34 Best Places to Go Toboganning & Snow Tubing in Michigan This Winter
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If you have never been snow tubing in Michigan before, you’re in for a treat! This annual winter activity is a classic Michigan winter thing to do.
So it follows that the state is home to many wonderful snow tubing and tobogganing facilities. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced winter outdoorsman, you can find the perfect “places to go snow tubing near me” in Michigan this year.
Where to Go Snow Tubing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
John & Melissa Besse Sports Park | Gladstone
The John & Melissa Besse Sports Park is home to a golf course and multiple ball fields. But, the big draw during the winter is the park’s one-of-a-kind ski and snow tubing hill.
Visitors flock here every year to enjoy snowboarding, skiing, and snow tubing. Safety ropes and paddle tows make the experience even more enjoyable.
Mont Ripley | Hancock
Mont Ripley is an awesome snow tubing park in the Upper Peninsula. With 21 snow trails for skiing, it draws winter sports enthusiasts from all over the state.
But, it’s also known for having an excellent snow tubing hill. Aside from regular tubing and tobogganing, the site is used for festivals and events.
Mt Zion Ski Hill | Ironwood
Mt Zion Ski Hill is part of the campus of Gogebic Community College. The college features a nationally recognized Ski Area Management program, which is perfectly reflected in its facilities!
This skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, and tubing hill has snow tubes for rent. Lessons for all ages are available, and you won’t believe the breathtaking scenery.
Sault Seal Recreation Area | Sault Ste Marie
The Sault Seal Recreation Area has the main outdoor sports area in Sault Ste Marie. Here, you’ll find locals and tourists alike on the facility’s seven snow tube runs.
There are also two lifts and a hill for downhill skiing and snowboarding. The recreation area has a heated chalet that offers views of the surrounding scenery as well.
Doc Holle’s Silver Mountain | St Ignace
Doc Holle’s Silver Mountain in St Ignace offers safe, family-friendly fun for visitors at least 6 years old. The facility has equipment and rope tows on hand to make the experience safer and more fun for everyone. It’s open throughout the winter season every weekend for a small entry fee.
Ski Brule | Iron River
Ski Brule (simply called “The Mountain” by locals) is one of the best places to enjoy all types of snow sports in the Upper Peninsula. From snow tubing to skiing and snowboarding, this locale has it all.
The resort also has accommodations and snow tube rental equipment. On-site lessons are available for visitors of all ages.
Where to Go Tobogganing in Northern Michigan
The Highlands at Harbor Springs | Harbor Springs
The Highlands at Harbor Springs is a luxury ski resort and lodge in Harbor Springs. You’ll find it booked throughout the year, but winter is a special time.
When the temperature drops, visitors flock to The Highlands to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing in Michigan. You can find equipment rentals and lessons on site!
Boyne Mountain Resort | Boyne Falls
Boyne Mountain Resort offers some of the most breathtaking winter landscapes and best snow tubing in Northern Michigan. Winter is a popular time to visit, especially the holiday season.
Tons of winter sports are on offer. Snow tubing facilities include an automatic conveyor belt that delivers you to the hilltop.
Hanson Hills Recreation Area | Grayling
Hanson Hills is a great place to enjoy snow tubing with kids as young as 4! The facility offers safe, fun tubing for families alongside the ski slopes. Snow tubers are towed to the top of the hill with a tow line, where they can warm themselves by the fire and enjoy some concessions before riding again.
Hickory Hills Recreation Area | Traverse City
Hickory Hills Recreation Area has been a prime spot for winter fun in Traverse City since 1952! Over the years, the facilities have expanded and developed to include warming tents, concession booths, and a lodge.
Developments in 2018 provided more ski and snow tubing runs for a total of 13. Beginner slopes are available with a magic carpet for easy equipment transport.
Mt Holiday | Traverse City
Mt Holiday is a full-service lodge in Traverse City where you can find stellar accommodations, great food, and perfect winter sports facilities. Tubing is incredibly popular, with many people even booking tubing sessions for parties!
There’s no age limit for tubing. All the staff asks is that each visitor be old enough to sit in a snow tube on their own.
Mt McSauba Recreation Area | Charlevoix
Mt McSauba Recreation Area was voted one of the best small ski areas in Michigan. It’s mostly used for skiing and snowboarding, but you’ll also find many visitors using the hills for sledding, tubing, and tobogganing.
With a total of 10 runs and four rope tows, Mt McSauba is a great place for everyone to enjoy the snow. This winter playground even has an ice rink!
Otsego Resort | Gaylord
Otsego Resort offers visitors the chance to enjoy a luxury stay with all the quintessential experiences of Michigan. Tubing is a popular way to spend your time at the ski resort, with a chairlift to keep things easy.
Visitors reserve tubing sessions by the hour. So, we recommend that you plan ahead!
Petoskey Winter Sports Park | Petoskey
Petoskey Winter Sports Park is a public park designed to provide a safe community space for winter sports. There are hills for sledding, tobogganing, and tubing, as well as skiing and snowboarding.
The facilities also feature a warming house with concessions, restrooms, and a fireplace. It has an outdoor rink for ice skating as well. Outdoor campfires are permitted on weekends!
Shanty Creek Resort | Bellaire
This Bellaire Shanty Creek Resort is a 5,000-acre park full of beautiful Michigan landscape. In the winter, it becomes a haven of winter sports, including sledding, skiing, snowboarding, and tubing.
Alpine tubing is available on nearby Summit Mountain. It’s ideal for families because it has facilities for children of all ages.
Timberlee Hills | Traverse City
Timberlee Hills in Leelanau County is known as the perfect Northern Michigan snow tubing winter destination. The tubing facilities are perfect for families and don’t have dedicated tubing lanes.
In addition, it has a tow rope designed to make climbing the hill easier. And, a warming lodge is on site to make sure everyone stays comfortable even on the coldest days.
Treetops Resort | Gaylord
Treetops Resort is a luxury resort that’s open throughout the year with on-site spa and golf facilities. But, things really come to life in the winter months when the snow tubing and ski slopes open.
Treetops is known for its adrenaline-filled tubing runs, which feature steep drops and heart-pounding speeds. The “Thunderstruck” run includes tow ropes so that you can experience the exciting ride again and again.
Where to Go Sledding in West Michigan
Cannonsburg Ski Area | Belmont
Cannonsburg Ski Area is a busy ski hill with family-friendly facilities for snow tubing in Michigan. The tubing runs here are fast and exciting, with a magic carpet to make it easy to get back up the hill. The facility also has an on-site restaurant, snack bar, and even a full-service bar for adults.
Double JJ Resort | Rothbury
You’ll find Double JJ Resort busy throughout the year, with activities from mini-golf to horseback riding. In the winter, this spot offers a fantastic snow tubing experience. The 660-foot run includes a tow rope to keep things easy, as well as an outdoor bonfire and a snack shack with hot chocolate and beer.
Echo Valley | Kalamazoo
Echo Valley is Kalamazoo’s premier winter sports park. You’ll find tobogganing and snow tubing facilities galore here, with newly-expanded snow runs.
Also, there’s a tow rope and heated sidewalks to make the hills more accessible for all visitors. Meanwhile the tobogganing hill promises ideal conditions with speeds up to 60 mph!
Five Pines Ministries | Berrien Center
Five Pines Ministries is Southwest Michigan’s top Christian camp and retreat. However, it also features an amazing tubing run that’s open to the public!
There are five snow tubing lanes and a 400-foot course, as well as lighted paths so that you can enjoy the snow long after nightfall! The facilities include a heated activity center with games and snacks too.
Timber Ridge Ski Area | Gobles
Timber Ridge Ski Area has been a Gobles institution for more than 60 years. The facility features three tubing runs and a tube lift, and it allows up to four snow tubes to travel down the hill together.
Visitors are welcome to use the equipment on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, it offers safety helmets for rent.
Where to Go Snow Tubing in Mid-Michigan
Bertha Brock Park | Ionia
Bertha Brock Park is a huge park with many facilities. In the winter, one of its most popular attractions is the amazing sledding hill, which draws visitors from miles around. Little is regulated here, so bring your own sled or inner tube, and enjoy the free-for-all!
Binder Park Golf Course | Battle Creek
For much of the year, Binder Park is a full-service golf course. But when winter arrives, the locals hit the course for a completely different reason. Bring along a sled or inner tube to enjoy coasting down the hills. There are also snow tubes available to rent and a warming house on the weekends.
Burchfield Park | Holt
Burchfield Park is home to 540 beautiful acres that draw visitors all year long. In the winter, you’ll find two awesome sledding hills, including a bunny slope and a challenging run. Inner tubes are available to rent, but you may bring your own tube or sled!
Hawk Island Park | Lansing
Hawk Island Park is one of the most famous places in Lansing thanks to its abundant trails for hiking and scenic views. During the winter months, you’ll find visitors flocking here to enjoy a day of snow tubing. Also, it has a warming lodge if you need a break from the chilly temperatures outside.
Awesome Mitten writer Amanda Shaffer highly recommends a winter visit to Hawk Island.
“Hawk Island County Park, located in Ingham County, Michigan, is one of our family’s favorite parks to enjoy in every season. When the fall comes, we start watching the Ingham Park County Park social media platforms for the announcement of their snow tubing ticket sale.
Tickets often sell fast, so my best piece of advice is to start watching for the announcement on their website or social channels when the cooler weather arrives.
This winter experience is one of our favorite things to do in the Lansing area when the snow falls. As winter blankets the park in glistening snow (and whatever doesn’t stay, they have snowmakers to make the rest!), the tubing hill becomes a magnet for thrill-seekers of all ages.
I am always impressed by the well-groomed lanes and feel like a kid myself as we speed down the hill laughing. It’s perfect for families, a date, or for friends to gather and share the joy of sliding down the hill, creating memories for years to come.
There is a warming lodge available, with select snacks, clean bathrooms, as well as picnic tables and a fire pit near the hill itself.”
Awesome Mitten writer Amanda Shaffer
Midland City Forest | Midland
Midland City Forest is a popular destination in Mid-Michigan. Here, you’ll find one of the few hand-packed toboggan runs in the state, which makes for a perfectly smooth and exciting ride.
Meanwhile, the sledding hill offers the chance for tubing and sledding for people of all ages. The City Forest Chalet is nearby so that you can warm up and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. There’s no cost of admission for the park.
Snow Snake Ski & Golf | Harrison
Snow Snake Ski & Golf is a great place to take your family. With a smooth, safe course, equipment rentals, and a lift to help you get up the hill, the facility offers everything you need to have a great day. The tubing hill is also a popular spot for large groups, though you’ll need to make sure you call ahead.
Where to Go Tobogganing in East Michigan
Kensington Metropark | Milford
Kensington Metropark is a place designed to make tobogganing accessible to everyone who visits. Though winter equipment isn’t available for rent, the slopes offer everyone the chance to bring their own.
There are several sledding hills of varying levels, including a bunny hill that has padded trees for extra safety. If you have ice skates, you can also hop on the outdoor skating rink.
Rolling Hills Park | Ypsilanti
Rolling Hills Park provides a safe and exciting way for everyone to enjoy an amazing winter experience! The 275-foot hill has a fenced-in flat area at the bottom, as well as footpaths along the sides, so it’s safe and easy to get back up the hill.
You can rent inner tubes at the park. On top of that, it has a warming area with a gas fireplace.
Shiawassee Sledding Hill | Farmington
Shiawassee Sledding Hill is one of the most popular places for tubing and tobogganing in Metro Detroit. This highly child-friendly place features safe spaces for walking and a hill that provides a fun ride that isn’t too fast. The hill is free and open to the public throughout the winter months.
Snowy Ridge Park | Commerce Township
Snowy Ridge Park’s sledding hill was made just for the purposes of sledding, tubing, and tobogganing! That means it offers a smooth descent down one of the biggest hills in the area. The hill is huge and there are few facilities, but it’s free and open to the public.
Stony Creek Metropark | Shelby Township
Stony Creek Metropark is a haven of nearly 5,000 acres of greenspace. It’s a popular spot all year long, but in the winter months it transforms into the perfect site for sledding and tubing.
There are two hills adjacent to the park picnic areas that are popular sledding sites. Bring your own toboggan or inner tube to enjoy the ride!
Toboggan Hill | Lapeer
Toboggan Hill got its name from many years of happy sledding. This extreme tubing hill is widely known as an adrenaline rush and a real challenge, so you get the true thrill of sledding. Only those who want the exhilaration of a natural roller coaster will enjoy Toboggan Hill!
More Family-Friendly Winter Things to Do in Michigan
While most people use winter as a time to huddle up and stay inside, Michiganders are all about winter sports. However, tobogganing and snow tubing in Michigan are far from the only winter attractions!
In addition, you’ll find abundant offerings on hand for downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and even romantic winter getaways. No matter what you’re into, you can find the perfect place for it in Michigan, even during the coldest time of year!