There are many winter activities out there that can have you enjoying the great outdoors in the winter, and snow tubing is one of them. If you have no idea what snow tubing is or what it involves, then you’ve come to the right place.
Today, you’ll learn everything there is to know about snow tubing, including what it is, where it’s done, how safe it is, how fast you go, and why you might want to try it in the first place.
What Is Snow Tubing?
Snow tubing is a recreational winter activity that involves sliding down a snowy hill while riding on an inflatable inner tube. Typically, these hills are divided into lanes and offer automatic pulley systems to take you to the top. The steeper the hill, the faster and more thrilling the ride!
These tubes you ride look like very large doughnuts that have the center cut out of them, sometimes they are shaped like an 8 so you can go down with a friend.
The rider generally sits in the tube facing upwards, with their behind planted firmly in the center. Some locations may also allow riders to lay on their stomachs, although this is less common, mainly due to safety issues.
Tubes have ropes or handles to hold onto for a bit of added stability. Tubes usually don’t have very much control, as they have no steering or brakes. Because they are round, it is also possible to spin around, which you can’t control the spin either.
Tubing generally takes place on ski hills, or specifically smaller portions of ski hills, usually near the bottom. These are groomed and maintained to provide riders with a smooth experience. There are also some dedicated tubing locations.
Check out this TikTok that shows you what snow tubing is:
@tubetahoe Snow Tubing at Tube Tahoe!! 🏔🙌🏼 #snowtubing #southlaketahoe #laketahoe #northerncalifornia #bucketlist #goals #fyp #winter ♬ Jump Around – House Of Pain
Is Snow Tubing a Safe Activity?
Snow tubing is generally considered to be a moderately safe activity. Some common injuries that may occur with snow tubing include bruises, sprains, and in some cases head injuries. However, in the grand scheme of things, it is considered relatively safe.
The tubes themselves are quite soft and offer a good deal of padding. Moreover, tubing usually always takes place on an enclosed track or hill, so there is no risk of sliding into trees or other obstacles. Riders are usually given helmets to wear as well, thus offering good head protection.
While there is a certain risk of injury, such as with any outdoor physical activity, if snow tubing is done in a safe and controlled way and proper safety gear is worn, then the risks are fairly minimal.
Avoid snow tubing in a location that has no lanes because you put yourself at risk of crashing into other snow tubers. Also, make sure that the end of the snow tubing lane (run-out) has an incline that will slow you down to a stop. Sometimes, there will be deceleration mats and safety cushions towards the end.
How Old Do You Have to Be To Go Snow Tubing?
Exactly how old you have to be to go snow tubing depends on the location in question. Most areas require children to be at least three or four years of age. In some cases, children who are five or six years of age may go snow tubing unaccompanied.
However, there are also other locations which may have height restrictions. Many require children to be at least 42 inches in height. Some locations combine both height and age requirements, with some requiring children to be 42 inches tall and a minimum of four years of age.
Therefore, if you plan on going snow tubing with your young children, it is recommended that you check with the location in question in terms of age and height requirements. Simply give them a call or check their websites FAQs.
How Long Is a Snow Tubing Session?
Just like the age required to go tubing differs from one location to another, so does the average length of tubing sessions. Snow tubing sessions last for around 2 hours.
However, there are also some locations where snow tubing sessions may only last for one hour or less and locations where it may last for more than two hours. Check the location you plan to visit for their session lengths.
How Fast Do You Go Snow Tubing?
How fast you travel when snow tubing also depends on the location. On average, you can expect to travel anywhere between 15 to 25 miles per hour (24 to 40 kms per hour).
There are, however, some tubing resorts that have a much more exhilarating snow tubing experience where you may travel at speeds up to 40 miles per hour! As you can see, these tubes can travel at some truly breakneck speeds, which can admittedly be a great deal of fun.
How Long Is a Snow Tubing Hill?
The length of a snow tubing hill is another one of these factors that depends more on the specific location than anything else. At the very least, you can expect a snow tubing hill to be around 300 or 400 feet long.
This is generally the bare minimum because by the time you reach the top speed, you’re already at the bottom. There are, however, some much longer snow tubing tracks out there. Some tracks may be 1,000 feet in length, with a rare few being even longer than that.
How Do You Get Back to the Top of the Hill When Tubing?
If you are at a ski resort or a dedicated snow tubing hill, in most cases, there will be a conveyor belt (magic carpet) you get on that takes you to the top. There are also rope tow systems where an employee is situated at the bottom and at the top, where you are clipped on, and it tows you to the top as you comfortably enjoy the ride in your inner tube.
When I was a kid, the rope pulley system was what my local snow tubing hill had! It was a fun ride up the hill, too.
This is unlike traditional sledding, where you usually always have to walk back up to the top of the hill.
Where Can You Find Snow Tubing Locations?
More often than not, if there is a ski hill nearby, there is a good chance that a dedicated tubing hill is on site. Large ski resorts tend to offer this activity for groups and younger people who don’t necessarily want to go skiing. There must be a high enough demand for snow tubing for a ski mountain to offer the sport.
How Do You Dress for Snow Tubing?
To go snow tubing, you want to dress adequately for cold weather. Generally speaking, you want to wear three separate layers.
- The inner layer should consist of a moisture-wicking material that takes moisture away from your skin, while also providing some insulation. Regular long underwear and a matching top will do just fine.
- The second or middle layer is all about insulation and warmth. This layer should consist of relatively thick pants and a good sweater or hoodie, things that can really retain heat.
- The third and outer layer should be your snow pants and coat. This layer is designed to provide warmth, and more importantly, to keep wind, snow, and moisture out.
Of course, a hat, a scarf, and good gloves, along with insulated and waterproof snow boots, are also called for.
How Much Does Snow Tubing Cost?
There are plenty of popular snow tubing locations around the world, and particularly in the USA. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most popular ones and about how much you can expect to spend on them.
Most snow tubing locations will cost on average about $15 to $30 for a two-hour session.
Snow Tubing Locations in the USA:
- Brian Head Resort – $25 for 1.5 hours.
- Buckskin Hills Recreation Complex – $10 per person or $25 per family of 4.
- Cherry Peak Resort – $11 for 3 hours.
- Soldier Hollow – Between $12 and $30 depending on the time.
- Wasatch Parc Snow Tubing – $8 for a single ride, $20 for 2 hours, $30 for 4 hours.
Snow Tubing Locations in Canada:
- Parc du Mont-Royal – $10.50 snow tube rental.
- Big White Ski Resort – $29 for an all-day pass.
- Snow Valley Ski Resort – $15 to $37 depending on the time.
- Cypress Mountain Gnarly’s Tube Park -$34 for 2 hours
5 Reasons Why Snow Tubing is a Fun Family Activity You Need to Try
If you have never gone snow tubing before, then it’s definitely something you want to try, and this is true for many reasons. Lets take a look at them:
1. It is Inclusive to Everybody!
What’s really nice about tubing is that it’s something that everyone can do. Young and old, men and women, and everyone in between is welcome to go snow tubing. Furthermore, it makes for a great family activity, but can be just as fun to do on your own as well. Snow tubing is not an exclusive activity and it’s open to everyone.
2. Cost-Effective Activity
When compared to many other winter activities, particularly skiing and snowboarding, or even snowmobiling, snow tubing is a very cost-effective activity.
A few hours of tubing usually won’t cost more than $30, with many locations also offering group or family rates. Having fun in the winter doesn’t have to involve spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars. As you saw above, there are locations that offer family sessions starting at just $25.
3. It is a Healthy Physical Activity
What also stands out about tubing is that it is relatively healthy. You need to engage your core muscles to stay stable when tubing, plus you’ll end up walking quite a bit as well. It’s definitely better than sitting at home and watching TV. No, it might not equate to running a marathon, but is certainly much better than not moving at all.
4. You Get to Unplug and Enjoy the Outdoors
If nothing else, at least you get to unplug from your busy life ruled by technology. We’re always on our phones, because they’re always in our pockets, and this can be quite stressful. Sometimes there’s just nothing better than being able to enjoy the great outdoors without any other distractions.
5. Social Activity
Winter activities like tubing are also just really social in nature. It’s a great way to spend time with your friends and family, all while getting to enjoy Mother Nature as well.
Final Thoughts
There you have it folks, everything you need to know about snow tubing! It’s a great family-friendly winter activity that won’t break your bank! If you have any more questions about the sport feel free to reach out by email or comment you questions in the comment section below.
Enjoy your next snow tubing session!
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!
