Best sledding hills
Leslie Science and Nature Center
The Leslie Science and Nature Center has many nature trails that would be great to snowshoe on during the winter. The area is also full of fantastic hills that give sledders a variety of sledding tracks to choose from.
Along with many indoor activities such as a skating rink, Veterans Memorial Park also has a large hill for sledding. It is known for being a big and fast hill that’s best for older children. Veterans Memorial Park makes it easy to spend a day skating and sledding.
If you have small children in your family, Crary Park might be the sledding hill for you. It is a smaller park with a long, slower hill that younger kids love.
Huron Hills has multiple hills and sled runs with varying sizes and intensity. This makes it a great place to go if you have a range of ages in your family. Big kids can whiz by on the larger steeper hills and younger kids can enjoy a smooth slower ride.
Best skiing and snowboarding resorts
About a half hour from Ann Arbor, Mt. Brighton is a great place to spend the day skiing. Mt. Brighton offers rental equipment for skiers who don’t have their own skis. Mt. Brighton has both smaller hills for beginner skiers, and black diamonds for skiers looking for a challenge. If you visit on a Sunday, be sure to grab one of their free S’mores!
Mt. Holly is located about 45 minutes from Ann Arbor. Any skill level of skiers is welcome. They offer “snow school” lessons for beginner skiers, and more challenging hills for advanced skiers. Mt. Holly also has skis for customers to rent. Before you go, visit their website and view their live “mountain cams” to check out the hills!
Alpine Valley Resort is a great resort to visit if you are looking to travel a bit further for bigger hills, but is still reasonable for a day trip. They offer a ski school, private lessons and equipment rentals. Alpine Valley has 20 runs and over 100 acres of skiable area. You can visit their variety of Cafes and Restaurants to warm up and enjoy a bite to eat on your trip.
Places to cross country ski and snowshoe
Huron Meadows Metropark offers over 15 miles of easy to moderate groomed cross country skiing terrain. You can purchase a $5 daily pass or $125 for a season pass to visit the trails all season. They offer ski rentals as well as a heated lounge and restroom to warm up on a cold day.
Rolling Hills County Park seems to have it all when it comes to winter sports. They have three miles of groomed cross country skiing trails and offer skis to rent. They also have a sledding hill that is enjoyable with sleds brought from home, but taken to the next level with the tubes that Rolling Hills offers for rent.
The Waterloo-Pinckney Trails 33.9 miles of beautiful trail all year round. It passes through Park Lyndon County Park, and has campgrounds available along the trail. It is a great place to snowshoe or cross country ski and offers points to start at multiple different places along the trail, providing new sights each time.
RELATED: Sledding Safety Tips for Winter Fun
