Fun places for sledders when a heavy snow finally gets to Kendall County

It’s January, so we will have a significant snow, right? Whenever a big snow does arrive this winter, area sledders of all ages will likely head to the garage to find their faithful sleds, saucers, inner tubes, snowboards and even their grandpa’s old toboggan. Then they’ll have to decide where to go.

Fortunately there are numerous locations in and around Kendall County for sledders of all ages to get their speed on.

Here’s a look at some of the more popular public places for sledding:

• Harris Forest Preserve, Route 71 just west of Route 47 near Yorkville. Perhaps the best place to sled in Kendall County. The steep hill at Harris provides sledders with a fast and fun downward ride while the view of the surrounding countryside from atop the hill is especially picturesque on clear, cold winter days. Stairs built into the hill help ease the strain of the climb back up – somewhat. Ample parking and a picnic shelter are located near the foot of the hill. The Kendall County Forest Preserve District owns and maintains Harris.

• Silver Springs State Park, Fox Road just south of Plano. Sledding has been a popular winter activity at Silver Springs for decades. A hill is located inside the park’s east entrance off Fox Road. The 1,350-acre park is owned and operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

• Jaycee Pond, Center Street, Yorkville. Generations of Yorkville residents have enjoyed sledding on this hill located along the south side of Center Street, not far from Yorkville High School. A small pond is located close to the bottom of the hill so sledders are advised to be prepared to brake or turn left. The pond is owned and operated by the city’s Park and Rec Department.

• Prairie Point Community Park, Plainfield Road in Oswego. This manmade hill offers a short fast ride for more accomplished sledders and an easier slope for the younger-set. Plenty of parking and a picnic shelter adjoin the hill in this Oswegoland Park District facility.

• Chesterfield Park and Lake, Chesterfield Drive, Oswego. This Oswegoland Park District park adjoins the Waubonsie Trail and includes a small sledding hill.

• Community Park at Grande Park, South Ridge Road, Plainfield. The largest park in the Oswegoland Park District’s system of parks includes a sledding hill.

For those sledders venturing outside Kendall County, we recommend:

• Oakhurst Forest Preserve, Aurora. The forest preserve located off Fifth Avenue just west of Kautz Road on Aurora’s east side features the steepest sledding hill this side of Harris Woods in Yorkville. Like at Harris, it’s a steep climb up the hill at Oakhurst, but worth it for any sledder looking to thrill to a fast downhill descent. Also like Harris, the hill offers a nice view of the surrounding area, including the heavily wooded forest preserve and the Fox Valley Mall and Rush-Copley Medical Center.

• Waubonsie Lake Park, Aurora. Close to the Oswego-Montgomery area on Montgomery and Kautz roads, this hill is not quite as steep as the ones in Oakhurst Forest Preserve and Harris, but still offers a quick ride down. The Fox Valley Park District, which owns and maintains the park, rates the hill as “intermediate.”

• Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, west of Route 47 on Hughes Road near Elburn. It would figure the highest natural point in Kane County – elevation approximately 200 feet – would have a most excellent sledding hill. The Kane County Forest Preserve District property features a parking area off the entrance drive and a picnic shelter at the top of the mound, which is actually a kame, a stratified gravel hill.

• Roy C. Blackwell Forest Preserve, Route 56 (Butterfield Road) in Warrenville. This former landfill features Mt. Hoy, a massive, manmade hill which tops off at 836 feet above sea level. The DuPage County Forest Preserve District limits sledding on the hill to inner tubes, which can be rented on weekends and school holidays December through February when three inches or more of snow cover the hill. Tube rentals are offered at the base of the hill.

In addition to a fast ride down, the hill offers tubers a panoramic view of the western suburbs. On a clear day look east and you can see the Willis Tower and other prominent buildings that make up the Chicago skyline. Look west and you’ll see the Kane County courthouse in Geneva, Fermilab in Batavia and water towers in Oswego and Montgomery. Those planning to go tubing at Blackwell are advised to first call 630-871-6422 for hours of operations and snow conditions.