The winter’s first snowfall* melted in less than a week. (Technically, it was the fall’s first—and last—snowfall.) But it was immediately clear that a pandemic snow day is different from a typical one. The blanket of snow offered a break from the monotony that’s settled in over the last several months.
Rather than groan about digging cars out, parents across the Delaware River Towns, and throughout the Mid-Atlantic, logged off for a few hours and indulged their inner-10-year-old, rolling snowmen, packing snowballs, and blowing up sledding tubes. For a day, life felt … well, normal.
With the usual slate of events cancelled for the foreseeable future, we can at least hope for more snow days. And when they come, you’ll be better prepared because we’re sharing our favorite sledding hills across the region below. We’re blessed with a bounty of hills around here, but only a precious few feel like they were made just for sledding.
Magill’s Hill | River and Chapel roads, New Hope
It’s fairly steep, which makes it fast. Fortunately, there’s also a large landing area that allows for rolling to a nice, gradual stop. And making snow angels. Even more, when you count the recreation area across River Road, there’s ample parking, which is critical because Magill’s Hill is a poorly-kept secret. On a given snow day, you could find as many as a hundred people spotting the hillside. So wear a mask, just to be on safe side.
Phillips Barber Road | Between the Homestead Market and Lambertville Fire Station, Lambertville
The landing area is barely there. A row of haybales serves as a necessary buffer between zealous sledders and North Main Street. And parking can be a challenge, particularly right after a winter storm. But this hill is still a popular draw for neighborhood families, and new and seasoned sledders alike.
Belle Mountain | Valley Road, Lambertville
Right around the corner from the Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market sits this former ski resort. Belle Mountain operated from around the mid-sixties through the late-nineties. At its peak, there were four chair lifts and seven trails, though it was considered a modest resort by any skier’s standards. The regulars called it “Belle Bump.” Where sledding is concerned, though, the runs are among the best you’ll find outside of an active resort in the tri-state region.
