Get ready to lace up: A guide to outdoor ice skating rinks
Embrace the winter chill and head outside for free skates or hockey at local ice rinks across the suburbs. Check the websites below for updates on the ice rink status.
COOK COUNTY
Arlington Heights: The Arlington Park District has several outdoor ice skating sites, depending on weather conditions. Arlington Ridge Center Legacy Park, 660 N. Ridge Ave., is free skate with a liner. Camelot Park, 1005 E. Suffield Drive, is for hockey with boards and lights. Frontier Park, 1933 N. Kennicott Drive, is a free skate rink. Heritage Park, 506 W. Victoria Lane, is a free skate/hockey rink with boards and lights. Hickory Meadows Park, 1324 N Hickory Ave., is for hockey with liner, lights and warming center. Pioneer Park, 500 S Fernandez Ave., is a hockey rink with liner and lights. The park district makes ice through Feb. 15 (weather permitting). After Feb. 15, staff concentrates on sites that only require resurfacing. For ice rink status, visit ahpd.org/ice-rinks-sled-hills/.
Barrington: Free skating will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday at Citizens Park, 511 N. Lake Zurich Road, Barrington. For information on ice conditions, inclement weather, facility closures and holidays, go to barringtonparkdistrict.org/parks-facilities/citizens-park. Note: The ice rink must pass daily inspection in order to open.
Des Plaines: The Des Plaines Park District offers several outdoor ice rinks, each with one hockey goal. The rinks are at: Arndt Park, 1990 White St.; Bluett Park, 1408 Thayer St.; Cornell Park on Drake Lane at Ardmore Road; and West Park, 651 S. Wolf Road. Watch for quick info about ice quality in all locations on the park district app or Facebook. For details about conditions, call (847) 391-5744. Visit dpparks.org/ice-skating/.
Mount Prospect: Bring your own skates to outdoor ice rinks at Mt. Prospect Golf Club, 600 S. See-Gwun Ave., or Beau Drive, 600 Beau Drive. Bring your own skates. Check mppd.org or social media for updates and keep an eye out for a pop-up hot cocoa afternoon.
Northbrook: During the winter months, the inline hockey rink at Meadowhill Park, 1479 Maple Ave., and the basin at Tower Rink, 1225 Cedar Lane (located behind the village hall and Northbrook Library), are transformed into outdoor ice rinks. These are non-refrigerated outdoor ice rinks that rely on specific cold weather conditions to make and maintain ice for skating. Rental skates are available at the Northbrook Sports Center for $8 a day. For ice rink status, visit nbparks.org/status/.
Palatine: Palatine Park District offers free ice skating on the basketball court closest to the amphitheater at Community Park, 262 E. Palatine Road. It is typically open from December to February, weather permitting. Free skating: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. Hockey: 7 to 10:30 p.m. weekdays and 6 to 10:30 p.m. weekends. Rink lights are turned on at 4:30 p.m. and shut off at 10:30 p.m. For rink rules, visit palatineparks.org/parks_trails/community-park/.
Schaumburg: Schaumburg Park District has one outdoor ice skating area that is inspected for safe ice skating conditions, and two man-made ice rinks that are made when conditions are favorable. Check the flag upon arrival at the rink before going on the ice. Timbercrest Park Ice Rinks, 120 W. Beech Drive, are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, when conditions are favorable. Volkening Lake, 900 W. Schaumburg Road, is currently closed. When conditions are right, it is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Note: The Volkening Lake rink is unsupervised and the warming shelter is currently closed. Bleachers are set up outside of the rinks for spectators. Parking is available at Dirksen School and northside (old Dominick’s parking lot). Visit parkfun.com/parks/ice-skating.
DuPAGE COUNTY
Bloomingdale: Thanks to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant, the Circle Park roller hockey rink has been fitted with a liner to support ice skating when the weather permits. The rink is open from 1:30 p.m. to dusk weekdays or 11 a.m. to dusk near the Homola Picnic Shelter in Circle Park, 163 Fairfield Way. The rink and skating are unsupervised. Designated hockey hours are 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Check the flagpole near the rink for skating conditions, or call the RainOut line or (630) 529-3650 for more information and skating conditions. Visit bloomingdaleparks.org/parks/circle-park.
Downers Grove: Downers Grove Park District maintains unsupervised ice skating at Prince Pond, 4941 Linscott Ave. The current status is closed; check for updates. The rink is open from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, weather permitting, from approximately mid-December through February. At least 8 inches of ice is required. A green flag indicates conditions are safe, while a red flag indicates the rink is closed. Visit dgparks.org/winter-recreation.
Glen Ellyn: The Glen Ellyn Park District operates several outdoor ice rinks. Sunset Park Natural Ice Rink, 483 Fairview Ave., is primarily designated for open hockey, except during specific hours from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m., when it is allocated for open/public ice skating. Lake Foxcroft Natural Ice Rink, 2S540 Lambert Road, which does not have lighting, is open from 6 a.m. to sunset, when ice conditions are safe. Lake Ellyn Natural Ice Rink, 645 Lenox Road, is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. when ice conditions are safe, with skating lights on from 4:30-9 p.m. Look for green flags, which indicate the rinks are open; red flags indicate the ice is unsafe and rinks are closed. Skate rentals and warming shelters are not available. Please refrain from throwing debris onto the ice surface, and absolutely no ice fishing. For conditions, visit gepark.org/outdoor-skating-sledding/.
Itasca: Itasca Park District offers free skate from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday at an outdoor ice rink at the Itasca Softball Complex, 650 N. Rohlwing Road, Itasca. Rat Hockey from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The ice rink will be closed during events and rentals. Private rentals will be made available throughout the season. No skate rentals. Updates are made daily online and the park district hotline at (630) 616-7558 for opening and closing information. Visit itascaparkdistrict.com/173/Outdoor-Ice-Rink or facebook.com/ItascaParks/.
Lombard: The Madison Meadow Zero-Depth Ice Rink is a seasonal outdoor skating area located at Madison Meadow Park, off Lilac Way and Bradley Lane, in Lombard. Maintained by the Lombard Park District, this man-made ice rink opens for public skating when weather conditions allow. For current conditions and rink status, visit lombardparks.com or call the RainOut Line.
Naperville: The city of Naperville offers four outdoor ice skating rinks. The lighted rinks, which are open until 10 p.m., are located at Centennial Park, 500 W. Jackson Ave.; Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl Road; and Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf’s Crossing Road. A nonlighted rink is located at Gartner Park, 524 W. Gartner Road, which closes an hour past dusk. Hockey and broomball play are permitted only at the two boarded rinks at Centennial Park. A third rink at Centennial Park is for free skating only. All rinks are open, weather and conditions permitting, through Feb. 15. Green flags indicate open status. Visit napervilleparks.org/wintersportsfacilities. To check the status of skating areas, call the Rainout Line at (630) 883-4242 or visit napervilleparks.org/cancellations.
Wheaton: Ice skating is available at the Central Athletic Complex, 500 S. Naperville Road. Skating or hockey reservations must be made online. Skating is free to Wheaton residents, $7 for nonresident adults, and $5 for nonresident kids 17 and under, as well as for nonresident seniors 60 or older. Temperatures must remain below 40 degrees for several consecutive days for the rinks to open. Non-reservation hours are 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. weekdays. Both skating and hockey reservations are available. Visit wheatonparkdistrict.com.
Wheaton: Enjoy ice skating and cozy Cocoa Cabanas through Feb. 28. Enjoy a scenic outdoor skate at the rink’s new location adjacent to Le Jardin at Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Admission to the rink is $7; spectator access is free. Skates are available for rent for $3. Rink access and skate rental are available on-site. All skaters must fill out a participation waiver in order to enter the rink. Waivers must be completed on the day of your visit, not in advance. Parking is not included. Advance purchase is recommended. Ice rink hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It is closed Monday through Thursday. For tickets and rink status, visit cantigny.org/things-to-do/ice-rink-cocoa-cabanas/.
KANE COUNTY
Aurora: Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora is the only Kane County forest preserve that permits outdoor ice skating. Follow posted signs. Indoor ice skating is available at the independently managed Fox Valley Ice Arena. Oakhurst Forest Preserve is located at 1680 Fifth Ave. Visit kaneforest.com/winter-activities. Fox Valley Park District offers two rinks for informal leisure and recreation activities only at Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road, and Prisco Community Center McCullough Park, 100 W. Illinois Ave. All rinks are unsupervised, so use caution when skating. Visit foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/winter-recreation-and-operations/.
Batavia: Skating is open at Depot Pond in downtown Batavia. Bring your own skates, as no rentals are available. There are two main entrances to the ice rink. There is a set of stairs just west of Peg Bond Center and the boat ramp by the paddleboat and kayak rental area. There are several benches and a couple of small bleachers near the pond that can be used for donning skates. Check the Batavia Park District’s website for rink opening hours and times. Visit bataviaparks.org/ice-skating.
Elgin: This winter season there will not be an ice rink in the Civic Center Plaza. Several property enhancements will be taking place including water main relocation work, plaza improvements and a heating, ventilation and cooling system upgrade for city hall. In the past, the cooling system has typically been the mechanism to freeze the ice in the rink.
Geneva: Geneva Park District has outdoor rinks at two parks. An outdoor ice skating rink is available in the grassy area next to Mill Creek Pool, 39W125 S. Mill Creek Drive. The outdoor ice rinks at Wheeler Park are located by the maintenance facility, 410 Wheeler Drive. From Route 31, turn west on Stevens Street (south of Stone Creek Miniature Golf), and right on Wheeler Drive (just past the cemetery). Colored flags will be attached to the rink fences indicating the rink status. A green flag means the rink is open for skating; a yellow flag means the rinks are open, but use caution; a red flag means that the rink is closed. Bring your own skates (rentals are not available). For ice rink status, download the Rainout Line mobile app, visit genevaparks.org/weather-corner/, or call (630) 206-1174. Visit genevaparks.org/facilities/outdoor-ice-skating/.
St. Charles: Enjoy ice skating at Lincoln Park or hockey at Langum Park. St. Charles Park District staff need three consecutive days of weather at 15 degrees or lower to begin freezing the outdoor rinks. This cold spell must be followed by at least five days of weather below 32 degrees before the ice can be used for skating. For Lincoln Park, use street parking off Fourth and Fifth streets; it is open dawn to dusk. For Langum Park, use the parking lot located on Seventh Avenue. This hockey rink with lights is open dawn to 9 p.m. The rules for ice hockey prohibit “crack the whip” and other rough games, and slap shots. Hockey players should use full equipment for their own safety. For up-to-date conditions, go to followyourinterest.com/stcparks/stcicerinks.
KENDALL COUNTY
Oswego: Oswegoland Park District Parks & Planning Team works hard to maintain the rink all winter long, but they rely on Mother Nature to do her part by bringing the chilly temps. The ice rink at Prairie Point Community Park, 4120 Plainfield Road in Oswego, is open, weather permitting. The green flag means the rink is open, and a red flag means it’s closed. Or, head over to the park’s snow hills for sledding. Other sledding opportunities are at: Bluegrass Prairie Park East, Chesterfield Park, Deerbrook Park, Community Park at Grande Park, Northampton Park, Ogden Falls Park, and Winrock Park. Visit oswegolandparkdistrict.org/parks/ice-skating-sledding/.
LAKE COUNTY
Fox Lake: According to a village Facebook post on Jan. 20, the community ice rink at Lakefront Park is open. Public skate is open from 8 a.m. to dusk and hockey skate from dusk to 10 p.m. Kids 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and those 3 or under are not allowed on the ice. For updates, visit facebook.com/VFLparksandrec.
Lake Bluff: When weather conditions permit, the Lake Bluff Outdoor Ice Rink is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Artesian Park, 10 E. Sheridan Place. The rink is lighted for evening use. For your convenience, there is a warming house facility complete with washrooms at the park. No ice monitors are on duty. Skate at your own risk. The lights will automatically turn off and the locks on the Artesian Shelter door and bathroom doors will automatically lock at 9 p.m. Helmet use is encouraged at all times. For current conditions, visit lakebluffparks.org/parks-facilities/ice-rink.
Libertyville: Open 6:30 a.m. to sunset daily at the lake at Independence Grove Forest Preserve, 16400 Buckley Road in Libertyville. A 4.5-inch ice layer is required. The preserve's main entrance is on Buckley Road (Route 137), just east of Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21), and west of River Road. For conditions, visit lcfpd.org/things-to-do/recreation/winter-sports/ice-skating.
Wauconda: Open 6:30 a.m. to sunset daily at the rink at Lakewood’s Winter Sports Area, 24069 W. Ivanhoe Road, Wauconda. The shallow rink at Lakewood typically freezes earlier in the season than the lake at Independence Grove. The entrance for the Lakewood Winter Sports Area and Millennium Trail and Fort Hill Trail access is on the east side of Fairfield Road, just south of Route 176. For conditions, visit lcfpd.org/things-to-do/recreation/winter-sports/ice-skating.
Waukegan: Waukegan Park District’s outdoor ice rinks at Arbor Park, 1151 S. Pleasant Hill Gate, and Victory Park, 1325 North Ave., are open from 9 a.m. to sunset daily, weather permitting. Skate at your own risk. Supervision is not provided. Parents are responsible for supervising their own children. Visit waukeganparks.org/parks-facilities/outdoor-ice-rinks.
McHENRY COUNTY
Algonquin: The seasonal ice rink at Snapper’s Field at 599 Longwood Drive has opened. Grab your skates, bundle up, and enjoy some winter fun! The park is open dawn to dusk. Ice rink availability is weather dependent. Bring your own equipment. For condition updates, call the RainOut line at (847) 999-0225 or visit algonquin.org.
Crystal Lake: Crystal Lake Park District staff inspect ice rinks daily. As of Jan. 28, only West Beach is open. The park district operates ice rinks from 9 a.m. to dusk at Main Beach, 300 Lakeshore Drive, and West Beach, 2330 Lake Ave. Both locations have lighted skating areas from 4 to 9 p.m. Restrooms are available after 9 a.m. at Main Beach only. Hockey goals are set up at Main and West once the ice is cleared. Note: They do not keep separate rink areas for free skate and ice hockey, but skaters tend to section it off on their own into hockey and free skate areas. A green flag indicates the rinks are open and the red flag indicates that they’re closed, depending on ice conditions. Visit crystallakeparks.org/Sled-Skate-Ski.
Lake in the Hills: Weather permitting, Woods Creek Lake offers ice skating at Indian Trail Beach, 228 Indian Trail. As of Jan. 28, it is closed. When open, the ice skating rink is marked off so users can identify the safe zone. Anywhere outside of this zone is considered dangerous at any time. Staff checks the ice thickness regularly to determine if it is safe for skating. The skating area is open from dawn to dusk. A green flag indicates the rink is open, a red flag means the rink is closed. Indian Trail Beach is the designated skating area within the village. The rinks formerly at Sunset Park and Stoneybrook Park have been relocated to Indian Trail Beach. For questions, call (847) 960-7400. Visit lith.org.
• Shaw Local News Network contributed to this report.