What to bring snow tubing: a packing checklist

Snow tubing needs less gear than skiing, but a short checklist keeps the day smooth: proof of your reservation, a signed waiver, warm dry clothes, and a few small items that save you a trip back to the car. Most of the rules that trip people up, like outside food and personal tubes, vary by park, so read the park’s FAQ the week before you go.

Use this as a working list. The clothing section here is short, because the what to wear guide covers layers and boots in detail.

The quick checklist

Copy this into your notes and check items off the night before.

Documents and money

• Reservation confirmation (email or screenshot)
• Signed waiver, or the link to complete it
• A credit or debit card, plus a little cash as a backup

On your body

• Waterproof jacket and snow pants
• Waterproof gloves or mittens
• Warm hat and neck gaiter
• Winter boots and warm socks
• Sunglasses or goggles
• Lip balm and sunscreen

In the car

• A dry change of clothes for everyone, including socks
• Towel and a plastic bag for wet gear
• Extra gloves or mittens
• Water bottles and snacks for the drive home
• Phone charger or battery pack

For kids, add

• A second pair of mittens and a spare hat
• A full extra outfit
• Snacks and a warm drink in a thermos, if the park allows outside drinks
• A helmet, if you own one that fits

Reservation and waiver: the two items that block you at the gate

Of the 229 parks we track, reservations are required at 74 and not required at 66, and 89 do not publish a policy. That last number is the one to plan around. If a park’s listing says nothing, check its site or call before you drive.

Where reservations are required, they are often online only. Mountain Creek in New Jersey says reservations are required in advance, must be bought online, and are valid for the 2-hour session, with no on-site ticket sales. Snow Trails in Ohio says the same: reservations are online only, sessions sell out quickly, and no refunds are issued on online purchases, though you can reschedule with 24 hours notice. Prices and policies change by season, so confirm on the park’s site before you go. For more on how sessions and booking windows work, see the reservations and sessions guide.

Waivers for adults and minors

Nearly every park requires a signed liability release. Two examples of how it works:

• Timberlee Hills in Michigan says every tuber needs a signed waiver before tubing, and minors need a parent or guardian to sign for them. It sends digital waivers with the confirmation email.
• Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington requires a signed release from everyone on the hill, and guests under 18 need a parent or guardian signature.

If you are bringing a child whose other parent or a grandparent will do the driving, sort out who signs before the day. Snow Trails notes that children require signed waivers from their legal guardians to participate.

Arrive early enough to check in

Summit at Snoqualmie recommends arriving 45 minutes before your session to allow for check-in. That is a long buffer, but it shows how much time a big park expects check-in to take. Even at a smaller hill, plan to be there 20 to 30 minutes early so a slow line does not eat into a session you have already paid for.

Cash or card

Most tubing tickets are sold online, so your card does the work before you arrive. Snow Trails states that all purchases must be made online, and Summit at Snoqualmie says tickets are not sold at the tubing park. That means the ticket window rarely matters at parks that require reservations.

On the day, cash still helps. Snack bars, tip jars and small extras like a replacement lost glove are easier with a few bills. Many parks do not publish which payment types they accept at the counter, so a card plus $20 in small bills covers the likely cases. If you are buying at a park that sells walk-up tickets, check whether the site says card only.

Group bookings can be stricter. Perfect North Slopes in Indiana says its group payment must be by credit or debit card, with no personal checks. If you are organizing a group, see the groups and parties guide.

Outside food and drink

Do not assume you can bring a cooler. Here is what parks actually say:

• Snow Trails (Ohio): outside food must be consumed either at your vehicle or in the Valley Lodge, which is away from the tubing area.
• Timberlee Hills (Michigan): no outside food is allowed onsite, except desserts for parties. Outside alcohol is prohibited, and beverages must be bought at the bar.
• Nashoba Valley (Massachusetts): the tubing info page does not spell out a food policy, and the park lists a snack bar and a full bar on site. Read the current rules or call before you pack lunch.

The pattern: parks that run a lodge or snack bar often want you to buy there, and most keep food away from the lanes and lift area. Pack snacks for the car and plan on buying warm drinks on site. A thermos of hot chocolate in the trunk is a good idea even if you drink it in the parking lot.

Dry clothes: the item that matters most after you leave

You will probably get some snow on you. Fresh snow, wet snow at the bottom of the lane and a spill at the runout all add up. Pack a change for the ride home:

• Dry socks (the single highest-value item)
• A dry base layer or long-sleeve shirt
• A dry pair of pants for kids
• A warm hat or beanie, since wet hair chills fast

Put the bag in the car before you head to the hill so it is waiting. A towel on the seat and a trash bag for soaked gloves keep the car dry. Kids are the reason to overpack. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ winter safety guidance on HealthyChildren.org recommends several thin layers, insulated boots, mittens or gloves and a hat.

Hand warmers and extra gloves

Chemical hand warmers weigh almost nothing and are worth a few in your pocket. Slip one into each mitten between rides or into a boot on a cold night session. Some parks have heated lodges, but the wait in line is outdoors.

Extra gloves matter more. Wet gloves are the top reason people cut a session short, and a dry spare pair makes the second hour much better. If you use a park with a tow rope or handle tow, you will be gripping a wet rope, so the spare is even more useful.

Phone care in the cold

Phone batteries drain faster in cold air, and a phone can shut down if it gets very cold. Keep yours in an inside jacket pocket close to your body rather than in a back pocket or on the tube. A few practical habits:

• Charge to full before you leave and bring a small battery pack.
• Download your reservation and any park map before you arrive.
• Use a zip pocket, not a loose pocket, so it cannot fall out on a run.
• Keep the phone off the tube, and skip filming from the tube itself.

Rules on phones and bags while riding vary. Mountain Creek allows backpacks to be carried on your lap during rides, but check the specific park before you bring anything besides yourself down the lane. A phone in a pocket is fine at most parks. Hold-in-hand filming while sliding is a good way to lose a phone or hurt a wrist.

Sun and lip protection

Snow reflects sunlight, so a bright afternoon session can burn your face even on a cold day. Apply sunscreen to cheeks, nose and ears before you go out. Lip balm with SPF helps, especially with wind at the top of the hill. Sunglasses handle a clear day, and goggles work better in wind or blowing snow. At a night session you can skip the sunscreen but keep the lip balm.

What to leave in the car

Lighter is better. Leave these behind:

• Your own tube or sled. Nashoba Valley states that only its own tubes are allowed, with no personal tubes or sleds. Many parks work the same way.
• Ski or snowboard boots. Mountain Creek’s rules say no ski boots. See the what to wear guide for other park examples.
• Scarves, dangling straps and loose clothing that can catch on a tow rope or carpet.
• Valuables and backpacks. A day pack is usually more trouble than it is worth on the hill.
• Alcohol. Timberlee Hills bans outside alcohol, and other parks have similar rules.
• Glass bottles. They break in snow you will be sitting in, so pick plastic or a thermos.

If you drove to the park from far away, a small gear bag stays in the trunk and holds everything that does not go on the hill. Lock the car and keep only your phone, card and ticket on you.

Kids: the add-on list

Kids need everything on the main list, plus some margin. Add these:

• An extra outfit and a second set of mittens. Small kids get wet and cold faster.
• A snack that survives the cold, like granola bars, for the car ride afterward.
• A helmet if you have one. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s winter safety tips recommend a properly fitted helmet to reduce the risk of a head injury, for children and adults. Timberlee Hills says a helmet is highly recommended but not required, and offers free rentals.
• Proof of age or height if your child is close to a limit. Of the 229 parks we track, 111 publish a minimum height (median 42 inches) and 57 publish a minimum age (median 4). Measure your child at home so you know where they stand. The choosing by age guide explains the ranges.
• A parent’s signature on the waiver. See above, and sort it out before the day.

Parks that have small kids in mind often run a short, gentle hill. If you are still choosing a park, the best parks for young kids list is a good place to start, and the toddler tubing guide covers the youngest riders.

A last check before you leave

Run through five questions at the door:

1. Do I have my reservation on my phone?
2. Has everyone signed a waiver?
3. Did I check the park’s food and drink rules this week?
4. Are dry clothes in the car?
5. Is the phone charged and the tube left at home?

Hours, prices and weather closures change, so check the park’s own site or social page the morning of your trip. For the full picture of how a visit works, the beginner’s guide walks through the day from parking lot to runout.