So you say you are ready for lots of snow and outdoor fun. Well, bundle up, get your sleds, saucers and toboggans ready and bring it on!
Whether you’re looking for the thrills of doing down a more challenging sledding hill or if you want to bring the little ones for some winter fun on a gentler slope, there are plenty of great sledding and tobogganing options available in the greater Milwaukee area and throughout southeast Wisconsin.
Patch has you covered with the following listing of favorite sledding hills in our area:
Whitnall Park – Hales Corners
The main hill at Whitnall Park, 5879 S. 92nd St., near the Boerner Botanical Gardens, comes highly recommended by local residents and is located right next to the golf course clubhouse. This 400- to 500-foot sledding hill is free to the public and also features a toboggan run that is open at various times depending on the weather. In addition, a smaller hill for little kids sits farther north. The area features plenty of parking in a large lot right off of 92nd Street and street parking is also available. The park also features a club house where sledders can relax and warm up with refreshments available for purchase between noon and 8 p.m.
Currie Park Golf Course, 3535 N. Mayfair Rd. - Wauwatosa
Currie Park features a long, but not too steep, slope that runs down from the north side of the parking lot. The slope is safe and offers great fun for all ages. Speed is only moderate but you can glide a long way, and there are no obstacles. And if the little ones get too cold, you can warm them up in the year-round Currie Park Golf Dome, where a snack bar is also available. The dome is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. You can smack a bucket of balls while the youngsters sled.
St. Mary's Hill (Water Tower Hill) - Milwaukee
St. Mary's Hill, which is located along the lakefront on Lake Drive near downtown Milwaukee, offers an exciting sledding experience. The hill is about 400- to 500-feet long and races at a 40-degree angle toward the bottom. This sledding experience should be reserved for those with more experience as the parking lot is located at the bottom of the hill. Small trees and hay bales prevent sledders from drifting into the parking lot, but these may not provide full protection.
Brown Deer Park – Brown Deer
Brown Deer Park is located on the north side of the city on North Green Bay Road. The park can be crowded at times and offers a short 50- to 100-foot hill. However, the drop is a 50-degree drop, which is larger than some of the other hills in the city. The snow hill is lighted so sledders can use it both day and night during regular park hours.
Lockwood Park - City of Racine.
Located at the corner of Graceland and Ohio, this park features hills that are steep, fast and fun. The park can be crowded on the weekends and during holiday breaks, especially after a fresh snowfall. The Lockwood Hill is a semi-circle and descends at close to a 45-degree angle into the bottom of a bowl. Ice forms quickly and gusts of wind can be harsh standing at the top waiting to launch, but there is no better place east of I-94.
Johnson Park - Racine
Johnson Park first opened in 1931 and is located at 6700 Northwestern Avenue in Racine. The hill area features free parking and restroom facilities.
Park Arthur - Muskego
A brand new park in Muskego with the city's first sledding hill. Located along College Avenue on the border of New Berlin and Muskego, the hill is the first feature open to the public in this park. Still to come in 2013-14 will be a pavilion and ice skating rink.
LaFollette Park – West Allis
Another part of the Milwaukee County Park system, LaFollette Park is a good sledding hill for younger sledders. The hill is less steep than many of the other sledding hills in the city, which makes it a relaxing, slower ride with a longer walk to the top. This sledding hill is located on the corner of 95th and Washington Streets, just north of Greenfield Avenue. The central location makes this park easily accessible by people from all over the city.
Chapel Hills Park, 6735 S. Highfield Drive - Oak Creek.
Chapel Hills was first developed in 1982 and renovated in 1982. The park is on a 17-acre site, with 12 acres of city land and 5 acres of school district property. The park also includes tennis, sand volleyball and basketball courts.
Caledonia-Mount Pleasant Park – Franksville
Located at 10005 Northwestern Ave in Franksville, Caledonia-Mount Pleasant Park is a 55-acre park that also features playgrounds, pavilions, baseball diamonds and picnic areas.
Manor Marquette Park – Oak Creek
Located at 801 E. Marquette Ave., the sledding hill is part of a 9-acre neighborhood park. 4.2 acres are city land, and the school district owns the other 5 acres. The park was founded in 1983.
Riverton Meadows Park – Oak Creek
Located at 2801 E. Honeysuckle Drive, the park is a 12-acre neighborhood park site leased by the city from Milwaukee County. The park, in the Riverton Meadows subdivision development, was developed in 1995. It also features a swing set, tennis and sand volleyball courts and a baseball field.
Bayside Sled Hill - Bayside
This sled hill is at Bayside Village Hall, 9075 N Regent Rd., and is the biggest hill in the village.
Sussex Village Park - Sussex
Located at CR-VV & Weaver Drive, the park is open daily from sunrise - 11pm with three open air shelters. It's a favorite local spot for sledding.
Sussex is also home to the Ausblick Ski Area on Maryhill Road. The club's operating hours vary depending on snow conditions, so anyone interested in skiing should first call ahead at 262-246-3090 or check the club's website.
Elm Grove Village Park hill - Elm Grove
This sledding hill, located at 136 Juneau Boulevard, gets very high marks and is pretty steep so be prepared!
Calhoun Park - New Berlin
Located at 5400 S. Calhoun Road, this park features two nice hills, both of which can be accessed via the park’s south entrance on Calhoun Road. The park also features plenty of parking between the north and south lots.
Mitchell Park - Brookfield
Brookfield's largest park, located at 19805 W. Capitol Dr. has one sledding hill near the dog run.
Wirth Park - Brookfield
Wirth Park is one of Brookfield's two largest public parks and has two sledding hills. The park is located in the city’s center at 2585 Pilgrim Rd. In addition to the sledding hills, Wirth Park has major amenities including the Wirth Aquatic Center, the Brookfield Jaycees Skate Park and an outdoor ice skating and hockey rink. It counts more than 10,000 annual visitors.
Lowell Park - Waukesha
Located at 2201 Michigan Avenue, Lowell Park's the premier sledding spot for kids, teens and adults in Waukesha. Located near Lowell Elementary School, the park also has a toboggan run – complete with sleds available for rent.
Dewey Hill – Wauwatosa
Located immediately west of the Aurora VNA Zilber Family Hospice at 1150 Honey Creek Parkway, this is a local favorite and definitely worth a trip. Dewey Hill is not an official name, but it's located on county parkland and open to the public. It falls from a ridge with a fairly steep takeoff, and when the snow is packed, it offers a thrilling, speedy start. But it evens out into a long glide that gives plenty of time to slow down before sledders can reach the parkway. It does have a couple of large trees on the slope, the scenes of a few minor accidents. Those worried about small children having collisions should use the west side of the slope. Speed demons and daredevils prefer the east side.
Mee-Kwon Park - Mequon
A golf course in the summer and located at 6333 W. Bonniwell Rd., this park has a popular hill used for sledding. The hill is commonly referred to as Mule Hill.
Hawthorne Hills Golf Course - Saukville
Hawthorne Hills Golf Course, 4720 County Highway I, Saukville, is the second place that converts its greens into white space for the winter. One hill on the course is usable for sledding. Contact Hawthorne Hills Golf Course for more information.
Cedarburg – Three sledding hills
Cedarburg has sledding hills at the following parks:
- Behling Field, N52W5882 Portland Road
- Centennial Park, W68 N851 Evergreen Boulevard
- Fisher Park, N70 W6110 Bridge Road
The Rock Sports Complex — Franklin
The Rock Sports Complex is 7900 Crystal Ridge Drive in Franklin. The business is working to improve it's offerings, according to a press release, recently addingnew ski equipment, as well as both tubing and snow terrain parks and a completely remodeled ski lodge.
