Best place for sledding in 2-3 hours?

[chicagomama]

Isn't there a cool toboggan place somewhere by Palos or Orland Park? I remember passing a huge hill somewhere over there. If you want a big hill there's one in ELmhurst and another in Naperville that are both great for sledding. ALso there is a ski hill with just tow ropes in Lisle called Four Lakes- not sure if there is tubing there...I've been running in the summer on all of these hills!

[Trollblaster]

Originally Posted by AmosBanks

There is a nice hill south of Soldier Field with free parking. It can tide you over until you can get 2-3 hours away.

Free parking? Where?

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Trollblaster

Free parking? Where?

It's a bit ambiguous in terms of signage, but I've seen people parked between that hill and the harbor parking lot without getting ticketed.

[Frank DeForrest]

Originally Posted by chicagomama

Isn't there a cool toboggan place somewhere by Palos or Orland Park? I remember passing a huge hill somewhere over there. If you want a big hill there's one in ELmhurst and another in Naperville that are both great for sledding. ALso there is a ski hill with just tow ropes in Lisle called Four Lakes- not sure if there is tubing there...I've been running in the summer on all of these hills!

That would be Palos Park.
Elmhurst has two park district maintained sledding hills, Berens Park on the north end and Eldridge Park on the south.

Here is a good reference site for other locations:Illinois Sled Riding Locations

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

It's a bit ambiguous in terms of signage, but I've seen people parked between that hill and the harbor parking lot without getting ticketed.

I take it back, this morning I saw a sign which explicitly directs people for parking *only* for the sledding hill.

[Biolink]

Cricket Hill.

You can even see the tracks where numerous people have been sledding.

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest

That would be Palos Park.
Elmhurst has two park district maintained sledding hills, Berens Park on the north end and Eldridge Park on the south.

Here is a good reference site for other locations:Illinois Sled Riding Locations

That is a great link! We are in the NW burbs and always go to the sled hill in Fox River Grove which is on the backside of the Norge Ski Jump Hill. Your link lists it at 400 - 500 ft., one of the longest on the list.

Not sure if it is worth a 2 hour drive, but it's fun. It is free and never crowded when we go. The kids there spray their sleds with Pam cooking oil to make them go faster which makes me laugh.

[chicagomama]

"This is a new non-caloric silicon-based kitchen lubricant my company has been working on. It creats a surface 500 times more slippery than any cooking oil."

[ToriaT]

Blackwell Forest Preserve on Butterfield Rd west of Wheaton.

Tubing on Mount Hoy

Tubing fans can take a thrilling ride down Mount Hoy when 3 or more inches of snow covers the hill. District inner tubes are the only devices that may be used on Mount Hoy and can only be rented on weekends and school holidays December through February at the base of the hill. Call the Outdoor Report at (630) 871-6422 for hours of operation and snow conditions.

Blackwell

[AmosBanks]

Originally Posted by Trollblaster

Free parking? Where?

Get off LSD at 18th Street. Follow it around and look to the right to see the hill. Take the first right after the bottom of the hill and the lot is marked Free Parking for Sledding. Gates are up and you can drive right in.

Here is a video that I shot in 2009.

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w...t=ff3d1353.mp4