Minnesota Sledding Hills: 12 Parks That Name One

Q: Is there snow tubing in Minnesota?

1 of the 12 hills below is published as a tubing run rather than a sledding hill, and 1 of those rents tubes on site. A tubing run usually runs to published hours and often closes for conditions, which a sledding hill rarely does.

Q: Can you sled after dark in Minnesota?

1 of the Minnesota hill is published as lit. 14 hills are lit nationally, which makes it the least common thing an agency publishes about a hill, and the hours the lights run are on each agency's own page.

Q: How do you know whether a hill in Minnesota is open?

12 of the 12 hills publish a conditions page of its own, linked below. For the rest, opening follows snow rather than a date, so the agency page is where a closure appears first.

Q: What does Minnesota say about sledding on its own hills?

11 of the 12 pages carry guidance from the agency that runs the hill. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources writes: The park has two sliding areas. Plastic sleds or inner tubes only - toboggans and sleds with runners are not allowed. Each of those sentences is reproduced whole on the hill it belongs to.

Q: Which state has the most designated sledding hills?

New York, with 14. Across the country 202 hills are named by the agency that runs them, spread over 35 states, and 15 states name none at all.

12

Hills a public agency names

in 11 towns

The state

Most of them named by

6 local, 6 state, 0 national forest

12

That print no charge

Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit may be needed to park

1 / 1 / 1

Tubing, tow or lights

0 publish hours, 12 a conditions page

The answer

Whose website to open first in Minnesota

Minnesota has 12 hills that a public agency has named for sledding in writing. Of those, 6 are run by a county, metro or city park department, 6 by the state.

County, metro or city: 6
State park or forest: 6

Minnesota splits its designations evenly between a county or city and the state, so neither one is the single website to open first.
No Minnesota hill below prints a charge for sledding on it.
Minnesota sells a Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit, and where one is required it is a parking permit rather than a charge for the hill.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes its own list

Break out your sleds and head to a Minnesota state park! Select Minnesota state parks have amazing sledding hills you can enjoy.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Grouped by who named it

All 12 Minnesota hills

Each card opens with the agency’s own words, because that sentence is the reason the hill is on the page. Everything under it is an attribute the same agency published on the same page. Where an agency adds guidance of its own, it is quoted whole and nothing is added to it.

Named by a county or city6 hills

Baker's groomed sledding hill

County park

Baker Winter Trailhead, Baker Park Reserve. Medina. Run by Three Rivers Park District

When the snow piles up, go for a slide down Baker's groomed sledding hill! Find the hill near the clubhouse.

Baker Winter Trailhead, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

the district closes a hill when conditions are poor or when it is extremely cold, and posts each hill's status

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Tubes, railed sleds, and snowboards are not allowed. Check the hill's status before you visit. Sledding hills are unsupervised. Children should be accompanied by an adult.”

Conditions from the agency · Baker Winter Trailhead, Three Rivers Park District

Sliding hill at Lowry Nature Center

County park

Carver Park Reserve. Victoria. Run by Three Rivers Park District

Just a short jaunt outside of the entrance to Lowry Nature Center you'll find an exciting sliding hill.

Carver Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

the district closes a hill when conditions are poor or when it is extremely cold, and posts each hill's status

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Snowboards, tubes or railed sleds are not permitted. Sledding hills are unsupervised. Children should be accompanied by an adult.”

Conditions from the agency · Carver Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District

Sledding hill in the Recreation Area

County park

Elm Creek Park Reserve. Maple Grove. Run by Three Rivers Park District

A sledding hill with minimal grooming is located in the Recreation Area.

Elm Creek Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

the district closes a hill when conditions are poor or when it is extremely cold, and posts each hill's status

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Snowboards, tubes or railed sleds are not permitted. Sledding hills are unsupervised. Children should be accompanied by an adult.”

Conditions from the agency · Elm Creek Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District

Sledding hill near the visitor center

County park

French Regional Park. Plymouth. Run by Three Rivers Park District

A lighted and groomed sledding hill for non-rail sleds is located near the visitor center.

French Regional Park, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Lit after darkthe district closes a hill when conditions are poor or when it is extremely cold, and posts each hill's status

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Rent a sled from the visitor center or bring your own. Snowboards and tubes are not allowed. Sledding hills are unsupervised. Children should be accompanied by an adult.”

Conditions from the agency · French Regional Park, Three Rivers Park District

Hyland (Richardson Nature Center)

County park

Hyland Lake Park Reserve. Bloomington. Run by Three Rivers Park District

Hyland (Richardson Nature Center)

Sledding, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

the district closes a hill when conditions are poor or when it is extremely cold, and posts each hill's status

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Sledding hills are unsupervised. Children should be accompanied by an adult.”

Conditions from the agency · Sledding, Three Rivers Park District

Snow tubing at the Winter Recreation Area

County park

Elm Creek Park Reserve. Maple Grove. Run by Three Rivers Park District

At Elm Creek in Maple Grove, all of the tubing lanes are designed for safety and fun. All you need are warm winter clothes and Three Rivers supplies the rest.

Snow Tubing, Three Rivers Park District, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Tubing, tubes rented on sitemoving sidewalkthe district refunds when conditions do not allow tubing or when it gets colder than 25 below

Three Rivers Park District publishes this with the hill: “Riders must be at least 36" tall or 4 years of age. All tubers must have and display a lift ticket. One person per tube.”

Conditions from the agency · Snow Tubing, Three Rivers Park District

Named by the state6 hills

Sliding areas at Fort Ridgely

State park

Fort Ridgely State Park. Fairfax. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Sliding Hill

Fort Ridgely State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes this with the hill: “The park has two sliding areas. Plastic sleds or inner tubes only - toboggans and sleds with runners are not allowed.”

Conditions from the agency · Fort Ridgely State Park, Minnesota DNR

Sliding hill near the park office

State park

Frontenac State Park. Red Wing. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

In the winter, the park maintains 9 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, 4.7 miles of snowshoe trails, and a sledding hill.

Frontenac State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes this with the hill: “Warming house with stove and firewood is nearby. Firewood is provided by the park.”

Conditions from the agency · Frontenac State Park, Minnesota DNR

Sliding hill outside the trail center

State park

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. Onamia. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The sledding hill is just outside the trail center.

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Conditions from the agency · Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, Minnesota DNR

Sliding hill at Old Mill

State park

Old Mill State Park. Argyle. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The park has a sliding hill.

Old Mill State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes this with the hill: “The warming house is not plowed in winter”

Conditions from the agency · Old Mill State Park, Minnesota DNR

Sliding hill by the interpretive center

State park

Sibley State Park. New London. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The sliding hill is adjacent to the interpretive center.

Sibley State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes this with the hill: “The warming house is located in the trail center, in the lower level of the interpretive center.”

Conditions from the agency · Sibley State Park, Minnesota DNR

Sliding hill next to the boat landing

State park

Split Rock Creek State Park. Jasper. Run by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The sliding hill is next to the boat landing.

Split Rock Creek State Park, Minnesota DNR, read September 23, 2026. Read it at the source

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes this with the hill: “The warming house is at the top of the sledding hill.”

Conditions from the agency · Split Rock Creek State Park, Minnesota DNR

Cost and parking

What sledding costs in Minnesota

No Minnesota hill below prints a charge for sledding on it. Nationally 140 of the 202 hills print no charge at all, and the ones that do are nearly always the two things that cost an agency money to run: a tubing operation that rents the tube, and a tow that carries you back up.

Minnesota sells a Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit, and where one is required it is a parking permit rather than a charge for the hill. That distinction matters at the gate: the permit is sold for the plowed lot rather than for the slope, which is why a state can require one and still publish that the sledding itself is free.

A yellow road grader with tyre chains clearing deep snow from a forest car park beside a small concrete restroom building carrying a green permit required sign, under a low grey sky with heavily laden conifers behind — What a winter parking permit buys. Nineteen states sell one, and on almost every hill that needs it the money is for the lot being graded here rather than for the slope, which is why a state can require a permit and still print that the sledding itself is free. The sign on the building is the whole transaction, and it is posted at the entrance rather than at the hill. “Plowing the Sno-Park on OR 58”, OregonDOT, CC BY 2.0

Minnesota sledding questions

Are there designated sledding hills in Minnesota?

Who runs the sledding hills in Minnesota?

Does sledding cost anything in Minnesota?

Is there snow tubing in Minnesota?

Can you sled after dark in Minnesota?

How do you know whether a hill in Minnesota is open?

What does Minnesota say about sledding on its own hills?

Which state has the most designated sledding hills?

Sledding hills in other states

Minnesota first snow datesWhen the first measurable snow has historically arrived, which is when a hill starts to be worth the drive.Minnesota snowpackHow much snow is actually on the ground right now, from the automated stations that measure it.Minnesota plow trackerWhether the road to the hill has been plowed, from the state that plows it.Minnesota cross country skiingThe groomed trail systems, which is what most state agencies publish instead of sledding.

Minnesota read September 23, 2026 from the agency pages linked beside each hill. Hours, fees and winter parking permit prices are set season by season and a hill opens on snow rather than on a date, so the agency page linked beside each one is the thing that governs on the day. Every state is on the sledding hills hub.