Last Updated on April 8, 2022
Not all winter sports have to involve bundling up in layers upon layers to the point where you can barely move. Ice skating in Park City, Utah is the perfect winter activity that’s off the slopes and out of the snow.
I grew-up ice skating from age 5 through age 18. Being raised in Michigan, there were ice rinks in nearly every neighboring town – it was the thing to do.
After graduating high school, I stopped skating and only got on the ice occasionally to skate with friends.
Nearly 10 years later, I never realized how much I missed the sport until I got back on the ice in Park City.
Where to go ice skating in Park City?
Resort Center Ice Skating Rink
Resort Center Ice Skating Rink is conveniently located just north of downtown Park City at the base of Park City Mountain Resort.
Address of Resort Center Ice Skating Rink:
1415 Lowell Ave
Park City, UT 84060
Ice Rink Details:
You’ll feel like you’re in a winter wonderland ice skating at this festive outdoor rink. With being an outdoor rink, note that it is not open year-round and the ice is more difficult to maintain due to the uncontrollable climate.
Tip: For seasoned skaters bringing their own skates, this type of ice can easily dull your blades. Be sure to get them sharpened after!
The rink is small and primarily for visitors to just skate around in circles. This ice-skating rink, however, is very kid-friendly. Each children’s ticket includes a skate walker to provide balance on the ice.
Hours of Operation:
The ice-skating season at this Park City skating rink typically ranges from November through late winter/early spring.
Hours of operation can vary from day-to-day and season-to-season, but are generally 11 AM to 7 or 8 PM. Note that the rink may close down for the day, have a delayed start, or close early due to heavy snow or weather. You can check their calendar for up-to-date notifications of closures prior to planning your skating trip.
How much does it cost to go ice skating at Park City’s Resort Center Ice Skating Rink?
*Note that prices may change from year to year. These are prices in 2021.
For skaters who are using their own skates, the cost is $15 per person. For skaters needing to rent skates, the cost is $25 per person.
It is encouraged to book in advance to ensure you have reserved ice time.
Park City Ice Arena
Park City Ice Arena is a year-round, indoor, Olympic-sized ice rink located about 5 miles outside of downtown Park City.
Address of Park City Ice Arena:
600 Gillmor Way
Park City, UT 84060
Ice Rink Details:
Park City Ice Arena is great for those wanting to get out of the frigid cold of the winter and into a more “controllable” cold. Since this is a year-round ice arena, it also makes for a great rainy-day activity during summer months.
With Park City Ice Arena being an Olympic-sized rink, the middle section of the ice is blocked-off for more advanced skaters wanting to work on spins or jumps.
Due to limited capacity, Park City Ice Arena advises that you pre-register for open skate. Here, you can also view open skate dates, times, and additional information. Note that weekend time slots can book up quickly!
Hours of operation:
Park City Ice Arena is open year-round. The open skate times vary from day-to-day and each session lasts about one hour.
How much does it cost to go ice skating at Park City Ice Arena?
*Note that prices may change from year to year. These are prices in 2021.
Whether you are bringing your own skates or renting skates the price to go ice skating at Park City Ice Arena is $10 per person.
Utah Olympic Oval
The Utah Olympic Oval technically isn’t located in Park City, but is about an hour drive towards Salt Lake City.
Address of Utah Olympic Oval:
5662 Cougar Lane
Kearns, UT 84118
I was 10 years old when the 2002 Winter Olympics were held. I had been ice skating for about 5 years then and remember watching some of my favorite figure skaters take the ice – Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, and Sarah Hughes.
Unfortunately, the 2002 Olympic figure skating events were held at the Vivint Arena (renamed to Salt Lake Ice Center during the Olympics), which is a large event venue that is not a permanent ice arena.
Nearly 20 years later, since I couldn’t skate on the same ice as my favorite Olympian figure skaters, heading to the Olympic Oval was the next best thing!
The Olympic Oval is where the 2002 Olympic speed skating events took place. Although not the same ice, it was pretty cool being able to skate where some of the Olympic events took place!
Ice Rink Details:
The Olympic Oval is huge! There are two rinks within the 400m speed skating track, a running track around the speed skating track, and then workout stations on the outside of that!
When I was there, on one middle rink there was hockey practice (south rink), and the other rink was freestyle skating practice (north rink).
During public skate, visitors will have the opportunity to skate on one of the three rinks (the oval, the north, or the south rink)
Due to the massive size of the track and limited capacity for public skate, there was plenty of room to skate around the track without the fear of bumping into someone.
Unfortunately, without there being a “middle” to the track, it was difficult to find a good spot to practice any spins or jumps (I still snuck in a few spins when I had enough room).
Hours of operation:
The Utah Olympic Oval is open year-round with public skate available most of the year. Be sure to check their online calendar or call to get their most up-to-date public skating schedule.
Typically, public skating sessions last for two hours Sunday through Friday, and on Saturdays for eight hours with Zamboni refreshes every few hours.
How much does it cost to go ice skating at the Utah Olympic Oval?
*Note that prices may change from year to year. These are prices in 2021.
Adults are $6 and children are $4 for admission, plus an extra $4 if you need to rent skates.
Currently, bookings cannot be made online for public skate. Plan to get to rink and stand in line to purchase tickets.
You shouldn’t have an issue getting in, as the rink limits public skate to 300 people per two-hour session.
BONUS! 8 Ice Skating Tips for Beginners:
- If renting skates, know that in most cases, the skate’s blades are probably a little (if not a lot) dull. This greatly affects your balance and can make it feel like the ice is 50x more slippery than it actually should feel.
- When lacing up your skates (either personal or rentals), make sure they are tight, but loosely snug around the top of the ankle enough for you to slightly bend your ankle without it pinching. Nothing feels worse than too tight of skates.
- The same goes for too loose of skates. This is just a sprained ankle waiting to happen. Make sure your skates are the correct size prior to getting on the ice.
- When getting on the ice, DON’T LOOK DOWN at your skates! Keep your eyes focused on where you are trying to go.
- For beginners, it’s natural to want to move your feet parallel to each other or push off of your toe pick to move. Try bending at the knees and ankles, turning your toes outwards so your feet are in a “V” position, and pushing off the edge of your blade.
- There are a few ways to stop. The easiest is a “snowplow” or “pizza stop”, where you can bring your toes inward together to make an upside-down “V” shape. Typically, one foot is doing more work to stop than the other. A T-stop is when you put one foot perpendicular behind your moving foot. A hockey stop is when you turn one foot inward and using the inside edge to stop while the back foot turns the same direction but uses the outside edges to stop.
- Before working on stopping, stand on the ice and hold onto the wall. Practice getting the feel for shaving the ice with your blade to see how much pressure you must use.
- If you fall, do your best to lift your hands off the ice as quickly as possible to avoid the risk of someone running them over.
I hope you have a wonderful time ice-skating in Park City! Let me know how your experience was in the comments below!
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase an item through a link on this page, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read the full disclaimer here.
