.e., all that is needed from a big city environment.

A  big plus is that the town of Park City is extremely pro-active in protecting its mountain charm. In Old Town, you can't knock down old historic buildings.  If a large development is proposed on vacant land, the town usually offers to buy the land for open space.  Future generations will benefit from the wisdom of current town elders.

Notwithstanding the protection of Old Town, Park City has residential subdivisions that offer modern construction.  In Park City you can find housing at reasonable prices.

Perhaps the best illustration would be a comparison of Park City to Aspen, Colorado.  Aspen area real estate costs double or triple of what it costs in Park City.  A nice 3-4 bedroom 3000 square foot home can be bought for $600,000 to $900,000.

Doing a term rental is a great way to experience Park City before you buy.  Live in Park City for 6 months to a year and see if it suits your fancy.  We have Park City home rentals ranging from $1800 to $3500 per month.  Call us at (877) 808-6872 or Info@Vacation-Quest.com.