West Michigan Winter Sports

Cannonsburg Ski Area, just 20 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, offers 21 downhill runs, including a 1,500-feet doozy with a 250-foot vertical drop. (And that’s not all ­– check out all the other winter sports action Cannonsburg has to offer.) Bittersweet Ski Resort, about 40 minutes to the south, boasts 20 runs and a 350-foot drop. Mulligan’s Hollow, 40 minutes northwest, has six slopes ranging from 250 ft. to 700 ft.

Cross-country skiers typically head to area parks and nature centers to get in a workout. Millennium Park, 10 minutes from downtown, offers 18 miles of trails over mostly flat terrain, through extensive natural areas. In addition to Millennium Park, Wyoming’s Palmer Park is the only other place in Kent County where you’ll find groomed cross-country trails. Check out more trails and some great tips.

There are a number of groomed fatbike trails in and around Grand Rapids. The closest is Indian Trails, which is actually a city-owned golf course that offers a 3.7-mile single-track fastback loop in winter months. Cannonsburg Ski Area grooms five miles of rolling to hilly terrain for a fatbike trail loop. The 6.3-mile Merrell Trail in Rockford is regarded as one of the best “flow” trails in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The Dragon Trail, 45 minutes north of Grand Rapids, is a 45-mile trail comprised of 11 segments ranging from one to ten miles.

There are also a number of ungroomed local trails to choose from. Get a closer look at our fatbike community.  

Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids is a community gathering spot that converts to an outdoor ice rink in winter. Admission – $6 for adults and $3 for youth 17 and under – includes skate rental. The Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park has an ice rink with space for both family skating and playing hockey, as well as a figure-eight skating trail loop through a white pine forest. Both the Grand Rapids and Muskegon rinks are lighted for after-dark skating.

Fishing enthusiasts aren’t always keen on sharing their favorite spots – but you can tell by the ice tents and shanties lining Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids every winter that the catch is good. Camp Lake, Cranberry Lake, Lime Lake and Long Lake are also great ice fishing options within 20 miles of downtown. Explore more ice fishing locations and some helpful advice.

Snowshoers share trails with cross-country skiers at local parks and nature centers – remember, skiers have the right of way – so Blandford Nature Center, Cannonsburg Ski Area and Millennium Park are popular places for snowshoers. Don’t have your own pair? You can rent them at several different locations, including some trail sites. Click here for rental (and purchase) information, and additional trails to explore.

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing require a certain level of snow on the ground. But you can enjoy a hike through nature on 60+ local trails whether there’s snow or no. Get your steps in downtown with a walk on the Grand River Edges Trail, which hugs the Grand River and passes by such popular attractions as the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum and Sixth Street Bridge. The 18 miles of trails in Millennium Park, 10 minutes from downtown, also include stretches along and across the Grand River.

There are fun (and free) sledding locations all over the city, including downtown’s Belknap Park. (The sledding hill is behind Griff’s IceHouse). Richmond Park in NW Grand Rapids is one of the only local sledding hills that has steps back to the top. Johnson Park in SW Grand Rapids features one of the longest sledding runs in the city. Cascade Township Park in SE Grand Rapids has a big hill in the back of the park, close to its year-round restroom facilities. Other favorite destinations include Highland Park, Manhattan Park, Mary Waters Park, Mulick Park and Pinery Park.

Tubing is like sledding, only it’s typically faster, more orderly and done with a tube rather than a sled (duh). Even better, you don’t have to walk back up the hill – at least, not at Cannonsburg Ski Area. Its eight tubing lanes are serviced by a state-of-the-art “magic carpet” that transports you back up to the top of the hill, ensuring that you get maximum laps.

The terrain park at Cannonsburg Ski Area is one of the top 3 in the Midwest according to Transworld Snowboarding. Cannonsburg actually incorporates multiple parks that range in skill from beginner to advanced and are designed to encourage natural progression. You can also snowboard at Bittersweet Ski Resort and Mulligan’s Hollow.

You may have seen the sport of luge in the Winter Olympics: one- or two-man teams lay feet first, face up on a flat sled and let gravity propel them along a specially designed ice track. If you’ve ever thought, “Hey, I’d like to try that,” here’s your chance. The Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park, just 50 minutes from Grand Rapids, is home to one of only four luge tracks in the U.S. The park also offers outdoor skating (on two acres of natural ice), cross-country skiing (lighted after dark) and snowshoeing (with views of Lake Michigan).

America’s largest winter festival, World of Winter offers a unique way to embrace the season and enjoy the beauty of winter. Visitors can stroll through downtown Grand Rapids and engage with more than 100 outdoor art installations, events, games and more – including Snowga, a Snow Snake competition and a Human Hungry Hippo Tournament.

World of Winter overlaps with the Downtown Refreshment Area, which allows adults to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating businesses and see the sights with drinks in hand. World of Winter 2025 takes place January 10 - March 2.

Ready to watch somebody else exert themselves? Cheer on the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team at Van Andel Arena at one of their home games throughout the winter.

If hockey isn't your thing, Van Andel Arena is also home to the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team and the Grand Rapids Rise women's pro volleyball team. 

The Winter Meijer State Games of Michigan is a multi-sports, Olympic-style event that welcomes athletes from across the state regardless of age or ability. The Games feature two hubs: Grand Rapids and Marquette (in the state’s Upper Peninsula). The 2025 Grand Rapids/Lower Peninsula games take place from February 14-16 and include such sports as cross country skiing, disc golf, goalball and sled hockey.