Across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario, outdoor ice rinks open as weather allows, operating with varying levels of staffing, programming, and maintenance. Some are designed primarily for hockey, while others emphasize general recreation. Most balance scheduled activities with open skating, adjusting day by day to demand and ice conditions shaped by weather and daylight.
In some communities, that flexibility leads to unexpected uses. In Ely, for example, rink calendars occasionally include birthday parties, underscoring the role these outdoor spaces play not only as athletic facilities but also as informal gathering places during the long winter months.
Duluth
In Duluth, outdoor ice rinks operate across the city, from the Lake Superior shoreline to neighborhoods such as Woodland, Piedmont, and Morgan Park. They are supported by a mix of city staff and volunteer hockey associations, including the Duluth Area Hockey Association, creating a network of neighborhood-based skating opportunities.
Duluth Parks and Recreation specialist Adam Fornear said the appeal of skating is rooted in its simplicity.
“For me, it’s that free movement—one push and then you glide,” Fornear said. “It’s that same joy you get when you crank down on a bike pedal and the bike just keeps rolling. It’s efficient, it’s freeing, it’s fun. It feels childlike.”
Some Duluth rinks are designed primarily for hockey, while others emphasize open skating, depending on location, staffing, and demand. One of the city’s most visible outdoor skating destinations is the Bayfront rink, which opens seasonally as weather allows.
The Bayfront rink is the city’s only outdoor rink maintained and staffed by the City of Duluth. It includes a warming house open during skating hours and offers a limited number of skates at no cost, helping lower barriers for families and first-time skaters.
Friday nights are designated as S’mores Nights, and all activities at Bayfront are free and open to all ages. Inside the warming house, families can warm up around tables stocked with board games and basic craft supplies.
“It’s a spot for anybody in the community to come and enjoy,” Fornear said. “One parent can stay inside with the little ones and warm up while others skate.”
For more information, visit: bit.ly/duluthskatingrinks.
Two Harbors and Silver Bay
Farther up the North Shore, recreational skating in Two Harbors is offered at the Sonju Arena, also known as the Lake County Arena, with ice generally available during late afternoons and evenings.
In nearby Silver Bay, the Rukavina Arena hosts hockey games, tournaments, leagues, and camps throughout the year.
Grand Marais
In Grand Marais, the Cook County Community Center maintains two outdoor ice rinks: a smaller multipurpose rink and a full-size hockey rink. Both may be reserved for programs or events, though staff keep at least one rink available for open skating whenever conditions permit.
Weekly public activities include all-ages pickup broomball and open pickup hockey.
A warming house adjacent to the rinks offers skate rentals, sharpening services, and concessions. The facility closes during periods of extreme cold or active snowstorms. Use of the rinks typically increases after school and on weekends.
Anna Klobuchar, assistant community center manager for Cook County, said the rinks see steady activity throughout the day.
“In the mornings, even before the warming house opens, there are parents with young, preschool children skating, or a couple of advanced skaters warming up their hockey moves or enjoying the ice to themselves,” Klobuchar said.
During the school week, she said, students use the rink during physical education classes, with families and after-school skaters arriving later in the day.
Over the holiday break, Klobuchar said, the rinks draw local residents along with visiting family members and tourists.
To learn more, visit: bit.ly/grandmaraisicerinks.
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay has many arena and outdoor skating rinks sprinkled throughout the area, with a robust website. Each listing identifies the address, hours of operation, number of rinks on the site, and if the site is supervised, as well as if the site has outside lighting, washrooms, change facilities, outdoor trash bins, and adjacent parking. For more information, visit: bit.ly/thunderbayskating.
Tbaytel, formerly the Thunder Bay Telephone Company, has partnered with Fort William First Nation, the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, and the City of Thunder Bay to provide the community with a service that allows fans to watch their favorite athletes on the ice from virtually anywhere, on any device. A live camera feed can be found online.
Iron Range
On the Iron Range, communities such as Virginia, Hibbing, and Chisholm maintain multiple outdoor rinks each winter.
Across the Northland, outdoor ice rinks continue to offer a simple way to stay active and connected during the long winter months.
