The Great Lakes region of the USA offers a wide range of winter sports ranging from skiing to ice skating to tobogganing to the more unusual pursuit of climbing a frozen waterfall.

The Great Lakes USA is the largest expanse of freshwater in the world.

This region which is the size of continental Europe, comprises the states of Illinois, Indiana Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Ice Climbing in Minnesota

Northeast Minnesota is the state's most prolific region for ice climbing.

There are dozens of waterfalls along the Lake Superior shoreline, and in winter these freeze into massive ice walls, making conditions for ice climbing.

The Lower Falls at Gooseberry State Park is a popular and moderately simple climb, with another, more difficult climb located near the second falls.

Further up the shore, Grand Marais houses two of Minnesota's best (and longest) ice climbs in the Nightfall and Cascade Falls.

Winona recently opened its own ice climbing park.

Skiing in Michigan

With 49 ski areas, 269 lifts, 50 terrain parks nearly 1,000 runs and the only ski flying hill in the country, Michigan ranks second in the nation for number of skiing areas.

With names like Voodoo Mountain, Nose Dive, Gorge Glades, Kingdom Come and Sidewinder, the downhill ski and snowboard trails of Michigan offer some of the most exciting, diverse terrains in the Great Lakes region.

They are also family-friendly, with resorts offering runs for all skill levels and ski schools and lessons available for all ages.

Tubing in Wisconsin

Wisconsin does tubing in style with a 100-foot vertical drop, multiple-chute, fabric-covered tubes with a lift to the top of the hill kind of tubing.

A development in the Green Bay community, the newly-opened Titletown District features restaurants, an ice-skating rink, a park with outdoor games and a tubing hill!

This 46-foot man-made hill features three tubing lanes that each total 300 feet, and an automated tube return system.

Ice fishing in Ohio

When temperatures drop well below 30 for a week or more, many of the state's ponds, reservoirs and lakes freeze over with enough ice for fishing.

And if temperatures drop low enough for long enough, Lake Erie freezes, too.

Tobogganing in Indiana

Angola's Pokagon State Park home to Indiana's only refrigerated toboggan run where thrill-seekers can go down one of the 1/4-mile twin tracks at speeds of 35-40 miles per hour!

Ice skating in Illinois

Maggie Daley Park is one of Chicago's newest green spaces in the heart of downtown and connected to Millennium Park via Anish Kapoor's BP Bridge.

Opened in late 2014, Maggie Daley Park offers Skating Ribbon where skaters can experience alpine in the city as they follow a path twice the length of a lap around a traditional skating rink.

Useful links

​ www.greatlakesusa.com