Sustainability

Going Green at Massanutten

At Massanutten Resort, sustainability is part of how we care for the mountain and surrounding Shenandoah Valley. From solar energy and water conservation to recycling, composting, and environmental education, we continue to look for ways to reduce our environmental impact.

“2026 Hero of Sustainability - Kayla King”

- National Ski Areas Association

“2025 Attraction of the Year”

- Virginia Green Travel Association

“Community & Partnership Golden Eagle Award”

- National Ski Areas Association

Reducing Waste

Recycling

Bear Safe pre-sorted recycling stations are located throughout the resort, with an in-house recycling team collecting materials and delivering them to community partners.

Composting

Food waste from Campfire Grill and the Massanutten Conference Center is also sent to a local composting facility. In 2026, more than 10,000 pounds of food waste were diverted from the landfill.

Clean the World

Massanutten also partners with Clean the World to recycle single-use soaps from our hotels and condos. Since joining the program, more than 1,500 pounds of material have been diverted from the landfill.

New to Me Furniture Store

Gently used furniture from our condos is resold at the New To Me Furniture store at a discounted price. Here, furniture gets a second life for members of our community without contributing to the landfill

Phasing Out Plastic

Massanutten Resort is working hard to reduce single use plastic. In our retail locations, you’ll find that we now offer water for purchase in an aluminum container. The process of recycling aluminum is tremendously efficient, and aluminum is infinitely reusable!

Recycling Used Motor Oil

Used motor oil generated by our ski maintenance fleet is recycled as fuel for a waste-oil furnace, providing heat to the snowmaking maintenance building throughout the winter season.

Massanutten ski area general snowy ski trail with snowmaking 01

Water Conservation

Snowmaking helps provide consistent snow coverage throughout the winter season. Whenever possible, Massanutten collects rainwater and runoff to support snowmaking operations, using water from Painters Pond, Woodstone Golf Pond, and Quail Run Creek.

We have also invested in low-energy HKD snow guns and LED slope lighting to reduce energy use across our snowmaking operations.

Massanutten scenic fall scenic mountain meadow fall 06

Clean Energy Production

Massanutten has three solar arrays producing renewable energy across the resort:

Woodstone Building: A 139 kW array producing approximately 185,000 kWh of electricity each year, offsetting about 15% of the facility’s energy use. View live solar production.

Laundry Building: A 160 kW array producing approximately 192,000 kWh annually, offsetting about 45% of the facility’s energy use. View live solar production.

Waterpark: A ground-mounted array with 2,700 panels, providing approximately 23% of the Waterpark’s energy use. View live solar production.

Education Led by a Dedicated Team

Massanutten's Sustainability Coordinator leads environmental education, native vegetation management, and waste reduction initiatives across the resort. Contact us if you are an educator who is interested in bringing your classroom to Massanutten Resort

Contact our Sustainability Team

Vacation More Sustainably

Looking to reduce your environmental footprint during your stay? Here are some tips!

Utilize the pre-sorted recycling bins located throughout the resort. There is a recycling bin within walking distance of every condo for easy use!

Connect with our Sustainability Team! We’re available anytime over email or you can also meet us at Owners Welcome Events on Monday’s (Labor Day - Memorial Day) or at the Farmers Market on Wednesday’s (Memorial Day – Labor Day).

Traveling with a large group? We encourage you to carpool when you can. Parking across the resort is limited especially during events. Carpooling will save you time and fuel during your visit!

Leave ‘Nutten Behind. Be mindful and pack out anything you bring with you on your adventures. Bring a reusable bag if you’re purchasing items at one of our retail locations and reuse it throughout your visit.

Bring a reusable water and utilize one of the many bottle-filling stations across the resort. Skip the cases of bottled water, the tap water is safe and delicious!

Our Sustainability Partners

Established in 1962, the NSAA is a leading organization for guiding sustainable mountain-inspired recreation. The NSAA provides a framework for ski area sustainability, allowing ski areas to identify their key action items, improve their operational efficiency, and advocate for climate action through the Sustainable Slopes Badge Program. Massanutten has earned badges in the following categories:

Sustainable Slopes Endorser
Climate Action
Climate Advocacy

In 2021, we joined 35 other ski areas by participating in the NSAA’s Climate Challenge. Through this program, we inventory and track our carbon emissions and are given guidance on how to reduce our harmful emissions but also participate in advocacy to use our voice in the larger environmental conversation- all working towards our larger sustainability goals. Since 2012, NSAA has offset 350,742 MTCO2e of ski area’s GHGs!

Have a question?

Browse our FAQs for everything you need to know, whether you're after a quick overview or the finer details.

See All FAQs

Recycling stations are located throughout the resort, including within each condo association and at select resort facilities and activity areas. Use the maps below to find the recycling station closest to your accommodations. Additional recycling stations can be found at select locations including the General Store, The Market, The Woodstone Check-In Building, Massanutten Fitness & Rec Club, ShenandoahH2O, Woodstone Golf Course, and the ski area during winter operations.