Classic Illinois Sledding Spots That Would Make Any Adult Smile

Growing up in Machesney Park, one of my favorite winter activities was sledding. Like most of you who grew up in an area with brutal winters, a school snow day was the best day ever!

Top Rockford Old School Sledding Spots

Not only did you get an extra day off of school! Never mind you had to make it up at the end of the year, a snow day was a free day. Most snow days can be spent one of two ways. Your first option is to stay inside watching movies or playing video games. The second always depends on how the weather is.

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For my group of friends and me, option two was going sledding at Sand Park Pool. But because older siblings can be jerks, I speak from experience here, we would be left to find our own way to the hill. No rides were to be given.

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Keep in mind this is the late 80s/early 90s and parents would let their kids, even grade schoolers, just go feral in the neighborhoods. As one of these kids with girls of my own now, I couldn't imagine just letting them ride their bikes with all their sledding gear from our house to Sand Park Pool. But that is exactly what we did.

We'd get all decked out in our winter gear, ya know where you look like Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story. Then you get your sled. Mine was a red saucer. Thankfully it was easy to carry on my banana seat bike as we'd make our way to the hill. For those familiar with the Machesney Park area it was a ride from roughly the Carlson Boys and Girls Club to the hill at Sand Park Pool.

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Somehow we'd still have the energy to sled by the time we made it to the hill. Seeing all the people sledding on that hill is one of my favorite childhood memories. Your legs are still tired from the bike ride there, but make that climb to take your first ride down! Always hoping to not hit the "extra ramp" the older kids would make. Because if you did and you didn't stick the landing, you were taking a trip down that hill you wouldn't live down until the end of the winter.

Sledding is no longer allowed on the Sand Park Pool hill, but there are other places to go make memories the next snow day.

Rockford Park District