Best Places to Go Sledding and Tubing for Seattle-Area Kids and Families

Located 17 miles from Port Angeles inside Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge is a small skiing and snowboarding area that also has a dedicated tubing run. Stop by the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center for restrooms, exhibits and a warming area. There is also a snack bar. Check weather and road conditions online and the ski area's Facebook page for updates.

Another option — for kids ages 8 and younger only — is sledding on the small hill west of the visitor center. The national park permits kids to sled and tube for free (though all visitors to the national park pay the entrance fee) with their own tubes or plastic sleds. Runner sleds are not permitted. Kids ages 9 and older and adults are not allowed to sled here; they can tube at the ski area’s dedicated tubing hill.

Fee: At the ski area, pay $20 for 10 tubing runs (which can be spread out over multiple visits). Tubing tickets are sold onsite. The dedicated tubing hill is a walk-up; no rope tow. Free sledding and tubing for kids ages 8 and younger with their own sleds at the hill by the visitor center.

Status: As of Dec. 12, they are not yet open. They are hoping to open the weekend of Dec.17, but it is all conditional on the snow.  Conditions are variable, so status can change day by day — and remember, you reach this place by a long, winding mountain road that begins a 2.5-hour drive from Seattle. Call 360-565-3131 for daily road status and ski and tubing conditions, check the Facebook page or the Hurricane Ridge Twitter feed. Also note the parking lot at Hurricane Ridge fills quickly and then the road closes. It's advised you arrive at the gate to the national park by 8 a.m. for the best chance of a parking spot at the top.

Hours: Typically open 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays. Check the website and Twitter feed for condition updates and information on whether the road is closed.

Warm up: The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is usually open and has restrooms, exhibits, a park film and a warming area. From mid-December to the end of March, the Hurricane Ridge Snack Bar and Rental Shop is open from 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. on weekends and holiday Mondays. Check here for exact dates.

Next up: Echo Valley