Every other year, we make the drive to Angola, Indiana to spend the weekend with our friends and their kids. One of the highlights of the trip for our families is a day at the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run. There’s an actual toboggan you get to ride in with up to four people down a 1,780-foot-long toboggan run. The twin tracks are refrigerated so they operate whether there is snow or not, from Thanksgiving through February.
Pokagon State Park TOBOGGAN RUN
Photos and Tips for an Epic Adventure
Pokagon State Park
Located right off of Highway I-69 in the northeast corner of the state, Pokagon State Park offers year-round activities for the whole family. From hiking, biking, fishing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and ice-fishing to tobogganing, there is something for everyone. You can make it a day trip, weekend getaway, or weeklong trip and stay at the accommodations on-site.
Pokagon State Park, named after Leopold and Simon Pokagon of the Potawatomi Indian tribe, is framed by Lake James and Snow Lake, which offer abundant opportunities for boating, swimming, fishing, and scenic sunsets. Being one of the state’s original parks, Pokagon (pronounced PO-KAY-GUN) features the unique work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, whose members lived and worked at Pokagon from 1934 to 1942 and built the beautiful stone and log structures that dot the park landscape and provide accent to the rolling wooded hills, wetlands, and open meadows of the state park.
Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run
Dubbed the “winter roller coaster,” the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run is a quarter mile of dips and valleys with a total vertical drop of 90 feet. The top recorded speed on the 20-30 second thrill ride is 42 mph!!! Race your friends down the twin tracks for a day of epic adventure! Pokagon boasts the state’s only refrigerated toboggan run, meaning you can enjoy the ride all season – no snow needed!
All of our children have been Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run riders since they were very young. Lulu went for the first time when she was 20 months old. When Quinn was 2 1/2 years old, she refused to stop riding even though the temperatures were in the single digits! There are no specific age or height requirements, but children must be able to understand and follow rules.
We’ve spent hours speeding down the track at 30-40 miles an hour aboard a large sled that seats up to four adults and children. The rental fee is $20 per hour per toboggan and, if the lines aren’t too bad and you have some adults or kids who are great at carrying the sled, you could get several rides in during the hour. You can race friends down the twin tracks or clock your speeds with the speedometer situated at the fastest point of the slide.
There is a campfire next to the main walkway and an indoor Warming Center. Lulu and I spent some time in the Warming Center which has a view of the track, benches and tables, bathrooms, HEAT, and concessions. There is no outside food allowed in the Warming Center but there are picnic tables available outside on a first-come, first-served basis. Tailgating is also popular and allowed at the lower toboggan parking lot.
Hours and Pricing for the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run
The Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., November 24, 2023 through February 25, 2024. The Toboggan Run will be open on special holiday dates including Winter Break (December 23, December 24, and December 26 – January 7), President’s Day (January 15), and MLK Day (February 19) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Toboggan Run will close if temperatures drop to 0 degrees or below at the track. If you’re worried about weather or closures, you can check the schedule online or call (260) 833.2012 to confirm.
The Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run charges $20 per sled, per hour. They do not charge per person. You can only rent on-site during open hours. You may purchase gift certificates in advance, but you are still subject to availability on the day you go.
There are 4-person sleds and 3-person sleds that you can choose from. The sleds are 30 lbs (or 60 lbs if you want to go faster). You cannot have more than three people in the 3-person sled, even if they fit. There are no specific age or height requirements, but children must be able to understand and follow rules.
Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run Photos and Tips
We’ve found that the best time to visit the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run is first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. In the morning, you should plan on getting there at least 30 minutes before opening time to stand in line. A driver’s license or state ID is required as a deposit, which will allow you to rent up to four toboggans. Pokagon is a state park so if you do not have an annual pass, there will be a $7 per car fee for in-state vehicles ($9 out-of-state).
Gloves are required to ride down the Toboggan Run, so make sure to bring them and some extras in case they get wet and cold! Pick up some hand warmers in case the weather gets really frigid! I would also bring sunglasses or ski goggles if you have them! You are flying down at high speeds! The rental shop does run out of sleds occasionally but don’t worry, they only rent them out by the hour, so just get on the waiting list and you’ll be sliding down the hill soon enough!
The four-person sleds are either 30 pounds or 60 pounds. I can carry a sled by myself (but it’s heavy and awkward), but I could not do that and manage a 2-year-old at the same time. Because we have six in our family and everyone wants to ride, my husband and I rent one 30-pound toboggan and take turns riding. If you’re looking to capture Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run photos, it is best to take turns riding as one party can take the picture from the bridge.
The adult and one child sitting out will stand on the bridge while the other group goes down. This is the best spot for Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run photos or videos as there are no cameras allowed on the ride. We then use the minivan to run the toboggan back up the hill instead of lugging it all the way up. If you decide that going on a toboggan isn’t really your thing or your kids are too young, hang out in the warming center and look into cross-country skiing or snowshoeing instead. Or, check out this snow tubing run close to Indianapolis.
Getting to the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run
Depending on the weather and traffic, it should be about a 2.5-hour road trip from Indianapolis to the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run. Your drive will take you through Fort Wayne, another one of our favorite Indiana cities. Consider a stop along the way at Ivanhoe’s for ice cream.
Pokagon is a state park so if you do not have an annual pass, there will be a $7 per car fee for in-state vehicles ($9 out-of-state). Make sure you check the weather for the day before making the trek out. The Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run will close if temperatures drop to 0 degrees or below at the track. If you’re worried about weather or closures, you can check the schedule online or call (260) 833.2012 to confirm.
Cross-country Ski and Snowshoe at Pokagon State Park
Pokagon State Park is one of our favorite places to visit….in the winter! We purchase an annual Indiana State Park Pass, so we visit a lot of parks several times all year long. There are so many snow activities to choose from at Pokagon State Park. Located right in the Warming Center, you can rent cross-country skis and snowshoes. Cross-country ski rentals are $5 an hour for youth 15 years and younger, and $8 an hour for adults and include skis, boots, and poles. Snowshoes are $10 an hour.
Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon State Park
A DNR-operated Potawatomi Inn Resort and Conference Center is located near the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run. It has 138 guest rooms and cabins, two restaurants, a pool and hot tub, and a banquet and conference center. It is a great place for families to stay. We’ve always stayed with a group and had the absolute best time. All day long the kids are dragging us between the craft room (wooden and ceramic items available for sale) where the kids are painting things, the arcade and game room, and the swimming pool. We’ve heard great things about the nature center that’s right outside of the Inn, but we haven’t made our way there yet.
Make sure to check out the surrounding area for its excellent shopping, restaurants, wineries, and breweries. If you’re looking for a place to go skiing or snowboarding, this isn’t it, but the winter sports available at Potawatomi Inn are so much fun for all ages.
Dining at the Potawatomi Inn
There are two dining options at the Potawatomi Inn. The restaurant offers a wonderful breakfast buffet. The buffet is offered during other times, but I cannot vouch for it. There’s another smaller restaurant that offers counter service, where they sell pizza, salads, hot dogs, and ice cream.
One day we drove into Angola and ate at the Applebee’s. There were all of the typical chain restaurants and fast food places nearby. Of course, bringing your own food is an option, but there were no microwaves or refrigerators in the rooms at the Inn.
Lake James at Pokagon State Park
Check with the DNR staff for safety conditions before you traverse the frozen lake. One of our annual traditions is to have a snowball fight on the lake. When the lake is frozen solid, we let the kids play around near the shore, building snow houses, rolling snowballs, and making snow angels. We watched ice fishermen, snowmobiles, and ice skaters. When the conditions are right, the lake in front of the Potawatomi Inn is cleared and guests bring their own ice skates to skate on the lake!
Pokagon State Park TOBOGGAN RUN
Photos and Tips for an Epic Adventure
We hope you have the best day at the Pokagon State Park Toboggan Run! If your kids can’t wait to do more winter activities, look into nearby skiing and snowboarding slopes. For an epic adventure closer to home, visit the Ice at Carter Green for outdoor ice skating in Carmel, check out a local sledding hill, pick one of our 100 winter break activity recommendations, or think about all of the other ways to play in the snow.
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Address
450 Lane 100 Lake James
Angola
IN
Visit Pokagon State Park TOBOGGAN RUN Photos and Tips for an Epic Adventure
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