In case you couldn’t tell by looking out your window, this is shaping up to be one of Chicago’s snowiest winters in years. (Since 1978, to be specific.) That comes with a lot of annoyances — clunky snow boots, shoveling, DIBS — but sledding is one fun upside.
While you can’t exactly hit the slopes in Chicago, you can hit plenty of beloved park hills.
Gompers Park in North Park
This is where I sledded growing up, bumping down the wide hill alongside fellow neighborhood thrill-seekers. That hill is at Big Gomps, on the south side of Foster. I last sledded there in 2020 and while it’s much smaller than I remembered, I think that makes it ideal for kids.
- Rosebud: Jewel, right down the road from Gomps, still sells my tie-dye childhood sled 🥲
- Not far: Horner Park’s hill, tucked away in Irving Park, is also good for young sledders.
Cricket Hill in Uptown
If you can handle the cold lakefront breeze, Cricket Hill near Montrose is a picturesque option. Standing tall at 45 feet, Cricket Hill seems like the ideal sledding location — in fact that’s why it was built. Cricket Hill is the city’s first-ever artificially constructed sledding hill, begun in 1945.
Soldier Field in South Loop
The sledding hill at Soldier Field was artificially made, and sometimes it’s packed with artificial snow. Although we’re currently in high supply, the snow machine makes this a dependable spot for sledding. That also makes it an extremely popular option — expect crowds.
Palmisano Park in Bridgeport
The hill at Palmisano Park is nicknamed “Mount Bridgeport” for a reason. It’s huge, standing at 33 feet tall, which makes it perfect for sledding. The entire park used to be a quarry and about 400 million years before that, it was an ancient coral reef. Slide into history!
Warren Park in West Ridge
The back side of the large hill at Warren Park is now fenced off — Hey Chicago reader Xavier S. told me that’s where the big kids used to sled unofficially. But there’s still decent sledding to be found at Warren, especially since the hill includes stairs. A convenient touch.
Dan Ryan Woods in Beverly
Dan Ryan Woods is home to multiple steep hills, good for sledding … and snowboarding. Yep, there’s a designated snowboarding hill inside Dan Ryan Woods, but it's only allowed if there are over six inches of snow. We’re almost there!
At Your Own Risk: Mount Trashmore in Evanston
Sorry, but I had to include a suburban excursion — it’s just that great for sledding. Although Evanston prohibits sledding at Mount Trashmore, generations of kids and adults alike have gleefully zoomed down this 65-foot sodded garbage-heap.
- Pro-tip: If you want a sled from the nearby Home Depot or Target, you’ll need to order in advance, but I find that trash-can lids work in a pinch.
