5 Best Free Sledding Hills in Central Minnesota

I loved sledding as a kid and then got older and stopped going. Now that I've got a 3-year-old at home, I've been rediscovering sledding again. Since COVID has shut down some of our go-to indoor activities, we've decided to be more adventurous outdoors. Here are some of the best sledding hills from when I was a kid, to the new ones we're exploring now that I'm a parent.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

1. Hester Park, St. Cloud: I used to only sled on these hills in the winter. They're steep, tucked away and there's a road at the bottom of the for someone to pick you up if you don't feel like climbing back up once you reach the bottom. Plus, it's close to the hospital. That stuff is important the older you get. This park is rated 4.4 stars on Google. One reviewer named Lilly Pad wrote, "Great hills for sledding and we even did a little snow boarding! Plus they have stairs for getting back up the hill." (It's the little things in life)

2. Calvary Hill Park, St. Cloud: I was always told that this place was super dangerous when I was a kid. Mainly, because it's very hilly and bumpy. It makes for some great jumps.  This park is also rated 4.4 stars on Google. Several reviewers gave the sledding hills 5 stars. Kyle MIller wrote, "The sledding hill is amazing! Plenty of space to have a couple runners at he same time. My two young boys had a blast. The hill is al little bumpy going down but I think it adds to a great ride."

3.Northside Park, Sartell: This has recently become my favorite because they've got a hill size for almost every age category. There are smaller hills for little kids and then really steep and bumpy hills for the experienced sledder. This park doesn't seem to have any ratings on Google. I think, perhaps, people want to keep it their secret gem. It's an awesome place to go sledding.

4. Riverside Park, St. Cloud: These hills will give you the thrill of a lifetime. They're definitely meant for someone who doesn't mind walking up hills--because, the hills are steep and plentiful. The park has a 4.9 rating on Google. It's a St. Cloud favorite for sledding.

5. Sauk Rapids High School Hills, Sauk Rapids: The NEW high school has insanely fun sledding hills. If you're looking for somewhere that's not the most busy, this is the hill to check out. At least, it hasn't been very busy when I've gone. I think most people tend to think of St. Cloud when they want to go sledding. This is a great place to go too.