Cairngorms
Cairn Gorm / Northern Corries — Parking
Cairngorm Ski Car Park · Grid ref NH 989 060 · PH22 1RB · £3.50 standard day outside the snowsports season (first 45 min free)
Quick facts
- Grid reference
- NH 989 060
- Postcode (satnav)
- PH22 1RB
- Spaces
- Over 400 cars (Cairngorm Mountain)
- Cost
- £3.50 standard day outside the snowsports season (first 45 min free)
- Surface
- tarmac
- Drive from Glasgow
- 3h 5m
- Drive from Edinburgh
- 2h 30m
Parking charge: Paid outside the snowsports season — first 45 minutes free, then £3.50 standard day (up to 8 hours), £5.50 extended day (up to 18 hours), £25 overnight (00:00–05:59); hillwalkers leaving a car overnight pay £5.50 a night by arrangement, motorhomes overnight at the Ciste car park £17.50 a night; Blue Badge holders free. A Local Summer Parking Permit costs £20 (until the start of the 2026/27 snowsports season) for PH19 to PH26 postcodes, arranged at the Ticket Office (Cairngorm Mountain "Charges (2026)" table, cairngormmountain.co.uk/parking-at-cairngorm/, read 28 October 2026)
From the car park
The car park sits at the base of the Coire Cas ski area at approximately 635m elevation. The path to Cairn Gorm summit begins at the south end of the car park, following a broad track beside the ski infrastructure. A well-maintained path then climbs the headwall to the plateau and summit (1,245m). The Northern Corries path branches east to Coire an t-Sneachda and Coire an Lochain — world-class winter climbing venues.
Heading for the top? Cairngorm weather — wind, cloud & which forecast to use →
The walk
Cairn Gorm (1,245m) is the sixth-highest mountain in the UK and one of the most accessible high summits in Scotland. The direct summit walk is around 6.5km return with 625m of ascent. The Cairngorm plateau is a vast arctic landscape with reindeer herds, ptarmigan, and in good visibility, views south to Ben Nevis. Ben Macdui (the UK's second-highest peak) over Cairn Gorm is a full mountain day of around 17.5km with 950m of ascent.
Facilities
- Ptarmigan restaurant (funicular top station)
- Day Lodge (base)
- Toilets
- Funicular railway (booked separately)
- Ski hire (winter)
Busy times
The car park is large and rarely full outside peak ski season (January–March). Summer weekends see moderate visitor numbers. The path to Cairn Gorm summit is busy on clear summer days but the plateau quickly absorbs walkers. Winter hillwalking requires careful awareness of ski area operations and avalanche conditions.
Getting here without a car
Aviemore is the nearest town (10 miles by road, per the operator) and has a railway station on the Highland Main Line. From Aviemore station, Stagecoach service 30 (the Aviemore Adventurer) runs seven days a week via Glenmore to the car park, per the operator and bustimes.org (read 28 October 2026). Check Traveline Scotland for the current timetable.
Winter access
The access road is gritted and maintained during ski season but may be gated in severe conditions. The car park is at 635m and frequently snow-covered. Above the car park, the Cairngorm plateau is one of Scotland's most dangerous winter environments — whiteout conditions, wind chill below -30°C, and severe cornicing occur regularly. SAIS Northern Cairngorms forecast essential.
Overflow parking
The main car park at the base of Coire Cas is large. Do not park on the access road.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 07:23
- Sunset
- 16:34
- Civil dawn
- 06:42
- Civil dusk
- 17:15
NOAA Solar Calculator · 31 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Can I walk off the Cairngorm funicular?
- Not as a rule — outside the snowsports season the funicular is a closed system and passengers return by train from the Ptarmigan top station. The operator is running a controlled Summit Access Trial that lets some passengers walk out from the top; check its current terms on cairngormmountain.co.uk. Otherwise, walkers ascend and descend on foot from the car park.
- Is the Cairngorm car park suitable for campervans?
- Yes — the large Coire Cas car park accommodates motorhomes and campervans by day. Overnight motorhome parking is at the Ciste car park at £17.50 a night, and a car left overnight by a hillwalker is £5.50 a night by arrangement with the operator (Cairngorm Mountain charges, read 28 October 2026).
- What is the walk from Cairngorm to Ben Macdui?
- Ben Macdui (1,309m, UK's second-highest) lies approximately 8km south across the plateau. The round from the car park over Cairn Gorm is around 17.5km with 950m of ascent — a full day for experienced walkers. Navigation on the featureless plateau in poor visibility is challenging.
- Is Cairn Gorm safe in winter?
- The plateau experiences wind speeds above 100mph, whiteout conditions, and severe windchill. The Northern Corries are major avalanche terrain. Full winter mountaineering equipment, navigation skills, and awareness of the SAIS avalanche forecast are essential.
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