By Cyote Williams

Just because the temperatures go down doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out.

SKATING RINKS
Lace up the skates and prepare the pain meds for the inevitable slips and tumbles. Several communities across the metro offer ice skating experiences for little or no cost. Be sure to check signs before stepping onto outdoor ice locations.

• Brenton Skating Plaza, 520 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines
• Metro Ice Sports Facility, 5100 N.W. 72nd St., Urbandale
• West Des Moines RecPlex, 6500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines
• Centennial Park, 605 S.E. Driftwood Lane, Waukee
• Crosshaven Park, 7909 N.W. 95th St., Johnston
• Greenwood Park Pond, 100 45th St., Des Moines
• Johnston Commons Ice Rink, 6700 Merle Hay Road, Johnston
• Johnston Town Center Ice Rink, 6245 Merle Hay Road, Johnston
• MacRae Park Pond, 1021 Davis Ave., Des Moines
• Indianola Ice Skating Rink, 2204 W. Second Ave., Indianola Activity Center
• Raccoon River Park Ice Rink, 2500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines
• South River Valley Park, 725 E. 13th St., Ames
• Sunrise Park, 506 S.E. Peterson Drive, Ankeny

SLEDDING HILLS
Car hoods, boogie boards, doors and sleds, too. Just find the hills.

• Altoona: Lions Park, 507 13th Ave., S.W.
• Ankeny: Northcreek Park, 2301 W. First St.
• Summerbrook Park, 1009 S.E. Eighth St.
• Clive: Campbell Park, 12385 Woodlands Parkway
• Country Club Glen Park, 16335 Sheridan Ave.
• Mercy West Clinic, 1601 N.W. 114th St.
• Des Moines: Blank Golf Course, 808 County Line Road
• Grandview Golf Course, 2401 E. 29th St.
• Capitol Hill, 1111 E. Court Ave.
• Ewing Park, 5300 Indianola Ave.
• Greenwood Park, 4500 Grand Ave.
• MacRae Park, 1021 Davis Ave.
• Union Park, 725 Thompson Ave.
• Waveland Golf Course, 4908 University Ave.
• Johnston: Beavercreek Elementary, 8701 Lyndhurst Drive
• Pointe Vista Park, 9612 Enfield Drive
• Pleasant Hill: Doanes Park, 5050 Doanes Park Drive
• Oak Hill Park, 2115 Copper Wynd Drive
• Urbandale: Winter Park, 5110 N.W. 72nd St.
• Waukee: Warrior Park and Sledding Hill, 1050 Fourth St.
• West Des Moines: Jordan Creek Elementary, 4501 Fuller Road
• Pearson Park, 1256 19th St.
• Southwoods Park, 350 S. 35th St.

DISC GOLF COURSES
All with the flick of the wrist. Des Moines Metro Disc Golf Club helps maintain and upgrade courses around the city.

• Ewing Park, 5300 Indianola Ave., Des Moines
• Grandview Park, 3230 Easton Blvd., Des Moines
• Prospect Park, 1225 Prospect Road, Des Moines
• Pete Crivaro Park, 1105 E. Railroad Ave., Des Moines
• Becky Zallek Disc Golf Course, Des Moines
• Walnut Ridge Disc Golf Course, Johnston
• Big Creek Disc Golf Course, N.W. Big Creek Drive, Polk City
• Shuler Disc Golf Course, Clive

SEVEN OAKS
1086 222nd Drive, Boone
www.sevenoaksrec.com
Your favorite outdoor winter activities are just under an hour away from Des Moines. Tubing, skiing, sledding, snowboarding and ice skating. Seven Oaks even offers paintball seven days a week with advanced reservations.

JESTER PARK
12130 N.W. 128th St., Granger
www.jesterparknaturecenter.com
Snowmobiling is available when conditions permit, otherwise this nature center has most everything you could need for the fall and winter months. Cross-country skiing, hiking trails and more.