For an exciting day filled with snow play, head to Mt. Hood Skibowl Snow Tube and Adventure Park. Located 55 miles southeast of Portland, the park offers a variety of activities for all ages, including snow tubing hills, a kiddie snowmobile ride, a snow tunnel maze and an indoor play area.
Laughter and whoops filled the air when my husband Erik, our three-year-old son Finn and I arrived at Mt. Hood SkiBowl East’s base area, elevation 3,840 feet. After bundling up in our snow gear and purchasing passes, we walked to the main tubing hill. Note: Kids must be at least 36 inches tall to snow tube.
Conveyor Belt up the Tube Runs, photo by Carrie Uffindell
After Erik and I choose our tubes from the brightly colored flotilla, we rode the conveyor belt up to the runs. When it was our turn to race down the hill, Finn nestled securely in the front seat of Erik’s tube, we leaned forward and pushed off. The chilly air roared in my ears and stung my eyes as we whooshed down the hill.
After a few more runs, we warmed up with hot cocoa and snacks in the cozy Multorpor Lodge, located at the top of the main tubing hill. There’s a full-service café on the main floor, a restaurant upstairs and a brown-bag seating area on the third floor.
My first run at Mt. Hood Skibowl, photo by Erik Benton
Next we explored Frosty’s Playland. Located just steps from the lodge, it offers kids 60 inches and shorter a kiddie tube carousel, a snow tunnel maze and a 2,400 square foot heated indoor play area filled with blocks, balls, tunnels and slides.
Kids five years and older can ride the kiddie snowmobiles. For thrills, try the extreme tubing hill located up from the lodge and/or zoom around the adventure park on the nearly 800 feet of zip lines, integrated last season with new devices and safety measures for winter use.
Multorpor Lodge, photo by Carrie Uffindell
Make an evening of it by stay for cosmic tubing. While you and the kids whoosh down the brightly lit runs, colorful lasers flash overhead and upbeat music plays over the loudspeakers. It’s the only one of its kind in the world and starts at 5pm on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays.
When You Go:
Mt. Hood Skibowl is located just off U.S. Hwy 26 East. Turn left onto Government Camp Loop Rd. and follow the signs for the adventure park. Note: A Sno-Park permit is required to park at SkiBowl.
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