Winter Outdoor Activities

Find the list of parks mentioned here at the bottom of the page with addresses and phone numbers to call for weather updates, fees and hours.

Winter along the South Shore brings rosy cheeks, fluffy snow and lots of outdoor fun. Sledding is a favorite winter activity for South Shore residents and there are lots of places to choose from. The South Shore is also home to a number of ice skating rinks. If you're a fan of quiet, snow covered grounds and a great exercise activity, cross-country skiing might be right up your alley.

You can also take a horse-drawn bobsled ride at Buckley Homestead in Lowell Saturday and Sunday afternoons between 1-3pm. At least 4 inches of snow with no ice is permitted for the horses to draw the sled carrying 8-10 people.

During the summer months, Deep River Waterpark is the perfect place to escape the heat. But in winter, it is transformed into the place to skate! Their Ice Plaza is open for ice skating late November through most of February, weather permitting, Thurs-Sun. The concessions and Surf Shop are open as well. Visit www.deepriverwaterpark.com for exact times and rates.

Two of the local communities have opened ice rinks, too, that are open when the ice is frozen solid. The City of Crown Point has rinks for ice skating and hockey at the Sportsplex. The Town of Cedar Lake's ice rink is currently located at the Town Complex.

The sledding hills at Oak Ridge Prairie and Lemon Lake will be open through March when an adequate snow base allows. Call after 9 am to see if the hills are open before you come out (see list of parks below). More on sledding in these Lake County Parks here.

Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point, home of the Lake County Fair in the summer, is another favorite place to go flying down the hill. In Valparaiso, Rogers-Lakewood Park and Forest Park Golf Course are both great places to sled.

At the Indiana Dunes State Park, you can sled down Devil's slide for loads of fun and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are available in January, but you do have to bring your own equipment.
Enjoy cross-country skiing and sledding at Hammond's Lost Marsh Golf Course every day of the week (if there are 2"-3" of snow on the ground and weather conditions permitting). Bring your own equipment, check in at the Club House and have fun!

Cross-country ski rentals are at available at Lemon Lake County Park in Crown Point, Stoney Run in Leroy and Oak Ridge Prairie in Griffith.

Bring your own cross-country skis to enjoy Sunset Hill Farm and Forest Park Golf Course in Valparaiso . The best place at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to go cross-country skiing is the Ly-co-ki-we Trail. The 6.4 mile trail is a series of interconnecting loops through gently rolling wooded dunes. There's also snowshoeing and cross-country skiing available in January and February at Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton.