Six Sledding Spots in and Around Arlington

If snow is good for one thing, and one thing only, it's sledding. Crashing downhill at what feels like mach-speeds is a wonderful bit of exercise that the entire family can enjoy. Below is a quick run-down of the premier sledding spots around Arlington.

• - 99 Pond Lane - The park that shares the same name as Arlington's sports teams is sure to be abuzz with people enjoying the fluffy white stuff. You're going to want to go to the edge of the park, the hills near the bleachers, for the steepest and best sledding opportunities. And if the pond is still frozen (be sure to check as the weather warms up) Spy Pond is your best bet in town to go for a little ice skating or jumping in on a pick-up hockey game.
• – Linwood Street and Lakehill Avenue Intersection - If Spy Pond is too packed, you can sneak a few streets over to Scannell Field. Scannell doesn't really offer too many prize hills to speak of, but if your more into snow angels, building snow men, or really, just having some secluded time in the snow, then Scannell is just a few yards away from the edge of Spy Pond and will provide a much more quiet atmosphere.
• Jason Street and Gray Street Intersection - Here is place that is a little more geared towards your youngest. Menotomy Rocks Park is a bit more tucked away than Spy Pond, and has a more tranquil feel to it. Most likely, the crowds will be smaller at Menotomy, along with the fact that there is a small children's play structure featured in the park, so if your children aren't of sledding age yet, they can still have some fun in the snow. For skating, there is a tiny pond which doesn't boast as much room as the massive Spy Pond, but could make for some nice couples skating. Menotomy also has a lovely walking path that circles the park for those of you who don't want to jump right into sledding.
• - 61 Eastern Ave. - Robbins Farm Park is probably the most expansive field in all of Arlington. Great, rolling hills for sledding, plenty of flat ground for playing in the snow, heck, it even has a slide built right into one of the stairways for those of you that want to reach warp speeds on your sled – word of warning though, the ice on the slide can chew up the best sleds. Robbins Farm also has a playground full of wooden trains, swings, and a play structure that little guys can scamper around on. With Robbins Farm Park, you also get one of the most elegant views of Boston you can see from anywhere in town.
• – Between Ridge Street and Lockeland Road across from the FireStation, Winchester - If the Arlington hills are too crowded, there are a few places right over the boarder in Winchester that provide some great sledding. The first is Mullen Hill located just a mile and a half from Arlington Heights. Mullen has one big, steep hill and is defiantly more geared towards teenagers who want to hit top speeds. Craft a decent sized mound of snow at the bottom of the hill and you can go sailing through the air and into the sprawling field beyond.
• - 75 Johnson Road, Winchester - Vinson Owen is another sledding spot that has some huge hills to sled down and is just down the road from Mullen. V-O has a large field with smaller hills off to the side for those that want to keep their speed in first gear. Vinson Owen also has a playground to bumble around on off to the far right side. Be careful though in sledding down the biggest hills on the far side of the school, some of the hills are in direct paths to stair wells, so make sure you have good control of your trajectory before you rocket off through the powdery white.