An Ice Skating Trail in the Woods That You Need to Visit

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I love discovering unique adventures and Muskegon Winter Sports Complex in West Michigan has now been the source of a few of them for me.

First I tried the luge in the summer, then the luge in the winter, and now their 1/4 mile long ice skating trail through the woods.

A Scenic Ice Skating Trail

Why skate around an ice rink when you can be surrounded by scenic nature instead?

But don’t worry, they still have a family skating rink and a hockey rink too, if you are more of an ice skating purist.

Admission and Rentals at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex

Guests at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex purchase a skate pass and they can either bring their own skates and hockey equipment or rent them.

The facility has rentals for both hockey skates and figure skates with sizes ranging from a toddler shoe size 9 through a men’s size 14.

I personally think that hockey skates feel a little sturdier.

For even more stability it’s not a bad idea to use one of the skating trainers. They are designed for kids but there is no shame if it makes you feel more confident starting out.

To access the ice skating trails, you start on the family skating rink and then head toward the woods.

During our visit, there was quite a bit of fresh snow and I found the ice skating trails to be smoother than the skating rink.

Another bonus was that the trees blocked the wind making it MUCH warmer.

The 1/4 mile ice skating trail loops around with a center split in case you want a shortcut and the trail is wide enough to have two to three people easily skate side by side.

The lighted ice skating trails are really peaceful and beautiful at night and the trail has been a popular spot for marriage proposals too.

Perfect for a date night or evening with family or friends.

What to Wear for Outdoor Ice Skating

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You will definitely want to dress in layers! As you get more comfortable on the ice your body will warm up. You can always peel away layers but it’s hard to warm up if you don’t wear enough layers to start with.

For your pants, you will want to wear ones that can stretch. You can’t go wrong with yoga pants, leggings, sweatpants, or leggings

Depending on the temperatures, you might want to wear snow pants to help keep you warm. They are also another layer of cushion if you fall on the ice.

A Ski Jacket is ideal in case it rains or snows while you are ice skating.

Depending on the temperatures, you might want to wear snow pants to help keep you warm. They are also another layer of cushion if you fall on the ice.

A hat and waterproof mittens are ideal to keep your hands warm without getting wet. If you tend to get really cold you might want to consider bringing some hand warmers too.

If it’s windy a neck gaiter can help keep your neck and face warm.

For your socks you want don’t want to wear thick ones. It’s best to wear a pair of ice skating socks that are a thinner sock with a thin seam so that you can feel the ice. If you wear thicker socks it could impact how your skates fit in a negative way.

Other Winter Activities at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex

There are still plenty of other winter activities for you to enjoy during your visit. In addition to ice skating and the luge, there is also sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

You can find out more from the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex website.

**Weather is a factor so make sure that you check out their conditions page before you visit.