Long gone are the days of using cafeteria trays as make-shift sleds. These days, sleds are outfitted with accessories ranging from faux steering wheels to skis to huge inflatable inner tubes.
It was with my own simple sleds (and two experts in fun, i.e. nine-year-old boys) that I decided to investigate the sledding hills near Chicago. [sociallocker]
Our first stop was Arndt Park in Des Plaines, IL, which is about 20 miles from Chicago. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where sledding hills were narrow slabs of soft sloping hills that just happened to be free of trees. The sledding hill at Arndt Park (and the subsequent hills we visited) were no amateur hills discovered by bored teenagers. While unsupervised, this hill seemed specifically carved out for sledding, as it is a tall, steep hill in an otherwise flat park. There is fencing on the sides, which highlight ramps to use to walk to the top. On this particular day (after a small snowfall), there were already patches of mud on the hill. The slope was fairly steep and tall, enough to garner a few “woo-hoos!” from adults and kids alike. The hill was also wide, allowing at least four riders to sled down simultaneously.
After approximately 20 minutes, I urged the boys onto the next hill. Our second stop was Centennial Park in Park Ridge, IL (about 17 miles from Chicago). I had done research prior to our sledding tour, but I failed to notice that this hill was closed for construction until the 2014-2015 season. Just the fact that suburban sledding hills can be “under construction” illustrates how seriously this recreational sport is taken here.
Our last stop was to travel a few miles north to Glenview, IL (about 20 miles from Chicago). We went to Flick Park, which boasts both a sledding hill and an ice rink. This sledding hill was just as steep and tall as the one in Des Plaines, but there were a few noticeable differences. First, it was far narrower, allowing only two (maybe three) sledders to travel down at the same time while maintaining a safe distance. Also, the entire hill was covered in snow. No muddy patches here! However, this did lend itself to be a bit more slick and icy. Finally, there was only one sectioned off side to allow riders to walk to the top, but it came equipped with wooden stairs.
When I asked the boys if they had a preference for one sledding hill over the other, they predictably both had a different choice. It’s safe to say that any sledding hill visited at a suburban city park will be fun and well-maintained. So grab a sled (or cafeteria tray!) and head to any of these hills for an exhilarating winter experience. [/sociallocker]
