PERFECT NORTH SLOPES
This Southeastern Indiana resort offers skiing, snow tubing, and snowboarding for beginners and novices. Trails range from bunny slopes to intermediate to difficult, and there are more than 20 tubing lanes. Other amenities include lessons, food options, and a ski lodge for breaks between runs.
Distance from Butler County: 39.4 miles
Address: 19704 Perfect Lane, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$50 for eight-hour lift ticket, $68-$78 for eight-hour lift ticket with equipment rental
More info: 812-537-3754 or www.perfectnorth.com
MAD RIVER MOUNTAIN
Mad River Mountain stands at a near 1,500-foot elevation with a 300-foot vertical drop. There are 20 ski trails covering 144 acres, 10 1,000-foot snow tubing lanes comprising Ohio’s largest snow tubing park, and four terrain parks for snowboarding tricks. Other amenities include ski and snowboarding lessons, skis and snowboards for rent, Ohio’s largest ski lodge featuring a bar, cafe, retail and group space, and live music. The National Ski Patrol is even on hand to keep you safe or at least rescue you.
Distance from Butler County: 92.9 miles
Address: 1000 Snow Valley Road, Zanesfield, Ohio
Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Tickets: $29-$49 (adult lift ticket), $10-$32 (equipment rentals), $25 (3-hour tubing). There are discount rates for juniors, children, seniors and military.
More info: 800-231-7669 or www.skimadriver.com
VALLEY’S EDGE
This snow-tubing resort and lodge offers tubing for families and a lodge with wide windows to watch your friends and family fly down the lane. The food menu includes burgers, hot dogs, hot chocolate, candy bars, Gatorade, energy drinks, soda and more.
Distance from Butler County: 113 miles
Address: 8295 State Route 121, New Paris, Ohio
Hours: 5-9 p.m. Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays, noon-8 p.m. Sundays
Tickets: $12-20 (individual) for two hours. Additional hours are $5 each. Group and family rates and season passes are available as well.
More info: 937-437-1FUN or www.valleysedgesnowtubing.com
SNOW TRAILS
Located in the chill Possum Run Valley in Mansfield, the first resort to bring skiing to Ohio now also brings snowboarding, snow tubing, and “glow tubing,” or snow tubing at night down lanes lit by diverse LED colors. The tubing park has up to seven 1,100-foot runs. On select nights, a DJ will be playing. If skiing and snowboarding are your thing, there are 17 trails covering 80 acres, the longest run being 1,000 feet. Lessons, rentals, a ski shop, and children’s programs are also available.
Distance from Butler County: 155 miles
Address: 3100 Possum Run Road, Mansfield
Hours: Various, see Web site
Tickets: $41-$52 (all-day lift tickets), $25 (two-hour tubing). Discounts for kids and early skiers are available
More info: 800-OHIOSKI or www.snowtrails.com
PAOLI PEAKS
Located in the heart of southern Indiana, this resort offers a 45,000-square-foot lodge for skiers and snowboarders that includes a restaurant and pizzeria, a ski bar, rentals, pro shop and lessons before you even get onto the slopes. There are 15 trails and two terrain parks, including the Bonk, a beginner freestyle terrain park, and Pioneer Park, the largest terrain park in Indiana, which features over 40 freestyle features, including several large jumps. There’s also a lodge with concessions, locker rooms, and an indoor/outdoor viewing area. There are 10 snow tube lanes at 700 feet each.
Distance from Butler County: 167 miles
Address: 2798 West County Road, Route 25 South, Paoli, Ind.
Hours: Various, see Web site
Tickets: $30-$45 (lift ticket rates), $10-$30 (rentals), $25 (three-hour sessions)
More info: 812-723-4696 or www.paolipeaks.com
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