Skate the Granite State: Places to Ice Skate in New Hampshire
Outdoor ice skating venues in New Hampshire
Puddle Dock Pond at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth. Photo courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum
When people think of winter, different things come to mind: sipping hot chocolate by the fireside, gazing at fallen snow, holiday gift giving and more. For winter activities, people look towards the mountains, imagining sloping hills and black diamond trails to challenge skiers. But one winter activity is suitable in all situations, whether you’re trying to have an easy-going conversation, entertain the kids or exercise: ice skating.
If you want to skate on a frozen pond or under the stars, New Hampshire has everything you need.
Know of a great skating location we didn’t list? Let us know and we’ll consider adding it. You can email Erica Thoits at ethoits@nhmagazine.com, leave a comment here, visit us on Facebook or tweet @nhmagazine.
*Note – For those looking to skate on ponds or rivers, always check with town officials or the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department to see if ice is safe. Ice can look solid and inviting while being dangerously thin. Never go out onto any ice without first making sure the conditions are safe to do so. Keep in mind that thickness is not always uniform across a body of water.
Outdoor
Bow Town Pond
Located next to the Bow Community Center, 3 Bow Center Road.
Concord
There are four skating areas in Concord: Merrill Park located at 27 Eastman St.; Beaver Meadow Golf Course at 1 Beaver Meadow Rd.; Rollins Park at 116 Broadway St. and White Park at 1 White St.
Dorrs Pond in Manchester
Adjacent to Livingston Park, Dorrs Pond has been a fixture in the north end of Manchester since 1934. The pond has a normal surface area of 25 acres. Click here for directions.
Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa
This gorgeous grand hotel has an outdoor rink where you can rent skates or bring your own. 101 Mountain View Rd., Whitefield
Nestlenook Farm
Enjoy ice skating in a timeless fashion on a maintained three-acre Victorian skating park. An enclosed warming center offers a roaring fire and hot chocolate. General winter hours are: Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See the website for holiday and school vacation hours. The cost is $10 for adults (those over 13) and $7 for children 6 and older. Children under 5 are free. Rentals for all ages are $9 per hour or $12 for the day. Located at Nestlenook Farm on Dinsmore Road in Jackson.
Occom Pond in Hanover
Occom Pond is located near the Hanover Country Club’s golf course, on the northern edge of the Dartmouth College campus.
Puddle Dock Pond in Portsmouth
Located at the Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth. The rink is placed in the open lawn area between the Visitor Center and the Cooper Shop. Come for public skating and skating lessons.
Robin Hood Park Pond in Keene
The lovely Robin Hood Forest is home to a pond that’s groomed for skating in the winter. To get there, turn left at 366 Reservoir Street off of Roxbury Street. Parking is in the lot between the pond and the swimming pool.
Schouler Park in North Conway
Offers outdoor public skating in the heart of North Conway. The rink was renovated in 2012 with a remodeled warming hut and new low-wood boards to replace old chest-high hockey rink boards.
