What Happened to Snowshoe's Big Top? The Kids' Arcade Is Now the Ski Patrol Building

SNOWSHOE, W.Va. | Families who skied Snowshoe in the 2000s and 2010s may remember the Snowshoe Big Top as the place for the arcade, the Eurobungy and the inflatables, a short walk from Skidder slope. Today, Snowshoe's own website calls the same building "The Big Top (Ski Patrol building)."

Snowshoe never announced a closure. The Liftline Times rebuilt the timeline from the resort's archived web pages, Ski Southeast and the Pocahontas Times.

Snowshoe Mountain did not respond to an Oct. 3 request for comment.

2005: An Arcade Opens Near Skidder

DCSki reported in September 2005 that the new "Big Top" would include "an arcade area with 75 to 100 video games, table games, billiards, and a video cafe." Snowshoe's own page that December, preserved by the Internet Archive, called it "15,000 square feet of full-on fun," with arcades, simulators, the Eurobungy and "carnival style food," "Open daily, all season!"

2009 to 2016: Inflatables, Movie Nights and Free Entry

By 2009 the page added a climbing wall and listed two-hour all-access passes from $25 to $35. In 2012 it promised inflatables, crafts, movie nights and teen dances. The 2016 version added a "tots area," a snack bar and Santa and magic shows, plus the perk many parents remember: guests who booked lodging through Snowshoe got free access, and "for all others the cost is $20/day for all activities."

By Fall 2020: Rentals Move In

The Big Top was still on Snowshoe's activities page in an October 2020 archive capture. But the resort's COVID plan for 2020-21, reported by Ski Southeast and the Pocahontas Times, included "expanded equipment rental options via the Big Top." The season FAQ published by Ski Southeast added that Snowshoe would "discontinue Mommy & Me and Kids Night Out offerings for the season."

2021: The Family Center Moves to Silver Creek

By October 2021 the Big Top was gone from the activities page. Ski Southeast's 2021-22 season preview reported "the relocation of the family fun center to the Bear's Den at Silver Creek while the Big Top is transitioned into a rental location." That December, the Pocahontas Times described school buses pulling up to "the Big Top Rental Shop."

We took our kids to the Bear's Den a couple of times. It's a good effort, but it isn't comparable to the Big Top. It feels out of place and cramped, and it's hard to get to from the Village. The Big Top sat a short walk from the Village and was open from November into spring, while the Bear's Den is on the second floor of Silver Creek Lodge, a shuttle ride down the mountain. Snowshoe's website did not list Bear's Den hours as of mid-October, so call ahead before you make the trip.

The Bear's Den is on the second floor of Silver Creek Lodge, which the Snowshoe Blog calls "our certified family-fun headquarters." Silver Creek is its own ski area, "a short shuttle ride down the mountain," in the resort's words.

2026: The Ski Patrol Building, and a Lodge Still Coming

Snowshoe's safety page now says "Snowshoe Ski Patrol is located at The Big Top just off Skidder Slope," and its patrol page adds Bike Patrol and a first aid center. The Eurobungy and climbing wall moved outdoors, "at the top of Ballhooter Lift," on a summer pass.

The day lodge next door left its own gap. The old Shavers Center's roof partially collapsed in 2022 and the building was razed, the Pocahontas Times reported. Marketing director Shawn Cassell told the paper in December 2025, "That's what we've really been missing for the last few years without Shavers Center," adding that "there was no place to just go hang out."

WDTV reported in August 2025 that the new Shavers Center was expected to open in mid-December 2025. On Aug. 17, 2026, Snowshoe wrote that "work is wrapping up." In its Oct. 7 winter preview, the resort said the Shavers Center "is expected to open alongside the resort on November 25, weather permitting." The Pocahontas Times listed a food court, gathering space, ski school, pre-ski daycare and the Adventure Outpost. None of the published descriptions mention an indoor play or arcade space.

Rainy Day at Snowshoe: Indoor Activities for Families

Snowshoe's rainy-day guide and activity pages point families here:

• Split Rock Pools (Village): indoor and outdoor heated pool, waterslide, hot tubs and sauna. Free entry with lodging booked through Snowshoe Reservations.
• The Bear's Den (Silver Creek): axe throwing, arcade games, cornhole, billiards, a climbing wall and food. Snowshoe-booked lodging comes with an Activity Card for the climbing wall, Orbitron and VR. Check hours before you go.
• Village Scoop (Village): ice cream, milkshakes and cookies.
• Linwood Center (base of the mountain): a public gym, library and market.
• Green Bank Observatory (off the mountain): telescope tours and a science center.

Mountain Lodge in the Village also advertises an indoor Adventure Playground for ages 3 to 12, booked through the lodge, not the resort.

Snowshoe Big Top FAQ

What happened to the Big Top at Snowshoe?
It opened in the 2005-06 season as an indoor arcade and activity center. By fall 2020 it was handling equipment rentals, and Ski Southeast reported in 2021 that the family center was moving to the Bear's Den at Silver Creek. Snowshoe now lists the Big Top as its Ski Patrol location.

Is there an arcade at Snowshoe?
Snowshoe's official pages list arcade games at the Bear's Den at Silver Creek, not at the top of the mountain.

When does the new Shavers Center open?
Snowshoe says the Shavers Center is expected to open with the resort on Nov. 25, weather permitting.

Planning a family trip? Start with our Snowshoe resort guide, weigh the Village against Silver Creek on our where to stay at Snowshoe page, and catch up on the Shavers Center in our Snowshoe opening day 2026 story.

What did your kids do at the Big Top, and where do you take them now on a rainy day at Snowshoe? Tell us in the comments.

Corrections: info@mtninfo.com