Andover's outdoor winter opens in a set order. Grooming at Bunker Hills can start once 4 to 6 inches of snow are on the ground, and Bunker Hills is the first Anoka County ski park the crews work on. The city's outdoor rinks open on a date the city announces, and last season that date was Monday, December 15.
So the order comes from two schedules: Anoka County's grooming queue, which starts at Bunker Hills, and the city's rink calendar, which runs on its own timeline. Once you know how each one works, the first weekends of winter are easier to plan.
Bunker Hills is first in the county's grooming queue
Bunker Hills Regional Park sits at 550 Bunker Lake Boulevard NW, inside Andover. It is one of three Anoka County parks with groomed cross-country ski trails, and the county works through them in a fixed order. According to Anoka County Parks, crews start with Bunker Hills, covering the park, the golf course and the skijor trail. Then they move to Chomonix Golf Course, and Rum River Central Regional Park comes last.
The county explains that grooming needs a minimum of 4 to 6 inches of snow, depending on how much moisture is in it. The first work is rolling the trails until there is a base. Classic tracks are set once the snow gets deeper. After a fresh snowfall, crews spend about 2 days packing and rolling and another 2 days grooming and setting track. Covering the whole county system usually takes about 4 days.
Because Bunker Hills is first in that four-day cycle, Andover skiers get groomed trails before skiers at the other two county ski parks. On the first good-snow weekend, the closest county trails to home are also the first ones finished.
The county lists 20 kilometers of ski trails at Bunker Hills. The park's ski trail map marks these loops:
- Green loop: 5.5 km
- Orange loop: 2.75 km
- Purple loop: 3.04 km
- Blue skijor loop: 5.21 km, for skiers out with their dogs
Two practical details have changed since some long-time skiers last checked. Anoka County Parks says a Minnesota state ski pass is no longer required on its ski trails. A vehicle entry permit is still required at Bunker Hills. The park page currently lists it at $7 per day or $30 per year. The park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you plan to ski or snowshoe there more than four times this winter, the annual permit costs less than buying a day pass each time.
The city rinks open on a posted date
Snow depth decides when Bunker Hills gets groomed. The rinks open when the city announces them. In 2025, the City of Andover posted the news on December 5. Every outdoor rink, including the Hidden Creek North skating loop, would open on Monday, December 15. The warming houses at Prairie Knoll Park, Crooked Lake School and the City Complex opened the same day, and the Hawkridge Park warming house followed later that week.
The city hasn't announced a date for the 2026–27 season yet. Last season's mid-December opening is a reasonable guide, but it isn't a promise for this year.
The newest addition is the skating loop at Hidden Creek North Park, 2620 Bunker Lake Blvd NW. The city introduced it in December 2024 as a 1,200-foot loop that circles the outside of the baseball field. This winter is its third season. It is a lap-skating loop, and the city's rink list doesn't show a hockey rink or warming house there. That makes it a good fit for a short skate after dinner.
The most detailed rink list the city has published comes from its November/December 2023 newsletter. It's the best available picture of the full rink system, but the city may have made changes since then:
| Site | Address | Warming house | Hockey rink | Skating rink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Knoll | 595 146th Lane | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crooked Lake School | 2939 Bunker Lake Boulevard | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hawkridge | 18001 Verdin Street | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| City Complex East/West | 1885 Crosstown Boulevard | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nordeens | 15535 Juniper Street | No | No | Yes |
| Hidden Creek North | 2620 Bunker Lake Boulevard | No | No | Yes |
That newsletter also listed warming house hours of 4 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 1 to 8 p.m. on weekends. On holidays and District 11 school breaks, weekday hours started earlier, running 1 to 9 p.m. Treat those hours as the most recent published schedule, not a confirmed plan for this winter. The city's Parks Maintenance page is where it posts current rink and sliding hill information.
Getting outside in the weeks before the rinks open
Grooming at Bunker Hills depends on snow depth, while last season the rinks waited until December 15. Depending on when the first real snow arrives, that can leave a stretch of early winter with groomed trails but no city ice yet. A few things are available in the meantime.
The lighted sliding hills. The city's 2023–24 list names two sliding hills, both lighted. One is Andover Station North at 1823 139th Lane. The other is Prairie Knoll at 595 146th Lane, which also has one of the warming house rinks. With the lights, sledding after school or after work still works in December, when it gets dark early.
Snowshoes at Bunker Hills. The county rents snowshoes at the Bunker Hills Activities Center for $5 for up to two hours, for use in the park only. Rentals are available Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Renters must be 18 or older with a driver's license, and the county asks visitors to call ahead to check availability. Snowshoeing doesn't need groomed trails, so it's an option before the ski tracks are set.
A first ski lesson. Anoka County Parks has scheduled Learn to Cross-Country Ski for ages 12 and up on Monday, December 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Bunker Hills Campground. The county says all equipment is provided and no skiing experience is needed. The lesson falls during winter break and is local, so it suits families who want to try skiing before buying gear.
The city's own calendar starts filling up during the same weeks:
- Saturday, November 14: Book and Board Game Swap, posted by the City of Andover on October 13.
- Friday, December 4: The city's tree lighting event. The city has said more details are coming.
- Saturday, December 5: The Andover Christmas Craft & Gift Show at the Andover Community Center, 15200 Hanson Blvd NW, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and organizers say there's room for up to 160 vendors.
All three dates come earlier on the calendar than the December 15 date the rinks opened last season. If the city follows a similar schedule this year, its first winter events will come before the ice is ready.
Where to check before you head out
Each schedule has its own place to check, so it's quickest to go straight to the right one:
- Ski trail conditions: Anoka County Parks links to SkinnySki's Bunker Hills page for trail reports. Look at it after any snowfall of 4 inches or more.
- Rink and warming house openings: Last season the city posted the opening date about ten days ahead in its news feed. The Parks Maintenance page has the full rink list.
- Snowshoe rentals and the ski lesson: Call the Bunker Hills Activities Center before a weekend snowshoe outing. Its weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sign up for the December 28 lesson through the county's activities and events page.
Once the first big snow comes, Bunker Hills will be groomed before any other county ski park, and the Hidden Creek North loop will be ready for laps once the city announces its opening date.
The Paul E Team has been part of Anoka County for close to twenty years, and winter here is a big part of daily life. If you want a recommendation for which warming house works best with your weeknight schedule, or the closest lighted sliding hill to a street you're considering, The Paul E Team is happy to help. Contact Us any time this season.
