Looking for a winter adventure? Check out these skiing options in Northern Illinois

If you’re looking for a winter ski adventure this year, you don’t have to travel to Colorado, or even Wisconsin. There are several downhill and cross-country skiing options in the Chicago suburbs and throughout Northern Illinois.

Check out one of these beautiful locations within a few hours’ drive for a day out on the slopes or trails. The weather must stay cold enough for many facilities to make snow to open, so it’s always a good idea to check with the attraction for operating hours before heading out.

Downhill Skiing and Snow Tubing

Villa Olivia

Villa Olivia, a facility of the Bartlett Park District, offers skiing, snow boarding and snow tubing. The hill has seven runs that range in difficulty, a chair lift and six rope tows, and a separate tubing run. Equipment rental is available. Villa Olivia offers ski and snowboard lessons. Tickets and reservations are required, and can be purchased at bartlettparks.org/villa-olivia. Villa Olivia is located at 1401 W. Lake St., Bartlett.

Four Lakes Village

Four Lakes Village in west suburban Lisle offers both skiing and snowboarding with seven rope tows. Ski, snowboard and helmet rentals are available. Four Lakes features ski and snowboard lessons, as well as a ski lodge with a restaurant, bar and cafeteria. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.fourlakessnowsports.com. Four Lakes Village is located at 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle.

Chestnut Mountain Resort

Located just outside Galena, this majestic resort offers skiing on 19 runs ranging in difficulty from novice to black diamond, with chair lifts and a surface lift. For snowboarders, Chestnut Mountain has 25 rails, as well as a separate chair lift and surface lift. Lessons and equipment rentals are available. If you want to make a weekend out of your winter adventure, Chestnut Mountain has a 100-room lodge with an indoor pool, sauna, on-site dining and much more. For more information, visit chestnutmtn.com. Chestnut Mountain Resort is located at 8700 W. Chestnut Mountain Road, Galena.

Snowstar Winter Sports Park

This winter wonderland is located a bit further west, not too far from the Quad Cities in Andalusia, Illinois. But if you’re looking for an adventure, it’s worth the drive. Snowstar offers 15 skiing and snowboarding lanes across 28 acres, 11 snow tubing lanes, lessons, a ski lodge and more. The skiing hill has a 790-foot summit. Equipment rental is available. Snowstar is located at 9500 126th St. W., Andalusia. To purchase lift tickets and for more information, visit skisnowstar.com.

Blackwell Forest Preserve

The Blackwell Forest Preserve, located in Warrenville and part of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, has snow tubing on the 800-foot Mount Hoy hill. Snow tubing is available on weekends and school holidays through Feb. 25, when there is at least 3 inches of snow. Tube rentals are available for $10 per day, and only district tubes are allowed on the hill. For more information, visit dupageforest.org.

Cross-Country Skiing

Fox River Trail

The beautiful Fox River Trail along the Fox River begins in Oswego in the south, running north through Kane County before ending near the McHenry County border in Algonquin. Explore nearly 40 miles of trail through Batavia, St. Charles, Dundee, Elgin and Carpentersville. For a map of the trail, including parking locations and access points, visit northernfoxrivervalley.com.

Matthiessen State Park

This gorgeous state park, located in La Salle County near Utica, features six miles of cross-country skiing trails. Matthiessen State Park offers ski rentals on weekends from December through March. Call the Do It, To It Ski Shop at 815-343-7125 or 815-343-9014 to check conditions before coming to the park to ski.

Chain O’Lakes State Park

Chain O’Lakes State Park, located in northeast Illinois at 8916 Wilmot Road in Spring Grove, has four trail systems, all of which can be used for cross-country skiing. The trails range from less than one mile to eight miles. Some access points are the Oak Grove Picnic Area, Pike Marsh North Picnic Area and various picnic areas throughout the park.

I & M Canal State Trail

The I & M Canal is one of the state’s longest trails at 61 miles. It follows the historic route from Channahon in the east to La Salle. Some state parks located along the route, which can make for good trail access points, are Channahon State Park in Will County, William G. Stratton State Park in Morris and Buffalo State Park in La Salle County.

Of course, check out your local county forest preserve district. Cross-country skiing is available on many of the trails in the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the Forest Preserve District of Will County, McHenry County Conservation District, DeKalb County Forest Preserve and others.