Ahh, there’s no place like my home hill.
Growing up in the middle of Iowa, I spent so many nights and weekends at Seven Oaks in Boone, IA. I was taught to ski when I was 5 or 6 and was lucky to have opportunities through school and church groups growing up to visit a handful of different ski resorts in the midwest, but the one I went to most was Seven Oaks. Especially once I was able to drive and could head over there after school on weeknights. It really became a core part of who I am and really made me learn to love winter and snow sports.
Seven Oaks features 11 runs, 2 chairlifts, 2 rope tows, 1 handle tow and 2 terrain parks. They have something for all skill levels. Fun fact about Seven Oaks - Wednesday and Thursday nights are a little bit cheaper for riding! They’re open from 4-9pm and right now lift tickets are $18, rentals are an additional $24. If you want to learn more about their specials, check out this link that lists group specials, discounts for kids, Friday early bird specials and more. Click on the image below for full details about pricing and hours.
New to the sport and unsure where to start? One of the really cool benefits of Seven Oaks is that they offer free mini lessons to anyone. They’re going to help you with some fundamentals and give you pointers as you are working your way down the hill. If you’re looking for a little more help, they also offer 75-minute paid lessons that you can reserve online.
If you’re not interested in skiing or snowboarding, have no fear, there’s still plenty of fun for you. Give snow tubing a try! You’re encouraged to schedule your time slot ahead of time as it’s a very popular attraction and fun for the whole family! It costs between $18-25 for 2 hours depending on the day and time you’re wanting to go. Take a look at their website to learn more!
Enjoy the views from the lodge right at the base of the hill. There’s hot cocoa, walking tacos, pizza, mini donuts, a full bar for the adults, cheesy fries and more - what more could you ask for? There’s plenty of seating and shelves provided to store your gear if you don’t want to keep it in your car. Speaking of your car, parking is free and there’s a large gravel lot right next to the lodge and rental shop. Just outside the lodge by the hill are some picnic tables and a fire pit that they have going most nights! Warm up by the fire and watch the riders hitting the big features in the terrain park.
Since we’ve gone through all that, I think the last thing for you to do is check it out for yourself! Make a trip to Seven Oaks for some snowboarding or skiing this winter! Maybe I’ll see you out there on my next trip home.
Live big.
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