Free outdoor skating, affordable snowshoe rentals, cozy sleigh rides, and more! There’s plenty of outdoor winter fun for every budget and every family in the Greater Moncton Area.

Note: Before heading out, be sure to check on outdoor conditions and cancellations in Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview. The pages should say the last time the information was updated, which should be daily. We update this list each year, but not regularly throughout the season. (This post was updated January 2023.)

Winter Trails: Walking, Snowshoeing, and Cross Country Skiing

You can enjoy snowshoeing and cross country skiing at Centennial Park; equipment for both adults and children is available to rent through Camp Centennial. Moncton’s claims this is the longest lit cross-country trail in Eastern Canada! Both snowshoes ($10 for two hours) and cross-country skis ($20 for two hours) are available in adult and children sizes. The rentals on February 5, 18, 19, & 20 are 50% off thanks to the City of Moncton. These will fill up fast, so book quickly!

You can also rent snow shoe equipment ($10/two hours) and fat bikes ($20/two hours) for adults at Mapleton Park, also via Camp Centennial‘s online booking system. Rentals on February 12 & 26 are 50% thanks to the City of Moncton.

You can also bring your own gear to enjoy on the trails at Centennial and Mapleton, as well as enjoy walking in the marked areas.

There are groomed trails in Moncton’s Irishtown Nature Park that are available for snowshoeing, biking, and walking.

In Riverview, there are groomed cross country trails, marked snowshoe trails, and walking trails in Mill Creek Nature Park.

You can also enjoy Riverview’s Dobson Trail by foot or snowshoe, and the Riverfront Trail is great for winter walking.

Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe has trails that are available for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and walking, from 8am to 10pm daily.

Dieppe’s Dover Park’s walking trail is accessible during the winter.

Salisbury’s Highland Park is a wonderful winter destination, with the 1km walking trail open. There is also a shorter woodland walk available behind the baseball field Salisbury Regional School.

Petitcodiac’s Maple Street Park has walking & snowshoe trails.

Fundy National Park is open from sunrise to sunset during the winter, with park activities including cross-country skiing, birding, snowshoeing, fat biking, and winter camping.

Kouchibouquac Park is also open all winter, with trails for winter walking, snowshoeing (more than 30km of trails), and fat biking. The park also has 15km of cross-country trails, groomed for both classic and ski skating styles.

Need a little encouragement or guidance to get out this winter? You might want to book a trip through Maritime Detours, including one of their very popular trips to the Midland ice caves, or check for events with Explore Nature’s Bounty. Hiking NB is another wonderful resource for detailed itineraries, maps, and more for all seasons.

Ski Hills & Snowboarding near Moncton

Poley Mountain in Sussex offers plenty of opportunities for family fun, with 30 trails for downhill skiing & snowboarding. Close enough for an after school adventure!

If you’re up for a day trip, you can head to Crabbe Mountain and test out the Maritimes’ highest vertical. The hill is minutes from Fredericton and boasts 27 alpine trails and glades, with something for all levels of skiing ability.

Why not plan a winter weekend family getaway in New Brunswick? Other New Brunswick ski hills include Mont Farlagne in Edmundston (tubing hills with a lift!) and Sugarloaf Provincial Park in Atholville (11 downhill ski trails and groomed cross-country ski trails laid out around Prichard Lake).

Sleigh Rides & More

Gather the neighbours, your friends, and family and enjoy a sleigh ride this winter!

• Country Sleigh Rides (near the Irishtown Community Centre) offers private group bookings for sleigh rides. Call 506-874-4090 for information and booking. Their sled fits up to 16 adults; one-hour private bookings include time in the barn with the animals and a 40-minute ride and generally cost $125-$150.
• Boyle Family Farm (just past Magnetic Hill School) offers winter horseback riding.
• Broadleaf Ranch offers several winter activities including horseback rides and sleigh rides. You can also book to stay overnight; a great birthday adventure or mini-getaway!
• For something a little different, why not book a walk with a llama or a camel? Llama-zing Adventures offers year-round options!
• NB Urban Mushing, located near Havelock, offers dog sled rides and an incredible chance to learn more about this mode of transportation.

Sliding Hills in & around Greater Moncton

Tobogganing is one of the easiest winter sports of all!

Every neighbourhood has its favourite hills, but there are a few municipally-approved toboggan runs at Centennial Park in Moncton and Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe. In Riverview, head to Winter Wonderland Park, on Quinn Court (off Gunningsville Boulevard).

Some other popular spots include the hill at Claude D. Taylor School in Riverview and Pascal Poirier Park in Shediac. Our kids love sliding at Highland Park in Salisbury!

In Fundy Park, check out the Headquarters Tobogganing Hill, and if you’re at Kouchibouquac Park, Patterson Hill is a great spot for sliding, though it is a long walk (2km) to reach the site.

Outdoor Skating around Moncton

Lace up your skates, grab a helmet, and enjoy all the outdoor rinks you can find!

In Moncton, enjoy skating on the Ian Fowler Oval at Avenir Centre (open 10am-10pm), as well as in Centennial Park. (One rink in the park is designated for hockey, while everyone can enjoy the 618m Muskrat Skating Trail, with lights on into the evening.) There is an outdoor rink behind the Rotary Pavilion at Mapleton Park, as well as one at Victoria Park. (Check the status of rinks & more on the city’s site.)

The City of Moncton also partners with neighbourhood volunteers to create skating rinks in some community parks.

• Lewisville Park (45 Glenmoor Drive)
• Brentwood Park (150 Brentwood Drive)
• Grove Hamlet (39 Ripplewood Road)
• Canadian Heights Park (35 Chelsea Road)
• Candlewood Park (90 Candlewood Drive)
• Maplehurst Park (115 Maplehurst Drive)
• Brian Hicks Park (120 Evergreen Drive)
• Roxborough Park (140 Barrington Crescent)
• YMCA North (70 Twin Oaks Drive)

The City requires helmets be worn while skating.

Irishtown/Maple Hills community has a lovely looking outdoor rink this season at the community centre; check their Facebook group for updates on when it’s open for skating and/or games.

Dieppe maintains two outdoor rinks at Rotary St-Anselme Park (one for skating, one for games) and the oval behind City Hall (no sticks or pucks allowed here). Skating on the oval at Place 1604 is permitted daily between 10am and 9:30pm; please note that the ice is closed between 1-1:30pm and again from 5-5:30pm for maintenance. You can borrow skates and helmets (required for children 12 and under, recommended for others) on site Fridays (6-9pm), Saturdays & Sundays (noon-4pm) until March 6, 2020. They will also be available on New Year’s Day and Family Day from noon until 4pm.

Riverview’s Winter Wonderland outdoor park also includes a skating oval. Helmets are recommended.

Salisbury has an outdoor skating rink, open daily depending on weather; check the Facebook page for updates. It is located on Douglas Avenue, just off Main Street.

Petitcodiac’s outdoor rink is at 42 Maple Street, with a new warming shelter for getting your skates on/off & a lovely sign showing the snowshoeing trail. You can generally find a daily update (green flag or red flag photo) in the Facebook group Petitcodiac Happenings.

Shediac has a skating oval at Pascal Poirier Park for all to enjoy!

Indoor Skating in Greater Moncton

For the days when the weather has a bit too much of Jack Frost’s touch, there are lots of indoor skating rinks – many with free ice times! You can find our FULL updated list of public skating times here. Below are the free public sessions:

FREE Indoor Skating Times for 2023

• Monday: Dieppe’s AJL preschoolers 9:30-10:30am; Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm; Hillsborough preschoolers 10-11am
• Tuesday: Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm; Riverview 12 & under 3-4pm; Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am
• Wednesday: Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm; Riverview 18 & under 3:00-4:45pm; Memramcook 1:45-3:45pm
• Thursday: Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm; Dieppe’s AJL preschoolers 9:30-10:30am
• Friday: Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am; Superior Propane Arena parent & tot 10-11am *unless there are tournament bookings; please check the schedule; Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 10:15am-11:15am & 3:30pm-4:30pm *unless there are tournament bookings; please check the schedule; Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm; Riverview 12 & under, 4-5:15pm
• Saturday: Riverview public 3:45-5:00pm; Dieppe’s AJL 6:15-7:15pm
• Sunday: Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under); Dieppe’s AJL 2:15-3:15pm; Dieppe’s UNIplex 3:30-4:30pm; Riverview public 2:30-4pm; Memramcook public 11:45am-12:45pm

INSIDE OPTIONS

Some days you just want to stay indoors! Check out our MEGA LIST of Things to Do with the Kids in Moncton for links to all the great local options, including trampoline parks, kid-friendly museums, movie specials, and more.

You might also want to check out the indoor walking tracks at Moncton Coliseum, Crossman Centre/Kay Arena, YMCA North & the UNIplex in Dieppe for current information.

 

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