Sleepy Hollow
A nearby escape to nature.
Sure, there’s tubing, but did you know Sleepy Hollow also connects to Fourmile Creek and Gay Lea Wilson Trail? And a new 3.5 million gallon pond will open for fishing soon? And naturalists will often be onsite to offer classes on plants, insects, and wildlife? It’s all here. And there’s more coming every day.
Map view of Sleepy Hollow park info and location
Hours and location
Close to home and open in every season.

Bring your family, friends, and coworkers for a day of fun. We’re open for downhill thrills in every season. Hours shift seasonally. Here’s what you can expect:

  • Spring: The season kicks off with skiing and snowboarding on the Snowflex hill. Select dates and times for tubing will be announced as the weather warms.
  • Summer: Starting Memorial Day weekend the Snowflex hill will primarily host tubing. Skiing and snowboarding hill time will be offered once a week.
  • Fall: After Labor Day the Snowflex hill will be open for skiing and snowboarding runs. Select dates and times for tubing will be set as weather allows.
  • Winter: Stay-tuned for expansion of winter operations in the coming years. New snow-making equipment and a chairlift will be installed to provide the best winter tubing, skiing, and snowboarding experience!

Sleepy Hollow is located at 4051 Dean Avenue, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Snowflex Overview
How Snowflex® makes winter fun possible all year round.

Snowflex is an advanced snow substitute that can be used for downhill sports in every season. It’s a high-performance polymer composite system that is specifically designed for skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. 

Sleepy Hollow’s Snowflex hill is 50,000 sq. ft. and 600 ft long—that’s the length of two football fields! And, to ensure maximum speed, a misting system keeps the surface slippery. Fun Fact: Our misting system uses cleaned and recycled water from the on-site pond in an effort to support the park’s conservation principles.

Snowflex is slippy for speed and grippy so you can change direction and control your speed of descent when skiing and snowboarding. It’s also softer to fall on than hard-packed snow so frequent falls won’t stop beginners or advanced winter sports enthusiasts from learning new skills quickly.

Learn more about Snowflex safety.

FAQ
Year-round tubing, skiing and snowboarding thanks to Snowflex technology
History and info about Sleepy Hollow Sports Park
History
The iconic park’s history.

Rick and Mary Flatt opened Sleepy Hollow in 1994, guiding the business to success for 30 years. During that time, the 76-acre park offered snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding, golf, batting cages, soccer fields, a climbing wall, and go-karts. The park eventually expanded its activities to include signature events, like Renaissance faires, concerts, and Halloween activities. 

In the fall of 2021, the Flatts reached an agreement to sell the property to the county with the understanding that Polk County Conservation would oversee the park. Two key staff, who have extensive knowledge and years of experience in the ski industry, were hired to begin working on the ownership transition. 

The sale was finalized in 2022 and Polk County Conservation began an assessment of the land, facilities, and operational needs. That same year, the organization announced it would install the world’s longest all-weather turf-surface tubing hill for year-round recreation. Construction began in 2023 and the opening is planned for Spring 2024.

What’s next
Sliding into the future

As Sleepy Hollow and the world’s largest Snowflex hill become family fun favorites, you’ll get to watch it evolve before your very eyes. Construction has just wrapped for step one of the master plan, and there are big plans for the future of this all-weather park. New chair lift and snow making systems? You got it. A Snowflex bunny hill? Definitely. Completely new lodge with restaurant? It’s on the wishlist! If all goes as planned, Sleepy Hollow will be completely renovated by 2027.