Berks Connect
Entertainment

Ice Skating, Sledding and Snow Tubing Near Reading, PA

Where a Berks County family can skate, sled and snow tube this winter: Body Zone's public skate, the Wyomissing pond rule, Reading's free Winter Wonderland, French Creek's hill and lakes, Bear Creek and Blue Mountain tubing, and six rinks within an hour, with prices as posted.

Berks Connect Blog|Published November 14, 2026
Image for Ice Skating, Sledding and Snow Tubing Near Reading, PA

A Berks family can skate indoors at Body Zone in Wyomissing, on the borough's Stone House Pond once Wyomissing posts that the ice is thick enough, or free downtown at Winter Wonderland after the Holiday Parade on November 21. You can sled at French Creek State Park, the one park that names its sledding hill, and snow tubing runs at Bear Creek and Blue Mountain.

As of mid-November, Body Zone hasn't posted this winter's public skating times and Bear Creek hasn't set an opening day. On a snow day in the week, the two places that need no ticket are the hill at French Creek and a park inside its posted hours where the township allows it; Body Zone says to check its page or call 610-376-2100 for this winter's times, and the rinks' listings are on the directory's sports facilities in Berks County page.

  • Body Zone: check its page or call for this winter's times.
  • Ponds and lakes: Wyomissing's pond opens only when the borough posts the ice is thick enough.
  • Winter Wonderland: free downtown skating after the November 21 parade, through January.
  • Sledding: French Creek names its hill.
  • Snow tubing: Bear Creek isn't open yet; Blue Mountain expects to open November 27.
  • Rinks within an hour: six rinks beyond Berks, one paused until Thanksgiving.

The table below holds what each Berks-area place posts today, price included.

Place Where What's posted for this winter Price as posted
Body Zone, public skating 3103 Paper Mill Road, Wyomissing Check its page or call 610-376-2100 for this winter's session times $15 a person, skates included; ages 3 and up; 16 and under with a parent
Stone House Pond, Wyomissing Park At the Stone House, 1216 Parkside Drive North, Wyomissing Natural ice; skating only after the borough posts "open for skating," once the ice is two inches thick throughout; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free
Winter Wonderland free skating Santander Arena, downtown Reading Runs after the November 21 parade through January; the dates and how to sign up are still to come from the city Free; skate rental was free in past seasons
French Creek State Park 843 Park Road, Elverson Sledding on the back side of the Scotts Run Lake dam; skating on the natural ice of both lakes, thickness not monitored; trails open to skis and snowshoes Free
Bear Creek Mountain Resort, snow tubing 101 Doe Mountain Lane, Macungie (Longswamp Township) Not open yet and no opening date set; tickets go on sale December 21 for these sessions: Thursday and Friday 4 to 6 and 7 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 to 11:30, 12 to 2, 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 This winter's prices aren't out; last winter's were $35 to $45 a person a session; riders at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall, 250 pounds at most
Blue Mountain Resort, snow tubing 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton Expected to open November 27; you pick a two-hour session by date and time when you buy; lights and music after 5 p.m. The price shows when you pick the date and time in its online shop; riders 36 inches and taller, no age limit

These are the rules and prices each place posts on its own page as of November 11, 2026, and posted session times change, so check the page the morning you go.

A rink checks its own ice. A pond or lake is natural ice, which nobody tests for you; Wyomissing is the one place that posts an "open for skating" sign once its pond is two inches thick.

Body Zone, the indoor rink on Paper Mill Road.

Body Zone on Paper Mill Road is Berks County's indoor ice rink. A public skate, the session anyone can pay into, costs fifteen dollars a person, skates included, for ages 3 and older, and skaters 16 and under bring a parent or guardian. Check its public skating page for this winter's session times, or call 610-376-2100; once they're posted, buy tickets online; they're sold in advance and aren't refundable.

Skating on ponds and lakes in Berks County: Wyomissing, Reading and French Creek.

Ponds and lakes are natural ice, which nobody tests for you. Wyomissing's rule: skating on the Stone House Pond is permitted when the ice is at least two inches thick throughout, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and only after the borough posts "open for skating" at the pond and on its website and social media. The borough decides in December whether its 2027 budget keeps paying for the pond program, so check the borough's site before a January skate.

Reading's city parks don't allow ice skating. French Creek State Park allows skating on both its lakes, doesn't monitor the ice, and tells skaters to make sure it's at least four inches thick for one person and seven for a small group.

Winter Wonderland, Reading's free skating at the Santander Arena.

Winter Wonderland, the city's free skating at the Santander Arena, is back: it starts after the Holiday Parade on Saturday, November 21 (the parade starts at 10 a.m.) and runs through January, with the dates and how to sign up still to come from the city.

Where sledding is allowed in Berks County.

Most park rules in Berks say nothing about sledding, so in most parks the only written rule is the closing time, and the township or borough office is who to ask.

French Creek State Park names its hill, and Spring Township allows sledding only at a place it marks out. At French Creek, the back side of the dam at Scotts Run Lake is where people sled. Spring Township, which owns Red Caboose Park in West Lawn, names no such place on its parks page, so ask the township office at 2850 Windmill Road before sledding there.

Last January a Macaroni KID Reading post asked readers where they sled; the answers were City Park in Reading, Hampden Park near Reading High, Laurel Run Park in Muhlenberg Township, Red Caboose, Kenhorst Playground and several school grounds. Reading's, Muhlenberg's and Kenhorst's park rules say nothing about sledding. Other parks are on our parks in Berks County page.

Snow tubing at Bear Creek and Blue Mountain.

Bear Creek Mountain Resort's address says Macungie, but the resort sits in Longswamp Township, inside Berks County; the resort puts Reading or Lancaster at 45 minutes to an hour and a half away.

Bear Creek isn't open yet and hasn't set an opening day; tickets go on sale December 21 for the sessions in the table. This winter's prices aren't out; last winter's were $35 to $45 a person a session. Riders must be at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall, and every rider's birthdate is entered at purchase.

Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton expects to open tubing November 27. You pick a two-hour session by date and time when you buy, and the price shows then; riders must be 36 inches or taller with no age or weight limit.

Ice rinks within an hour of Reading, and what each posts.

Six rinks beyond Berks and within about an hour of Reading are in the table: five post public skate prices, four of them with times, and Regency in Lancaster pauses public skates until around Thanksgiving. Four of the six say their times can change, and Ice Line says a day missing from its calendar has no public skate, so check the page the morning you go; the local list is the directory's sports facilities in Berks County page.

Rink Town Public sessions posted Admission and rental as posted
Regency Ice Rink Lancaster None until around Thanksgiving Not posted while sessions are paused
Steel Ice Center Bethlehem Saturday afternoon skates with a DJ, November 14 to January 2, mostly 1:30 to 3; other sessions on its online calendar $15 ages 11 and up, $10 ages 10 and under; rental $5
Bethlehem Municipal Ice Rink (outdoor) Bethlehem From November 13: Sunday, Monday and Wednesday 1 to 3; Tuesday and Thursday 2:30 to 4:30; Friday 7 to 9; Saturday 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 $9 adults, $8 ages 17 and under and 62 and up; rental $4
Spring Mountain Adventures (outdoor) Spring Mount Fridays 7 to 8:30; Saturdays 1:30 to 3 and 7 to 8:30; Sundays 11:30 to 1 and 1:15 to 2:45 $14; rental $6; $10 with a same-day lift ticket
Oaks Center Ice Oaks Check its online calendar for dates and times; first come, first served, with an online waiver $10 all ages; rental $5
Ice Line West Chester Most Fridays 8 to 9:30 p.m. and most weekends 2 to 3:30, but none November 14 or 15; Thanksgiving Day noon to 1:30; a day not on its calendar has no public skate $10; rental $5; a skating walker, the frame a beginner pushes, $3 for ages 7 and under

These are the sessions and prices each rink posts on its own page as of November 11, 2026.

Frequently asked questions.

Do we need our own skates, and who can ride a tube?

No: rental is included at Body Zone and runs four to six dollars at the five rinks in the table that post a rental price. Bear Creek takes riders at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall; Blue Mountain takes anyone 36 inches and taller and wants you there half an hour early.

Can the kids skate on a pond or lake near Reading?

On Wyomissing's pond once the borough's "open for skating" sign is up, and on French Creek's lakes, where nobody tests the ice; not in Reading's city parks, where the park code prohibits it.

What does a snow day change about park hours?

The posted park hours say nothing about snow, and they end early in winter. Reading's city parks run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April 30; the county parks close at 5 p.m. in November, 4:30 in December, 5:30 in January and 6 in February; Spring Township's close at 7 p.m. through February. Our indoor things to do with kids in Berks County post covers the day the snow turns to sleet.

Sources