County Parks Bustling with Winter Sports and Recreation Opportunities for Free Family Fun
ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry invites county residents and visitors to come out and enjoy the great outdoors in the wintertime with seasonal fun including sledding, skating, skiing and more. Recent snows and cold temperatures have left a bumper crop of snow at the parks and it is waiting to be enjoyed by cold weather enthusiasts and families looking for free activities for all to enjoy.
“Our Erie County parks are a treasure all year long and the wintertime is no exception, with a wide variety of free cold weather activities for everyone to enjoy,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “While the snow and cold temperatures have created headaches on the roads, they’ve been heavenly for the parks and have left a winter wonderland for families and individuals to explore. This weekend will be a great opportunity to get out and find your next winter adventure in an Erie County park.”
Please check the Parks’ department website prior to heading out for the latest information on what activities are happening and to ensure that you are properly prepared for your activity of choice. The Parks’ activities page is updated regularly as conditions change.
Akron Falls Park is open for sledding and ice skating; Chestnut Ridge Park is open for tobogganing, sledding, ungroomed xc skiing, and downhill skiing and snowboarding; Como Lake Park is open for sledding, ice skating, and ungroomed xc skiing; Ellicott Creek Park is open for sledding and ungroomed xc skiing; Elma Meadows Park is open for sledding and groomed xc skiing; Emery Park is open for ungroomed xc skiing and downhill skiing and snowboarding; Grover Cleveland Golf Course offers both groomed and ungroomed xc skiing; and Sprague Brook Park is open for sledding and both groomed and ungroomed xc skiing.
The ski tow at Emery Park and Chestnut Ridge operates Wednesday – Friday from 3PM – 7PM and on weekends from 10AM – 7PM. The toboggan runs at Chestnut Ridge are open Saturday and Sunday from 10AM – 4PM.
Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel added, “The Parks are a special place during the winter months and offer unparalleled natural beauty along with a variety of ways to enjoy time outdoors. Whether you’re planning to do some solo skiing or gathering up the family to make some winter memories, we urge you to avoid disappointment by checking the website first to make sure the activities you are interested in are taking place.”
In addition to the Parks’ traditional winter activities, the Erie County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs operates a network of snowmobile trails across Erie County. Some of those trails go through or near several Erie County Parks and we specifically allow snowmobile trailer parking at Chestnut Ridge Park, Emery Park and Sprague Brook Park. Snowmobiling is only permissible on the designated NYS trails after January 1st of each year.
For more information:
On Parks and winter activities, visit https://www3.erie.gov/parks/
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