Explore 18 Breathtaking Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks Worldwide

With the crisp winter air in your lungs and the slice of real ice beneath your blades, there’s nothing quite like the experience of skating outdoors. From quaint rinks high in the French Alps to manmade boulevards through Canadian forests and wild mountain lakes in the western United States, the winter season offers a slew of opportunities to lace up your skates in some of the world’s most beautiful winter destinations. Here are some of our favorite outdoor ice rinks, boasting the best backdrops for practicing your crossovers and backspins.

01. Arrowhead Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada

A Canadian gem, Ontario’s Arrowhead ice skating trail is a meandering pathway that winds through thick evergreen forests in an idyllic winter wonderland setting. Just under three hours north of Toronto, the park’s 1.3-kilometer ice skating trail is typically open between January and early March, pending weather conditions.

02. Keystone Lake in Keystone, Colorado

Every Christmas, this picturesque five-acre lake surrounded by the Lakeside Village is lit up with holiday lights at night. Play pickup hockey or enjoy the music while taking advantage of the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor rink in North America located 90 minutes west of Denver.

03. Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada

The jewel of Canada’s Rockies, Lake Louise freezes over between December and March, providing skaters with one of the world’s most stunning stages. Surrounded by snowy mountains and within sight of the Victoria Glacier, this lake is accessible after a 45-minute drive from the town of Banff, which also has its own ice rink at the train station. The ice is maintained by the Fairmont Chateau, which keeps this natural rink free of snow and freshly resurfaced between December and April.

04. The Nestaweya River Trail in Winnipeg, Canada

This winding ice expanse that travels through the heart of Winnipeg will take you from the city to the country all on one smooth track down the river. The length varies from year to year, but you can typically expect at least five miles of ice, plus warming huts and restaurants along the way.

05. Evergreen Lake in Evergreen, Colorado

Just west of Denver, you’ll find Evergreen Lake, a forty-acre body of water that offers plenty of space for free skaters, hockey enthusiasts, or broomball players (with rentals available), all surrounded by pine-covered mountains. It’s recommended to call before you go to check the latest weather conditions.

06. Canyon Ferry Lake in Helena, Montana

A reservoir of the Missouri River, Canyon Ferry Lake is Montana’s third-largest lake and, when frozen, an ideal place to skate. At 28 miles long, there’s plenty of space to cruise on ice under a winter sky. This is wild ice, which means there are no rinks around renting skates and selling hot chocolate, so you should have a pair of ice skates and some experience in Nordic Skating before setting out.

07. Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, New York

Enjoy a wintry skate in the Adirondacks at Mirror Lake, a busy rink in Lake Placid’s town center. A maintained two-mile-long track borders the pond, while pond hockey and dog-sledding are also popular.

08. Lac de Joux in the Jura Mountains, Switzerland

Switzerland’s Lake Joux, nestled in the Jura Mountains near the country’s western border with France and an hour’s train ride from Lausanne, is the largest free skating rink in all of Europe when it freezes over in winter. On weekends, vendors set up stalls on the surface of the lake itself, selling hot food and drink to hungry skaters.

09. Lake Vänern in Vänersborg, Sweden

Lake Vänern is Sweden’s largest lake, and the third largest in Europe, meaning it provides an expanse of rugged skating options. Dotted with over 22,000 islands, the ice is totally wild and may not always be smooth — but with dramatic sunsets and wide-open ice stretching to the distance, it’s still worth it. If it’s your first time on wild ice, guide companies like Nordic Tours can help you get geared up and ready to skate.

10. Canals in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam’s famous canals are only a few yards deep, so winter freezes are rare (and becoming rarer due to climate change), but when it does happen, the Dutch are quick to grab their skates. There is usually some warning that the canals will soon be skateable. When the weather service predicts a big freeze, the city will close off traffic to certain canals to stop the current and help the freezing process. You will have to be extremely lucky to catch the next deep freeze in Amsterdam — the last one took place in February 2021 — but if you do find yourself gliding under the city bridges, it will probably be one of the most unique and special skates of your life.

11. Lake Bogstadvannet in Oslo, Norway

Norway has plenty of lakes that will get cold enough to freeze over and Bogstadvannet, located in the forests just outside of the capital Oslo, is one of the more popular options for ice skaters. While lush and green in the warmer seasons, winter brings a full freeze and sets the stage for ice skating.

12. Lake Weissensee in Techendorf, Austria

This lake in southern Austria — just one hour from the Italian border — provides a spacious environment for a brisk skate, with the eastern part of the long, narrow lake offering over two and a half miles of skating track while dramatic mountains rise up from its shores. Every year, the lake attracts speed skaters who compete in international competitions hosted on the lake.

13. Lake Morey in Fairlee, Vermont

Lake Morey’s 4.5-mile groomed skating loop takes skaters from the edge of the Lake Morey Resort — 90 minutes from Burlington — out into the reaches of the lake, with uninterrupted views of the White Mountains nearby. The trail is free to use, and you can rent skates at the hotel.

14. Lake Windermere Whiteway in East Kootenay, Canada

Another contender for the longest skating track in the world, the Whiteway offers recreation for cross-country skiers, skate-skiers, and figure skaters alike. Located in British Columbia, three hours west of Calgary and two hours south of Banff, you can glide for 34 kilometers on this path that goes around the lake.

15. Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Canada

Race through the heart of Ottawa, from downtown to Dows Lake, on the world’s largest ice skating natural rink. At nearly five miles long, the Rideau Canal Skateway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major winter attraction. It’s professionally maintained to ensure safety, and there are plenty of rest areas where you can stop for a break and grab a hot chocolate.

16. Shichahai Lake in Beijing, China

Shichahai — also referred to as “Houhai” — offers a unique experience just north of central Beijing in the cold of winter when the city’s residents take to the ice. Originally a part of a 700-year-old grand canal, the skating rink is now a bustling scene with lovely views of the waterside temples.

17. Lac de Tignes in Tignes, France

The small Alpine ski resort of Tignes, two hours east of Grenoble, is home to a breathtaking natural outdoor rink, ringed by snow-capped peaks. The lively resort town loves to celebrate the season on the ice and keep the party going with dance parties until as late as 10 p.m. and hot wine and chocolate on standby.

18. Westchester Lagoon in Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage’s picturesque lagoon freezes in winter to provide a perfect surface for locals and tourists to take advantage of its skating surface. The Westchester Lagoon also offers a family-friendly skate session every Saturday with free hot chocolate and music.