Sledding in Flagstaff: A Guide to Responsible Snow Play

When snow settles onto the ground in Flagstaff, sledding becomes one of the simplest ways to enjoy the outdoors. No lessons or lift tickets required; just snow, a few pieces of gear, and a little local know-how. Good sledding and tubing doesn’t just happen anywhere, so having a sense of the best spots, the rules, and how to keep access healthy year after year makes for better days in the snow.

Best Places to Sled in Flagstaff

Here are some places around town that locals and visitors head to when there’s enough snow. NOTE: as of early January, there is not enough snow for sledding or snow play in these locations.

1. Flagstaff Snow Park 

Flagstaff Snow Park, located at Fort Tuthill County Park, is Flagstaff’s dedicated snow tubing destination and the most organized option in the area. It’s not free, and it’s technically tubing and not sledding, but if you’re looking for consistent hills with amenities, it’s hard to beat. Here’s the snow park need-to-know:

• Snow tubes are included with your ticket and you cannot bring your own sleds; the park manages all the tubing runs for safety and flow. 
• Multiple groomed tubing lanes and a kiddie hill make it a great choice for families. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.
• There are restrooms, outdoor fire pits, food trucks, and picnic areas with tables. 
• Tickets can be purchased in advance for 3 and 8-hour daytime sessions or 4-hour night sessions. Sessions sometimes sell out on busy winter weekends.

If you’re looking for a snow day with safe hills for all ages, this is the go-to. For more information, visit: https://flagstaffsnowpark.com/information/. 

2. City Parks 

When winter delivers enough snow in town, some Flagstaff public parks are open to snowplay. They are popular with sledders because they offer gentle hills close to home. 

• Thorpe Park: Quick and easy access from town, with a variety of sized hills to sled.
• Buffalo Park: More open space and milder slopes that are good for younger riders. 

These spaces, as well as Foxglenn Park, are also great for general snow play: snow angels, snowmen, snowball fights with the family, and more. 

3. Forest and Open Areas Near Flagstaff

Just outside of town, there are some spots on public land that see informal sledding when snow conditions cooperate:

• The Corner of Lone Tree Road and J.W. Powell Boulevard has a solid hill away from the road and a parking lot, making it a popular place to sled. NEVER sled next to ANY road.
• Natural meadows and pull-offs from dirt forest roads (when snow-packed and safe) inside Coconino National Forest, particularly north of town, can offer spots to sled. Always watch for forest closures and parking restrictions. 

While fun and family-friendly, these locations require a bit more care. Watch for posted rules, avoid plowed road shoulders or unsafe drop-offs, and don’t block gates or access roads.

Prohibited Sledding Areas

There are multiple places in and around town where sledding is prohibited. Understanding where sledding isn’t allowed helps keep people safe and access open for everyone:

• Arizona Snowbowl: Sledding and snow play are not permitted within Snowbowl boundaries, including ski-area terrain and the base of lifts/chairs. 
• Arizona Nordic Village: Sledding and snow play are not allowed anywhere within Nordic Village boundaries, even spots that are off ski and snowshoe trails. 
• Interstate 17, Highway 180, and off the side of other highways or main roads: Pulling off to sled along road shoulders is not only prohibited, but also extremely dangerous. 
• Closed or posted Forest Service areas: if a trailhead or lot is signed as closed, that means no snow play. 
• Bike-specific facilities: Even at Fort Tuthill, areas designated as bike trails are off-limits for sledding to protect the terrain for bikers.

Put simply, paved roadsides, ski runs and snowshoe trails, active trail corridors, and any closed areas are not sledding spots. 

Rules and Responsibilities

Flagstaff’s winter landscape is a shared resource, and when you sled, you are often doing so on public land that is shared by everyone in the community as well as visitors. Below are a few key practices to leaving our snow and our shared spaces the way you found them.

1. Respect ticketing and equipment rules.

At Flagstaff Snow Park, you buy a ticket and use the equipment they provide. This is intentional for safety and space management.

2. Observe land and park signage.

Follow posted closures and stay within designated play areas. Roadsides and no-parking zones are extremely dangerous and sledding in those areas can incur legal repercussions.  

3. Pack it in, pack it out.

Every year, Flagstaff’s snow play areas end up littered with broken sleds, tube parts, wrappers, and snack trash. Snow doesn’t hide these things, and they don’t disappear when the snow melts either. Leaving trash and broken gear in the snow or on forest land is littering and can lead to environmental and safety issues for wildlife and sledders alike. It can jeopardize sledding access for everyone in future seasons. Clean up your trash and do not leave broken sleds and garbage in the forest.

4. Leave No trace.

Leave No Trade principles apply just as much to sledding, tubing, and snow play as they do to camping, backpacking, and other backcountry recreation. Always follow these principles: (1) plan ahead, (2) travel on durable surfaces, (3) dispose of waste properly, (4) leave what you find, (5) minimize fire impacts, (6) respect wildlife, and (7) be considerate of other visitors. For more information, visit:  https://lnt.org/why/7-principles. 

A Final Word for Local Snow Days

Sledding around Flagstaff can be as simple or as organized as you want it to be, from packed city parks to the groomed runs at the Snow Park. The key is to pick appropriate locations, understand the rules (especially about where you can’t go or what gear you can bring), and recreate with respect for the land and other users.

Whether you’re coming up from Phoenix for a weekend snow fix or you’re a local and remember sledding from when you were a kid, Flagstaff’s winter is worth taking care of. Dress warm, check conditions before you go, and bring home all your gear and trash. That way, we can all enjoy it again next winter.

Header photo credit: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/arizona/flagstaff-snow-park-az