Outdoor Ice Rinks in Lake County
By: Jonathan Jones 01/28/2014
Did you know that Lake County has over 30 outdoor ice skating areas? On a beautiful winter’s day, there’s no better place to be than enjoying the beautiful scenery and making memories with friends and family while ice skating on an outdoor rink.
Before heading out to the ice, there are a few things you need to know:
1. - Always call ahead to make sure that the rink is open
2. – Check the ice conditions with the weather hotlines below. If there's a weather advisory, it might be a good idea to try an indoor activity, until it clears up a little. (Check out alternative things to do here!)
3. – Bundle up and if you’re skating with little ones, stick to some of the rinks with warming houses.
Lake County Forest Preserves
Ice Skating Ice must be at least 4 inches thick on ponds (and in some places, 6 inches) for ice skating.
- Lakewood in Wauconda - The Lakewood rink is part of a dedicated Winter Sports Area at that site, and is lighted, allowing for extended winter fun 6:30 a.m.–9 p.m., daily. It’s next to a sledding hill, so you can access two activities in one visit.
- Independence Grove in Libertyville - 16400 W Buckley Rd,Libertyville - the designated skating area is open 6:30 a.m.–sunset, daily. You'll find it in South Bay, adjacent to the Beer Garden. To access, bear right on the preserve road after the gatehouse, park in Lot A or B and follow signs to the Beer Garden.
DEERFIELD: Call 847-945-0650
- Jaycee Park 1026 Wilmot Road - Lighted rink, Free Skate & Hockey Rink – no hockey play on free skate rink when other skaters are present.
- Patti Stryker Park Pine and Hackberry - Lighted rink, Free Skate – no hockey play on free skate rink when other skaters are present
- Briarwood Park 199 Carlisle Ave. - Free Skate – no hockey play on free skate rink when other skaters are present.
There’s a warming house at Jaycee Park for those colder winter days.
GRAYSLAKE PARK DISTRICT: Call 847.223.7529
Green flag will alert when skating is open – Red means closed
- Jones Island Park 243 Harvey Ave. - Open until sunset
- Chesapeake Landing Chesapeake Farms subdivision - Open until sunset
- Molly’s Pond Haryan Farms subdivision - Open until sunset
GURNEE PARK DISTRICT: Call 847.268.2080
A green flag will alert the rink is open.
All rinks are unsupervised.
- Betty Russell Park - 5300 Pinewood Rd. (at the corner of Pinewood and Lawson Blvd.) - Skating rink - Hockey rink - Warming Shelter with restrooms
- Viking Park - 4374 Old Grand Ave. - Ice rink is located near parking, outdoor bathrooms are onsite, and rink is for skating only.
- Hunt Club Park - 900 North Hunt Club Rd. - ice rink is located near parking, rink is for skating only
PARK DISTRICT OF HIGHLAND PARK : Call 847.831.3810
Sunset Woods Park - 1801 Sunset Rd. - Skating is free and the rink is sectioned off to allow for separate hockey and recreational skating. Groups should be considerate of one another. For the safety of patrons, helmets are required in the hockey rink.
LAKE FOREST: Call 847.234.6702
- West Park 850 Summit Ave. - Warming house with restrooms - Lighted Rink - Hockey boards
LIBERTYVILLE: Call 847.680.5267
All rinks are unsupervised and participants use them at their own risk
- Nicholas-Dowden Park 748 Crane Blvd. - Ice skating rink - Hockey rink
LINCOLNSHIRE: Call 847.913.2382
Green flag will alert when open
- Spring Lake - 49 Oxford Dr.
- North Park - 1025 Riverwoods Rd.
LINDENHURST: Call 847.356.6011
- Millennium Park - 201 Country Place Lane - Open until dusk - Warming shelter and bathrooms - Green flag will alert when open
- Engle Memorial Park - 2200 E. Grass Lake Road - The Haven Hockey Rink
- John Janega Memorial Park 205 Hickory Dr. - Designated pond area near gazebo - Green Flag will be flown when open
MUNDELEIN: Call 847.566.0650
- Keith Mione Community Park Ice Rink - Midlothian & Dunbar Roads - Hockey and open skate visit website for schedule
ROUND LAKE: Call 847.546.8558
- Harts Hill Park - 761 W. Hart Rd. - Lighted rink
WAUKEGAN: Call 847.360.4700
- Victory Park - 1325 North Avenue - Open daily (weather permitting) 9 a.m.-sunset
- Arbor Park - 1151 Pleasant Hill Gate - Open daily (weather permitting) 9 a.m.-sunset
