Sledding Hill Evaluation at Koulas Farm
This morning I saw a weather notice about possible snow next week and it got me thinking about sledding and the open-space initiative by Conservation to explore a sledding area at Koulas Farm. Sledding has always been popular with kids in town and always will be.
There are a few places around town already used for sledding. Varney Playground has small hills that slope down to the baseball field. It’s perfect for very young children because it’s only about fifteen feet high, safe, and easy to climb back up for another run. Once kids gain more experience, they usually move on to South Row Hill. That hill is much bigger but still manageable, with the main hazard being the chance of bumping into another sledder. Then there are the sketchier spots like the sand pit at Crooked Spring. It’s narrow, very steep, and lined with trees on both sides. From time to time, residents post warning signs about the danger, but those never seem to last long.
So, like the story of the three bears, we already have three hills: Baby Hill at Varney, Mom Hill at South Row, and the big wild Papa Bear Hill at Crooked Spring.
As a member of the Koulas Task Force, I know there has been interest in adding a sledding hill there because safe public options in town are limited. The town has always said it is open to new ideas from residents, so from time to time I come up with them. Sometimes it’s ideas like making Red Wing family friendly, building community gardens, adding pollinator gardens, or finding locations for a Storybook Trail. This is not something new. Sometimes these ideas happen, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes a variation happens. That is understood with any plan and is key to a good community decision.
The first hill that some people suggested for Koulas was off the paper road. That idea was not practical. The hill is extremely steep, covered in trees that hold the slope in place, and ends at a four-foot stone wall right below the main road. Parking would be difficult, and nearby residents would not be happy. Thankfully, Conservation did not select that location.
The second location, near Big Red, has become the focus. After a site visit this morning, it’s clear that DPW has mowed the back hill, which made assessment much easier. What was thought to be a stone wall hidden in the brush at the bottom of the slope does not exist. Instead, the area levels into trees and a wet zone before the actual wall and property line farther out. This means the previous concern about sledders hitting the wall is not an issue. However, there is still a drop-off and a fair amount of brush at the bottom, including some thorny areas, so a simple barrier such as hay bales will still be needed to keep sleds from going too far into the brush.
Now that the hill can be clearly seen, its slope can be fully understood. It falls between Varney and South Row in steepness, closer to South Row overall. There are a few steeper patches toward the left when looking uphill, but about ninety percent of sledders will naturally use the right side, which has a smoother, safer grade and a wider run-out area.
This makes the site much more viable than first thought. The general layout could support family use if safety measures are added, such as hay bales at the bottom or simple signage. COSS could cover the initial cost of the hay bales, and in future years the materials could be reused from leftover Scarecrow Festival supplies, something that could be coordinated with CLCT.
The smaller kids also need a place of their own, and the nearby silage pit area could provide that. A silage pit is a dug-out area where farmers once stored hay under plastic weighted down by tires. The pit is shaped like a large open box, about thirty feet across, with one open side at the bottom. It sits within the upper part of the hill, inside the family-friendly section of the property. It was already cleared earlier this year, so the work needed now is minimal—removing one branch, taking down one small invasive tree, and doing a bit of weed whacking and lopper work. The area could be ready in just a few hours.
This smaller slope would be excellent for young children since it is easy to reach from the parking area, clearly visible, and separate from the larger hill. It also provides an opportunity to preserve and highlight a bit of local farm history, since silage pits are not often seen anymore.
The next step is for Friends of Koulas to prepare a simple draft plan for review. It will include photos from the assessment, notes on the slope and surface conditions, recommendations for safety and conservation, and a look at public access. The group will walk the site again soon to double-check everything.
If you see people out there this weekend, that’s what is happening—planning and reviewing, not doing any physical work yet. Everything will move forward only if Conservation agrees and it fits within the overall management plan for the area.
This location could realistically be opened for safe sledding as early as this season, though like many open-space efforts, plans often evolve once people get on the ground and see how things actually work. Whether it happens now, in 2026, or never at all, the goal is to make sure the plan is thoughtful, safe, and community driven.