Swain Resort

Family-run Genesee Valley hill, skiing since 1947.

Swain is the oldest independently owned ski area in western New York, run by the Schoonover family, with 650 feet of vertical, 35 trails, 97% snowmaking and night skiing to 9 pm. It’s a school-club and race-league hill: busy on weekends, quiet midweek, and on the Indy Pass. A small slopeside inn and condos let you stay on the hill.

The mountain

Vertical drop

650 ft

Summit

1,970 ft

Skiable terrain

120 acres

Trails

35

Lifts

5

Average snowfall

130″ a year

Longest run

1 mi

Snowmaking

97% of terrain

Terrain mix

• Beginner 31%
• Intermediate 37%
• Advanced 32%

What’s here besides skiing

• Night skiing
• Terrain park
• Kids programs

Holidays and events

2026–27 dates where they’re posted. “Usually” means the date follows past years. Confirm before you go.

• EventNov 17, 6 pm

  Warren Miller film night

  Swain’s screening of the new Warren Miller ski film at the Aurora Theater to kick off the season.

Where to stay

• slopesideMountainside Inn at Swain

  The resort’s own 12-room inn; ski-and-stay packages save 10%.

  Slopeside
• hotelHampton Inn Hornell

  Chain hotel in Hornell, the nearest small city.

  20 min drive
• condoSwain condos

  A handful of resort-owned condos for families and groups.

  Slopeside

Rates are typical winter lows before taxes and fees, and change constantly. Book on the property’s own site.

Things to do

• The Shawmut Grille · On site

  Lodge restaurant with burgers, pizza and a Friday fish fry by the fireplace.

• Letchworth State Park · 45 min drive

  The “Grand Canyon of the East”: snowshoeing and frozen waterfalls in the gorge.

• Finger Lakes Trail · Nearby

  Long-distance footpath that passes through the area; good for a snowshoe outing.

• Alfred Ceramic Art Museum · 30 min drive

  Ceramics collection at Alfred University.

• Corning Museum of Glass · 1 hr 15 min drive

  World-class glass museum with live glassblowing demos.

Après and nightlife

• The Shawmut Grille

  Sit-down bar in the lodge with slope views and a fireplace.

• Sierra Inn

  Bar and grill in the hamlet of Swain.

• Railhead Brewing Company

  Brewpub in Hornell.

These themes are our summary of recent skier reviews, not quotes.

Getting there

• Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International (ROC) · about 1 hr 15 min drive
• Verona, NY · about 3 hr
• Rochester · about 1.25 hr
• Buffalo · about 1.5 hr

Directions in Google Maps