The 10 Best Places for Ice Skating in (and Around) Denver This Winter

It’s winter in Denver, which means the mountains are calling all skiers. But what about the rest of us? The ones who like the snow and cold but aren’t interested in downhill mountain sports. We need something to keep us active and occupied while just about everyone we know spends each weekend on the slopes.

Enter: skating.

This centuries-old activity is maybe the original way of beating the elements, and (unlike skiing) it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars to get started.

If you want to cool down, save on gas, and avoid the backups on I-70, skip the slopes and head to one of these nearby ice skating spots. We visited rinks all over the Denver metro area to offer up our 10 faves. We considered amenities, proximity to shopping centers and historic downtowns, availability of classes for beginner skaters, and events on the ice. Each rink’s hours vary from week to week, so check public skating hours online or call ahead.

(Looking for hockey ice time? Find our seven favorite adult hockey leagues in the metro area here.)

1. Parker Ice Trail

• Where: Parker
• Admission: $9 ($7 for kids 10 and under)
• Skate rental: $4
• Open seasonally, Nov. 25, 2022–Feb. 28, 2023

This outdoor rink is more like a small, asymmetrical ice track than an actual trail. The ice circles a center grassy area and is fenced in on both the inside and outside, offering more space for beginners to hold on as they get accustomed to the ice. Located at the edge of downtown Parker in Discovery Park (behind the library), the ice trail offers concessions, skating aids for new skaters, and a handful of fire pits and seating for spectators to keep warm.

2. South Suburban Sports Complex

• Where: Highlands Ranch
• Admission: Starting at $6 for South Suburban district residents; starting at $8 for non-residents (children three and under skate free)
• Skate rental: $2 for residents; $2.50 for non-residents
• Open year-round

South Suburban Recreation District’s newest skating facility features three NHL-regulation-size sheets of ice. Sports Complex public skating times occur in the morning, afternoon, and evening, depending on the day, so regardless of your work or life routine, there should be a time that fits your schedule. If not, check out the complex’s sister location, Family Sports Ice Arena—the practice ice for the Colorado Avalanche is a quick, six-mile drive away. Along with ice rinks, the Sports Complex has pickleball courts and indoor turf fields, as well as a restaurant and full bar. Folks who live in the South Suburban Recreation District can create an account online to get the district rate for public skating.

3. Rink at Belmar

• Where: Lakewood
• Admission: $10 ($8 for kids 12 and under; seniors and children two and under skate free) or $6 if you bring your own skates
• Skate rental: Included in admission
• Open seasonally, Nov. 18, 2022–Jan. 29, 2023

Park in the lot at Teller Street and West Virginia Avenue, enjoy dinner at Wasabi Sushi Bar, and then head out to the plaza to skate under the string lights. Even in the daytime, the Rink at Belmar can get plenty of shade, so make sure you check the weather and bundle up. Extreme weather (like the record-breaking cold of last month) may close the rink, so check online or call ahead to make sure the rink is open as planned. Outdoor heaters and fire pits help friends or parents stay toasty. Admission is first come, first served.

4. Edge Ice Arena

• Where: Littleton
• Admission: $7 ($6 for seniors, $5 for juniors, and $3 for children five and under)
• Skate rental: $3
• Open year-round

Adjacent to the Ridge Recreation Center, Edge Ice Arena is part of the Foothills Park & Recreation District. The facility serves hockey leagues (check the trophy cases upstairs) and Mountain Edge Figure Skating Club, and offers skate sharpening and repairs on-site. The Penalty Box bar and grill on the main floor keeps skaters and friends satisfied between sessions on one of the two NHL-size rinks. Nice touch: Beginner-friendly, double-runner skates are available in children’s sizes, starting with size 5.

5. WinterSkate in Historic Downtown Louisville

• Where: Louisville
• Admission: $13 (children three and under skate free)
• Skate rental: Included in admission
• Open seasonally, Nov. 18, 2022–Feb. 20, 2023

One of the bigger outdoor rinks near Denver, WinterSkate is located in Louisville’s historic downtown next to Steinbaugh Pavilion, an oversized picnic pavilion at 824 Front Street. Louisville boasts free street and lot parking in the walkable downtown area. The rink offers extended hours during school vacation, so if your kiddos are itching for activity, this could be the path to delightfully sleep-filled nights. You can reserve your 75-minute skating slot online ahead of time or buy tickets in person.

6. Ice Centre at the Promenade

• Where: Westminster
• Admission: $7 ($1 for kids four and under)
• Skate rental: $3
• Open year-round

How about dinner, a movie, and some skating? Ice Centre is the perfect destination for this winter date or family outing. Located at Westminster’s Promenade, the facility is a short walk over a pedestrian bridge from the AMC theater and Dave & Buster’s sports bar. Ice Centre has three regulation-size rinks, one of which is available during public skating. Skaters go downstairs to rent skates and access rinks. Lockers are available to stow your belongings for a fee. Have your own skates? Stop by Ice Centre’s pro shop to get them sharpened.

7. Apex Center Ice Arena

• Where: Arvada
• Admission: $6.50 for Apex Park and Recreation district residents; $8 for non-residents
• Skate rental: $3.25 for residents; $4 for non-residents
• Open year-round

The first Friday of each month, Apex Center Ice Arena combines the best of roller rink birthday parties and ice skating with Glow Skate. Lights on the ice are turned down low (but not off), colored lights are turned on, and skaters receive glow sticks or other wearable ambiance. Frequent skaters can purchase a public skating pass for $200, which covers admission and skate rental for a full year.

8. Skating in the Square

• Where: Arvada
• Admission: $10 ($7 for kids 12 and under)
• Skate rental: Included in admission
• Open seasonally, Nov. 18, 2022–Jan. 29, 2023

Take the G Line to Olde Town Arvada, and you’ll find a cozy little skating rink in the square on 57th Avenue, between the library and the pedestrian mall. Pick up your skates at the nearby shed and take to the (synthetic) ice.

9. Downtown Denver Rink

• Where: Denver
• Admission: Free
• Skate rental: $11 ($9 for kids 12 and under; fourth graders skate free)
• Open seasonally, Nov. 22, 2022–Feb. 14, 2023

The downtown rink sits in Skyline Park, in the shadow of the Daniels & Fisher clocktower between the 16th Street Mall and 17th on Arapahoe Street. Look for the chain-link fence wrapped with blue Southwest branding and enter from the sidewalk on Arapahoe. Open late on holidays and weekends, the rink offers concessions and locker storage for your belongings. Fourth graders skate free, and double-bladed skates are available in children sizes.

10. Evergreen Lake

• Where: Evergreen
• Admission: $14 (children four and under skate free); $20 with skate rental included
• Skate rental: $10
• Open seasonally, weather-dependent

Winning the prize for best views while skating, Evergreen Lake is open throughout the winter as weather permits. Learn to Skate classes are available for children, and athletes can sign up for hockey and broomball online. Regulars or families can purchase 10-punch skate cards for $120 ($30 savings). Park at Evergreen Lake House or take the shuttle from Stagecoach Park lower parking lot on weekends and holidays.