Ski, Skate, Sled In Des Moines: Where To Find Winter Outdoors Fun

If you're not one of the people who thinks a dash to the mailbox in the winter is enough outdoors for you, read on. Iowa has a number of wintry outdoors experiences for snowboarding, skiing, tubing and skating, and if you want to venture outside of the metro Des Moines area, some are only a short drive away.

Three metro-area communities were the recipients of outdoor rinks donated by the Iowa Wild hockey team and Wells Fargo. West Des Moines opened a rink last year; Waukee and Ankeny are using them for the first time this year. The 80-by-40-foot rinks are free for public use and will be open as weather permits and the ice remains frozen. They are not supervised; signs indicate whether the ice is safe. Find them at:

• Ankeny Market and Pavilion, 715 W. First St., Ankeny — Open dawn to noon for hockey and noon to dusk for skating.
• Sugar Creek Municipal Gold Course, 1505 Sixth St., Waukee— Open dawn to dusk daily.
• Raccoon River Park, 2500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines — Open dawn to dusk daily.

Here are some other locations for winter outdoors fun:

Brenton Skating Plaza, 520 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines — The city's downtown skating rink is open through March and operating on holiday hours through the new year: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight New Year's Eve, and 4 to 9 p.m. New Year's Day. Regular hours are 3 to 9 p.m. weekdays, noon to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. It can be rented for private events and hosts a Sunday evening broomball league. A free hourlong skating clinic will begin at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 13. Check the website for more details.

Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines — This season the park eliminated skiing and snowboarding to return to its roots of offering sledding and tubing only on the slopes. Stiga stand-up steerable sleds are new this season, and Zipfy sleds also are available. (This week's cold temperatures have led to a later start of noon; check the website for hours, rates and more details.)

Sundown Mountain Resort, Dubuque — This resort offers skiing and snowboarding, live music, a pizza haus on site and lodges to warm yourself. It will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Jan. 1, with live music each afternoon through Dec. 30 in a lodge that has views of the slopes and an outdoor balcony if you want to enjoy more of nature's chilly days. Check the website for holiday rates, additional times into the new year and rental information.

Mt. Crescent Ski Area, Crescent — Grab your sled and head to this Pottawattamie County site, where you can also ski and snowboard. The holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through the rest of the year, except 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 30. It will have a Snowbox Derby on Jan. 28 and four "Midnight Madness" Fridays this season, with skiing from 8 p.m. to midnight. The first one is Jan. 5 and it will have a superhero theme. Get all the details about this facility on its website.

Seven Oaks Recreation, Boone — The family-owned site offers skiing, tubing and snowboarding on 11 runs ranging from beginner to expert level. It's normally closed most Mondays and Tuesdays, but will be open Jan. 1 and 2. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. t o 8 p.m. Sundays. Check the website for season information, including rental details.

>> See more: Guided New Year's Day Hikes in 26 Iowa State Parks

If you're looking for an online deal to encourage you to take that drive for a skiing adventure, check out Liftopia for ski resort and lift ticket offers at sites in Iowa and across the country.

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