Where to sled in the Chicago area

As we all know Chicago is pretty flat. I do remember sledding on “Mount Trashmore” a closed garbage dump, officially known as James Park, located at Dodge Avenue and Mulford Street in Evanston. Another location was Flick Park in Glenview.

If you have a car and want to take a road trip there are a surprising number of places to sled in flat Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Each location has specific rules and requirements for opening such as sufficient snow, ice pack, temperatures etc. They all have restrictions on what you can do on these mounds and hills. Some allow you to bring your own sled or tube. Others require that you rent their equipment. And of course they all have Covid restrictions. Always confirm everything before heading out.

Cook County Forest Preserves

With lights, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Westchester Woods: Cermak Road, east of LaGrange Road near Westchester
Dan Ryan Woods: 87th Street and Western Avenue on Chicago’s south side
Swallow Cliff Woods: Route 83 and Mannheim Road near Palos Park (Closed in winter 2014-2015 unfortunately).
Caldwell Woods: Devon and Milwaukee Avenues on Chicago’s northwest side
Deer Grove: Grove number 5 – Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road near Palatine
Pioneer Woods: 107th Street, 1/2 mile west of LaGrange Road near Willow Springs

Without lights, open from 10 a.m. to sunset

Indian Hill Woods: 16th Street and Edgewood Avenue near Chicago Heights
Indian Road Woods: Central Avenue, 1/2 mile south of Caldwell Avenue on Chicago’s northwest side
Schiller Woods – Irving Park and Cumberland Avenue near Schiller Park
Deer Grove, grove number 4 – Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road near Palatine

Naperville – Sled Hills

The following hills are located in neighborhood parks and close at dusk.

Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Avenue
Brook Crossings, 1015 95th Street
Country Lakes Park, 1835 North Aurora Road
Gartner Park, 524 W Gartner Road
May Watts Park, 804 S. Whispering Hills Drive
Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf’s Crossing Road

Lake County Forest Preserves

Lakewood Hill: 27277 Forest Preserve Road Wauconda, IL The Lakewood hill is next to the ice skating rink, so you can access two activities in one visit. Map »

Old School: 28285 St. Mary’s Road Mettawa, IL To access the sled hill, follow the roadway until you reach the parking area on your right signed for sledding and skating. Map »

DuPage County Forest Preserves

Blackwell Forest Preserve Mount Hoy: Main entrance is on the north side of Butterfield Road 0.25 mile west of Winfield Road. There are also entrances on the north and south sides of Mack Road. Only Park District tubes ($10) are allowed on the tubing hill.

Kane County Forest Preserves Winter activities

Campton Forest Preserve (Campton Hills): 4N379 Town Hall Rd., St. Charles, IL
Fabyan Forest Preserve: 1925 Batavia Ave., Geneva, IL
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve: 41W600 Hughes Rd., Elburn, IL
Oakhurst Forest Preserve: 1680 Fifth Ave., Aurora, IL

Wisconsin – Every location in Wisconsin is in this link. Below are southern Wisconsin locations:

Cascade Mountain Ski, Snowboard & Snow Tube: W10441 Cascade Mountain Rd – Portage, WI
Christmas Mountain Village Golf & Skiing: S944 Christmas Mountain Rd – Wisconsin Dells, WI
The Rock Snow Park: 7900B W Crystal Ridge Dr – Franklin, WI
Whitetail Ridge Ski Area: Bldg 8061 in the Pine View Recreation Area off HWY 21 – Fort McCoy, WI
Wilmot Mountain: 11931 Fox River Rd – Wilmot, WI

Northwest Indiana – Lake County Indiana Forest Preserves

Forest Park Golf Course: 1155 Sheffield Dr, Valparaiso, IN
Indiana Dunes State Park: 376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN. Southwest of the West Beach picnic shelters on the west-facing slope of the West Beach Trails.
Lake County Fairgrounds: 889 S. Court St. Crown Point, IN
Lemon Lake: 6322 W 133rd Avenue Crown Point, IN
Oak Ridge Prairie: 301 South Colfax Street Griffith, IN