Skiing and Snow Tubing Near Wisconsin Dells: Cascade, Christmas Mountain and Devil's Head
Wisconsin Dells is known for indoor waterparks, but there's real skiing close by. There are three downhill areas within about 40 minutes, two of them with snow tubing, and 19 miles of groomed cross-country trail at Mirror Lake State Park, 10 minutes from downtown. A lot of families do both on the same trip: ski or tube in the morning, then thaw out at a waterpark or back at the house in the afternoon.
This is a planning guide, not a review. We haven't skied these hills ourselves yet, so everything below comes from the ski areas and the Wisconsin DNR, checked in November 2026. Opening days depend on the weather, and a few places haven't posted this season's details yet. Where that's the case, I've marked it check before you go, and I'll update this page as they post.
Quick comparison
| Place | Best for | From downtown Dells | 2026-27 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Mountain, Portage | The biggest hill nearby, night skiing, tubing | About 20 to 25 minutes | Tentative opening Nov 28; tubing by mid-December |
| Christmas Mountain Village, Wisconsin Dells | Beginners, kids and a short drive | About 10 minutes | Usually opens in December. Check before you go |
| Devil's Head Resort, Merrimac | The most terrain and vertical | About 35 to 40 minutes | Usually opens early to mid-December. Check before you go |
| Mirror Lake State Park, Lake Delton | Groomed cross-country skiing | About 10 minutes | When there's snow |
Drive times are my estimates from downtown and can run longer in snow.
Cascade Mountain
Cascade is the big one, and the easiest to plan around because it posts the most information. It has 48 trails and 11 lifts, terrain parks, lessons and rentals, and it's open late: until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 pm the rest of the week. Cascade says it's 15 minutes from the Dells; from downtown, plan on 20 to 25.
Opening: Cascade has posted a tentative opening day of November 28, 2026. Last season it opened November 30. It usually runs into mid or late March. Cascade also spent the offseason on a snowmaking project that it says should allow earlier snowmaking and faster terrain opening.
2026-27 lift tickets (from Cascade's lift ticket page, before tax):
| Day type | Adult 18+, all day | Junior 13 to 17, all day | Night (last 5 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base days | $79 | $69 | $43 |
| Select days | $108 | $98 | $60 |
| Peak days | $115 | $105 | $65 |
Cascade's calendar shows which dates are Base, Select or Peak. Weekends and holidays cost the most.
What to know:
- Kids 12 and under ski free with a paid adult ticket, up to five kids per adult. For families, that's the best deal in the area.
- Buy ahead. Tickets are limited, and buying in advance is required Friday through Sunday and on all Select and Peak days. It's recommended the rest of the week.
- It's cashless. Bring a card or phone.
- Tuesday nights are locals night from January 5, with $25 night tickets and $25 night rentals.
Snow tubing at Cascade
Cascade's tubing hill is a single 900-foot chute with a lift back to the top, and the tubes are provided. It's expected to open by mid-December, a little after the ski slopes.
- Buy ahead. Tubing is pre-purchase only, with limited spots, mostly in two-hour sessions. Monday through Thursday it's one session, 4 pm to 8 pm.
- No age or height limits. Cascade leaves it to parents. Riders need to handle the tube and the lift on their own, though small kids can link to a parent's tube.
- Everyone signs a waiver, with a parent or guardian signing for anyone under 18. No personal sleds.
- Prices for 2026-27 aren't posted yet. Check before you go.
Christmas Mountain Village
Christmas Mountain is the closest hill to town, about 10 minutes from downtown and 20 from our homes. It's a small, beginner-friendly resort hill with downhill skiing, snowboarding and a snow tubing hill, plus cross-country skiing. If your kids are trying skiing for the first time, or you only want a couple of hours on the snow, it's the easy choice.
Opening day and 2026-27 prices: check before you go. Christmas Mountain hadn't posted them when I checked in early November, and its ski page doesn't open for our research tools. It usually opens in December, depending on snow. Call (608) 254-3971 or check its website before you drive over.
Last winter, Mt. Olympus offered free skiing and tubing at Christmas Mountain with a stay, Friday through Monday. If you're staying there, ask whether it's back this season.
Devil's Head Resort
Devil's Head in Merrimac is the farthest of the three, about 35 to 40 minutes south, and the biggest. It has 30 trails on about 300 acres with a 500-foot vertical drop, six quad chairlifts, two terrain parks and snowmaking on all of it. About 80% of the terrain is lit for night skiing. It also has lessons, rentals and a 3.5-mile cross-country loop around the golf course when there's natural snow.
Opening day: check before you go. Devil's Head hadn't posted a 2026-27 opening date in early November. It usually opens in early to mid-December and runs into March.
Its lift ticket page lists $98 for adults 13 and up on weekends and holidays, $88 midweek, and $40 for night skiing after 4 pm, with kids 5 and under free. The page doesn't say which season those prices are for, so confirm when you buy.
Devil's Head doesn't list snow tubing, so for tubing go to Cascade or Christmas Mountain.
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
Mirror Lake State Park in Lake Delton is the standout. The DNR grooms 19 miles of trail, 18 of them for both skate and classic skiing, through pine woods and along the lake's sandstone. You'll need a state park vehicle pass, and skiers 16 and up also need a state trail pass. Snowshoers should stay off the ski trails; the Sandstone, Pulpit Rock and Wild Rice trails are good short snowshoe walks instead.
Devil's Lake State Park doesn't groom ski trails, but you can ski or snowshoe anywhere in the park, and the nature center lends out snowshoes for free, first come, first served. Call ahead. The bluff trails are steep and have steps, so stick to the lakeshore if you're new to snowshoes. See our Devil's Lake guide for the park itself.
When to go
- Early season (late November and December) depends on snowmaking. Cascade usually opens first, around Thanksgiving weekend. Opening weekends get crowded.
- Christmas to New Year's is the busiest stretch, and holiday dates cost the most. Buy tickets and tubing sessions as early as you can.
- January and February are the most reliable months for snow and the coldest. January averages a high of 26°F. See Wisconsin Dells weather by month.
- Midweek is usually cheaper and calmer. At Cascade, Monday to Thursday Base days are the lowest prices, and you don't have to buy ahead.
Tips for a ski day from the Dells
- Buy tickets the night before at the latest. Both Cascade's lift tickets on busy days and its tubing are online only.
- Pair it with a waterpark. Ski or tube in the morning, then spend the afternoon at an indoor waterpark. Our waterparks guide covers which sell day passes.
- Watch the roads. I-90/94 and Hwy 12 get slow in snow, so leave extra time and check conditions before you drive.
- Have an indoor plan. If it's too cold or the hills aren't open yet, see things to do in Wisconsin Dells in winter or our rainy day guide, which works for cold days too.
Where to stay for a ski weekend
After a day on the slopes, a hot tub beats a hotel pool. At my cabin-style Hot Tub Hideout, the hot tub is on a covered, screened porch, there's an infrared sauna steps away, and the game room keeps everyone busy at night. It sleeps 12, so it works for a group ski trip. The Arcade Hideout sleeps 6 and is cozier for a family. Both are north of downtown, about 20 minutes from Christmas Mountain and 30 from Cascade. See all our homes.
FAQ
Is there skiing in Wisconsin Dells?
Yes. Christmas Mountain Village is a small ski and tubing hill just outside town. Cascade Mountain near Portage, about 20 to 25 minutes away, is the biggest ski area nearby, and Devil's Head in Merrimac is about 35 to 40 minutes south.
When does Cascade Mountain open for 2026-27?
Cascade has posted a tentative opening day of November 28, 2026, weather permitting. Its tubing hill is expected to open by mid-December.
How much are Cascade Mountain lift tickets?
For 2026-27, an adult all-day ticket is $79 on Base days, $108 on Select days and $115 on Peak days, before tax. Juniors 13 to 17 pay $10 less, and kids 12 and under ski free with a paid adult.
Where can you go snow tubing near Wisconsin Dells?
Cascade Mountain has a 900-foot tubing chute with a lift, sold online in timed sessions, and Christmas Mountain Village has a tubing hill just outside town. Devil's Head doesn't offer tubing.
Is there an age limit for snow tubing at Cascade Mountain?
No. Cascade has no age or height limits and leaves it to parents. Riders need to handle the tube and the lift themselves, and young kids can link to a parent's tube.
Where can you cross-country ski near Wisconsin Dells?
Mirror Lake State Park, about 10 minutes from downtown, has 19 miles of groomed trail for classic and skate skiing. You'll need a state park vehicle pass, plus a state trail pass for skiers 16 and up.
Photo credits
Mirror Lake winter photos: Yinan Chen, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (ski trail, sandstone in snow).
