Sledding and Tubing

Sled riding provides thrills for all ages, and Colorado State Parks offers a variety of sledding hills for visitors to enjoy. After a good snowfall at Golden Gate Canyon State Park, sled riders can enjoy a ride down the large open hill southwest of the Visitor Center or on the slope above Kriley Pond.

Roxborough State Park allows visitors to ride down the trails, and Cherry Creek State Park welcomes sledding and snow tubing when there are good snow levels.

With 50 miles of trails on a 5,000-acre playground, Mueller State Park offers ample opportunities for tubing and sled riding. Sylvan Lake State Park receives an abundance of snow during the winter, with snowy hills to entertain visitors for months. There are several slopes at State Forest State Park that are perfect for sledding, amid the stunning winter scenery.

On the Western Slope, Ridgway State Park has a sledding hill in the upper boat ramp parking lot, along with other opportunities throughout the park. The hills at Vega State Park also make for an enjoyable afternoon of racing your friends to the bottom.

For details on sledding and tubing locations, as well as snow conditions, call the park of your choice. Or visit our Park Search page, click on the Conditions tab and check the box for Winter Conditions.

Ice Skating

Winter’s cold temperatures turn many Colorado State Parks reservoirs and ponds into frozen playgrounds. Frozen ponds and lakes provide ample opportunities for ice skating during the winter months. Whether you live in the Denver metro area, or on the Western slope, there is a park close by where you can recreate on a frozen pond.

Here are a few recommendations:

• Ice skating enthusiasts can make figure 8s at Golden Gate Canyon State Park’s Ranch Ponds and Visitor Center show ponds.

• At Highline Lake State Park, Mack Mesa is perfect for early season ice fishing, and often turns into an impromptu hockey arena. Once conditions permit, a portion of Mack Mesa is cleared for skating. Highline Lake also provides ideal ice fishing opportunities once it freezes solid.

• Eleven Mile State Park reservoir is great for ice skating, especially early in the season after the ice is solid, but before too many pressure ridges have been created.

For a complete list of places to ice skate at state parks, visit our Park Search page, click on the Activities tab and check the Ice Skating box.

More Winter Fun
You can find other opportunities for winter fun by visiting our Winter Recreation page or Park Search page, by clicking the Activities tab and searching “Winter Activities.”