Guide to ice skating, sledding, winter sports
BY HEATHER LESZCZEWICZ hleszczewicz@pioneerlocal.com January 3, 2013 8:16PM
1/21/2012 Mundelein Mike Poutre and his son Slade 3, of Mundelein, enjoy the fresh snow while sledding down the hill at Mundelein Community Park on Saturday, January 21, 2012. | michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 3, 2013 8:23PM
Snow enthusiasts get ready
Start lacing up those ice skates, finding all the warm clothing you have and pull your sleds out of storage. Here’s a guide to help you find the best hills, outdoor rinks and other winter activities.
All activities are weather permitting. Make sure to check conditions before venturing to any location.
Sledding
Buffalo Grove
Willow Stream Park: 600 Farrington Drive. For more information, call (847) 850-2100 or www.bgparkdistrict.org.
Evanston
James Park: Oakton Street and Dodge Avenue. Sledding is allowed only on the small and intermediate hills. For more information, call (847) 859-7822, ext. 8 or go to www.cityofevanston.org.
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Deer Grove #4 and #5: Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road, Palatine Deer Grove #5 has lighting and is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Deer Grove #4 is unlit and is open 10 a.m. to sunset. For more information, call (800) 870-3666 or go to www.fpdcc.com
Glencoe
Watt Park: 300 Randolph St. For more information, call (847) 835-3030 or go to www.glencoeparkdistrict.com.
Glenview
Flick Park, 3600 Glenview Road; Johns Park, 2101 Central Road: Hills are lighted and open until 10 p.m. Nightly For more information, call (847) 724-3337 option 2 after 10:30 a.m. for recorded weather/hill conditions message or go to www.glenviewparks.org.
Highland Park
Danny Cunniff Park: 2700 Trail Way St. Call (847) 579-3130 for conditions or go to www.pdhp.org.
Lake Bluff
Blair Park Campus: 355 W Washington Ave.
Lake County Forest Preserves
Lakewood Winter Sports Area: Route 176, just west of Fairfield Road The hill is lit and open until 9 p.m.
Old School Forest Preserve: Saint Mary’s Road just south of Route 176, and north of Route 60. The hill is open until sunset. For conditions, call the Winter Sports Hotline at 847-968-3235 or go to www.lcfpd.org.
Lake Zurich
Paulus Park: 200 S. Rand Road. For more information, go to www.volz.org.
Libertyville
Adler Park: 1500 N. Milwaukee Ave. For more information, call (847) 918-7275 or go towww.libertyville.com.
Mundelein
Community Park: 1401 N. Midlothian Road. For more information, call (847) 566-0650 or go to www.mundeleinparks.org.
No rthbrook
Wood Oaks Green, 1150 Sanders Road; Techny Prairie Park, 1750 Techny Road: Wood Oaks is open dawn to dusk and Techny is open until 9 p.m. Call (847) 291-2985 for recorded weather/hill conditions message or www.nbparks.org.
Park Ridge
Centennial Park: 100 S. Western Ave. For more information, go to www.prparks.org.
Vernon Hills
Century Park: Near Lakeview Parkway and Indianwood Drive. For more information, call (847) 996-6616 go to www.vhparkdistrict.org.
Outdoor ice skating
Barrington
Citizens Park: 511 Lake Zurich Road. For more information, call (847) 381-0687 or go to http://www.barringtonparkdistrict.org
Buffalo Grove
Willow Stream Park: Off of Old Checker Road. Mill Creek Park, 1350 Radcliffe Road. For more information, go to www.bgparkdistrict.org.
Deerfield
Briarwood Park: Greenbriar Drive and Eastwood.
Jewett Park: 836 Jewett Park Drive.
Jaycee Park: 1026 Wilmot Road.
Patti Stryker Park: Corner of Pine Street and Hackberry.
Evanston
Ackerman Park, Central Street at McDaniel; Lagoon at Dawes Park, Sheridan Road at Church Street; Baker Park, Forest Avenue at Keeney Street. For more information, call (847) 859-7822, ext. 8 or go to www.cityofevanston.org.
Glencoe
Watts Center: 305 Randolph St. For more information, call (847) 835-3030 or go to www.glencoeparkdistrict.com.
Glenview
Flick Park, 3600 Glenview Road; Johns Park, 2101 Central Road; Roosevelt Park, 2200 Grove St.; Cole Park, 1031 Kenilworth Lane: All rinks, except Cole Park, are lighted and open until 10 p.m. Call (847) 724-3337 option 2 after 10:30 a.m. for recorded weather/hill conditions message or go to www.glenviewparks.org.
Highland Park
Sunset Woods Park: 1801 Sunset Road. Call (847) 579.3177 or go to www.pdhp.org.
Lake Bluff
Artesian Park: Sheridan Road and East Sheridan Place. For more information, call (847) 234-4150 or go to www.lakebluffparks.org/icerink.html.
Lake Forest
West Park: 850 North Summit Ave. For more information, call (847) 234-6702 or go to www.cityoflakeforest.com.
Lake Zurich
Paulus Park: 200 S. Rand Rd. Manor Park, Miller Road east of Rand Road. For more information, call (847) 438-5146 or go to www.volz.org.
Libertyville
Adler Park, 1500 N. Milwaukee Ave.; Bolander Park, 625 W. Winchester Road; Butler Lake Park, 810 W. Lake St.; Nicholas-Dowden Park, 920 Crane Blvd.: For more information, call (847) 918-7275 or go to www.libertyville.com.
Morton Grove
Prairie View Park: 6834 Dempster St. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. For more information, call (847) 965-7558 and press option #3 go to www.mortongroveparks.com.
Mundelein
Community Park: 1401 N. Midlothian Road. For more information, call (847) 566-0650 or go to www.mundeleinparks.org.
Niles
Oak Park: Lee Street and Ottawa Avenue. For more information, go to www.niles-parks.org.
Northbrook
Meadowhill Park, 1479 Maple Ave.; Tower Rink, 1225 Cedar Lane. Both rinks are open dawn to 9 p.m. and are lighted. Call (847) 291-2985 for recorded weather/hill conditions message or www.nbparks.org.
Northfield
Northfield Park: 240 Lockwood Ave. For more information, call (847) 446-0080 go to www.winpark.org.
Clarkson Park: 1950 Willow Road. For more information, call (847) 446-4428 or go to www.northfieldparkdistrict.org.
Park Ridge
South Park, 833 W. Talcott Road, Northwest Park, 1200 N. Dee Road, Woodland Park, 1200 N. Western Ave.: For more information, go to www.prparks.org.
Vernon Hills
Century Park, near Lakeview Parkway and Indianwood Drive; Evergreen Lake and Willow Lake at Deerpath Park, between Phillips Road and Route 45; Grosse Pointe Pond, Grosse Pointe Boulevard and Hunter Court: For more information, call (847) 996-6616 or go to www.vhparkdistrict.org.
Wilmette
Gillson Park, corner of Sheridan Road and Michigan Avenue; Thornwood Park, Dartmouth and Thornwood avenues; Mallinckrodt Park, 1960 Elmwood Ave.: For more information, call (847) 256-6100 or go to www.wilmettepark.org.
Winnetka
Hubbard Woods, 939 Green Bay Road; Indian Hill, 131 Wilson St.: For more information, call (847) 446-0080 go to www.winpark.org.
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
The Lake County Forest Preserves offers cross-country skiing along any forest preserve hiking trail as long as there is snow on the ground except at Ryerson Conservation Area, where at least four inches of snow is required. For weather conditions, call (847) 968-3235. For a full list of cross-country skiing locations, go to www.lcfpd.org.
