Snow tubes and saucers: parks to go sledding

Affiliated with the Moscow Department of Culture and supervised by Mosgorpark, the recreation parks have opened their sledding hills. Most of them are perfect for sledding both in a tube and a saucer. Several parks offer rental services that lease equipment. The parks have prepared 20 temporary and snow and ice slopes.

Gentle hills in Babushkinsky Park, Dzhamgarovsky Pond Park, Luzhkov Park and Borisovsky Ponds Park are ideal for the youngest visitors. Adults can enjoy tubing at Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve, 50-Letiya Oktyabrya Park or Mitino Landscape Park.

50-Letiya Oktyabrya Park offers one of the most popular sledding spots, not far from the main entrance, near the main alley. The length of the slope and sledding area of the wooden structure called Sledding Fun is 110 meters. It is fitted with a ladder, and its chute is illuminated. Visitors can only use tubes with a heavy-duty bottom; they can bring equipment with them or rent it at a sports equipment rental center. It is open from 12:00 p. m. to 8:00 p. m. Monday to Friday, and from 10:00 a. m. to 8:00 p. m. Saturday and Sunday. More detailed information can be found on the park’s website.

Two natural snow slopes are located in Mitino Landscape Park, to the left and right of the entrance on Penyaginskaya Street. Admission is free. Visitors can use their own tube or rent it. The rental service located nearby is open from 12:00 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. Monday to Friday, and from 10:00 a. m. to 10:00 p. m. Saturday and Sunday.

Moscow residents and visitors can go down the picturesque slope in Kuzminki Park, near Shibaevsky Pond, next to the cafe. Both children and adults enjoy the slope: it is not too steep, but you can go down fast. There are protective barriers and designated ascent and descent points throughout the route. The slope is available 24 hours a day. Bring your own tube and go sledding for free.

The longest slope is located in Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve. The tubing run in the natural landscape area near the Big Bridge goes through a ravine. The length of the slope is 120 meters. It is not just a slope with fences but a special snow chute. It is safe even for those who try this activity for the first time. It is also an important cultural spot as it offers a view of the Neo-Gothic bridge built by architect Vasily Bazhenov in the late 18 th century. Visitors can use their own tube or rent it at the rental service right at the start point. Tickets are available on site. The slope is open from 11:00 a. m. to 8:00 p. m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 10:00 a. m. to 9:00 p. m. Saturday and Sunday. Check the website for more information.

Visitors can use their own snow saucer in four parks:

- Babushkinsky Park (Northeastern Administrative District, 6/3 Menzhinskogo Street, on the playground, no rental);

- Dzhamgarovsky Pond Park (Northeastern Administrative District, 10 Startovaya Street, opposite the playground, no rental);

- Khodynskoye Pole Park (Northern Administrative District, 1 Khodynsky Boulevard, near the main entrance of the park, no rental);

- Dubki Park (Northern Administrative District, 6/2 Dubki Street, to the left of the central alley, no rental).

Six tubing slopes are available in four park areas:

- Fili Park (Western Administrative District, 22/15 Bolshaya Filyovskaya Street, in the children’s ride area, not far from the Fili22 indoor skating rink, no rental);

- 50-Letiya Oktyabrya Park (Western Administrative District, 22 Udaltsova Street, near the main alley, rental available, paid admission);

- Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve (Southern Administrative District, 39 Andropova Prospekt, two slopes on Nizhnyaya Street near the intersection with Torgovaya Street, no rental);

- Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve (Southern Administrative District, two slopes, 10/3 Dolskaya Street, near the Big Bridge over the Ravine, checkpoint No. 11 Chernogryazskie Gate, 1/25 Dolskaya Street, near the stage, rental available, paid admission).

10 slopes for using both snow tubes and saucers can be found in the following parks:

- Mitino Landscape Park (North-Western Administrative District, the nearest entrance to the park on Penyaginskaya Street, opposite building No. 16, rental available);

- Vorontsovo Estate (Southwestern Administrative District, Vorontsovsky Park, building No. 3, near the stage, the slope of the 3 rd Vorontsovsky Pond to be opened if the ice is thick enough);

- Borisovsky Ponds Park (Southern Administrative District, 15/2 Borisovsky Proyezd, building No. 4, no rental);

- Luzhkov Park (Southern Administrative District, 58 a Andropova Prospekt, next to the cafe, no rental);

- Kuzminki Park (South-Eastern Administrative District, Kuzminki-Lyublino History and Nature Park, building No. 1/8, near Shibaevsky Pond, no rental);

- Sokolniki Park (Eastern Administrative District, 5 Mitkovsky Proyezd, near the Youth Center, rental available at the running club at 11 Mitkovsky Proyezd).

- Tagansky Park (Central Administrative District, 40–42 Taganskaya Street, on the alley next to the main stage, rental available);

- Pryamikov Children’s Park (Central Administrative District, 15 a/1 Taganskaya Street, next to the water and sand playground).

Before opening, all the temporary structures were examined for compliance with technical regulations and safety rules, and received launch permission. Snow and ice slopes are open when weather permits. With persistent frosts and plenty of snow, winter enthusiasts can enjoy the thrill of going down the slope.