Snowcat Ridge snow park in Dade City returns for its second season

DADE CITY, Fla. - Snow is once again in the forecast for Dade City because Snowcat Ridge is back for its second season.

Snowcat Ridge claims to be Florida’s only alpine snow park with "real" snow, featuring a 400-foot-long snow tubing hill. New this year: the "Crystal Ribbon," a 16,000 square foot ice-skating ribbon; an Eskimo Outpost with private igloo rentals; and new food and drink vendors in the Alpine Village. There will also be a music and light show each evening.

On the snow-tubing hill, riders can tube down the hill in either a single, double, or family-sized tube at speeds that can hit almost 30 miles an hour.

The park opened in November 2020, giving Floridians the chance to go tubing on its slopes and play with real snow inside an igloo. However, it did face some hiccups during its inaugural season. Operators had to shorten the hours when they couldn't produce enough snow. 

Pasco County later shut down the park temporarily for code violations, citing threats to public safety including potential fire and electrical hazards. Snowcat Ridge reopened days later after addressing the county's concerns. The attraction was expected to stay open through March, but the park announced mid-January they had to close to upgrade their equipment.

Tickets for the snow park start at $26.95. You can find more information at snowcatridge.com.