The 6 Best Ice Skating Lakes in the United States

Young couple preparing to a skating. Close-up photo of their hands tying shoelaces of ice hockey skates in the locker room
FXQuadro/iStock via Getty Images

Written by Nixza Gonzalez

Published: December 5, 2023

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Lake fun isn’t limited to summer. Some lakes freeze enough in winter to allow ice skating and ice fishing. Not all lakes, though, freeze enough. Never step on a frozen lake or pond without double-checking the thickness of the ice. It’s also important to never go out alone on ice, just in case! Generally, though, there are few risks with well-known ice skating lakes. Keep reading to learn about the 6 best ice skating lakes in the United States.

Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake has a surface area of 122 acres.

One of the best lakes to go ice skating in the United States is Mirror Lake. This gorgeous lake is perfect to visit all year round. During summer, visitors can swim, kayak, and paddle-board. The lake is in the center of Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. In the winter, visitors can skate on a 2-mile-long ice track. Ice dog sledding is another popular activity in Mirror Lake.

Mirror Lake has a surface area of 122 acres. The lake’s average depth is 12 feet, while the maximum depth is 60 feet.

Address: 49 Parkside Drive, Lake Placid

Phone:  518-523-2445 

Canyon Ferry Lake

Canyon Ferry Lake, Montana. So much beauty in the big sky country

Canyon Ferry Lake is 30 miles long and 5 miles wide.

Another incredible ice skating lake is Canyon Ferry Lake in Montana. This large reservoir was created by the building of Canyon Ferry Dam on the Mississippi River. It’s near Helen and Townsend in Lewis and Clark and Broadwater Counties. Canyon Ferry Lake is the third largest body of water in Montana. This lake is 30 miles long and 5 miles wide. The surface area of this lake is 33,500 acres. It’s a popular lake throughout the year. In the summer, many people fish for bluegills, northern pike, walleyes, yellow perch, and brook trout. Always check the weather and the conditions before heading out!

Lake Morey

Lake Morey in Vermont

Lake Morey is a great ice skating lake to visit during winter if you’re also visiting Lake Morey Resort.

Third on our list is Lake Morey in Vermont. This excellent ice skating dream has a lovely ice trail loop along the shore of the lake. It’s a 4.3-mile outer loop at Lake Morey Resort. Lake Morey Resort has a lot of things to do during winter. While here, guests can also hike and stay warm inside. Besides the 4.3-mile loop, visitors can participate in pond hockey, glow skating, golf course snowshoeing and sledding, Holiday Market, and an indoor heated pool. I’m not sure if you’re interested in visiting. You can also check out the conditions of the resort and its lake by peeking at the online webcam.

Address: 82 Clubhouse Rd, Fairlee, VT 05045, United States

Phone: 802-333-4311

Keystone Lake

Ice Skating in Keystone Colorado

Keystone Lake is a stunning 5-acre lake in Colorado. It’s a great place to go ice skating in the winter.

Have you ever heard of Keystone Lake? This lake is in Colorado and is a very popular tourist attraction. It’s one of the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor ice rinks in the country. Keystone Lake is just a scenic drive from Denver in Keystone Resort. The lake has a surface area of 5 acres. It’s open for skating from early December to early March, although the hours and dates are weather permitting. Who says you have to spend all your time ice skating? This resort also offers winter wonderland activities like snow tubing, skiing, sleigh rides, snowboarding, gondola rides, and more.

Address: Decatur Rd, Keystone, CO 80435, United States

Phone: 970-496-7103

Westchester Lagoon

Freezing icy water on Westchester Lagoon with reflection of Chugach Mountains and fall landscape during October in Anchorage, Alaska. Peace quiet view from coastal trail ice floes floating

Westchester Lagoon is a popular outdoor skating lake in Alaska.

Westchester Lagoon is also on our list of the best ice skating lakes in the United States. Westchester Lagoon is an artificial lagoon near Downtown Anchorage, Alaska. What better plan than Alaska to enjoy winter activities like ice skating? Westchester Lagoon is a delight during winter. This recreational lake/lagoon transforms into an ice skating paradise! For safety reasons, it’s best to check online for the ice thickness. In October of 2023, Clint Helander was ice skating on a thin piece of the lagoon when he fell through. He could pull himself out of the freezing water using two ice picks, all while remaining calm. The city maintains the ice on the lake until it’s at least 16 inches thick.

Evergreen Lake

Girl tying shoelaces on ice skates before skating on the ice rink, hands in red knitted gloves.

There are many ice skating lakes and ponds in the United States. Some people ice skate on ‘wild ice’, which are non-maintained frozen bodies of water.

Last but not least is Evergreen Lake, also in Colorado. This stunning lake is perfect for ice skating when the conditions are right. Ice skating is only open once the ice is thick enough. To learn more about when it’s best to check online for announcements. For the 2023 to 2024 season, visitors can purchase day passes, season passes, and ice skating punch passes for a fee. Ice skate rentals are also available up to men’s size 16.

Address: 29612 Upper Bear Creek Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439, United States

Phone: 720-880-1300

Summary of the 6 Best Ice Skating Lakes in the United States

#LakeLocation
1Mirror LakeNew York
2Canyon Ferry LakeMontana
3Lake MoreyVermont
4Keystone LakeColorado
5Westchester LagoonAlaska
6Evergreen LakeColorado


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About the Author

Nixza Gonzalez is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering topics like travel, geography, plants, and marine animals. She has over six years of experience as a content writer and holds an Associate of Arts Degree. A resident of Florida, Nixza loves spending time outdoors exploring state parks and tending to her container garden.

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