Dorrs Pond, where you can bundle up and skate for free outdoors

MANCHESTER, NH – Sure, there’s a deep freeze out there but we do live in New England. This is the winter our grandparents used to talk about, and who knows how long it might last.

A big shout out to the Manchester Parks and Recreation staff who were out early the other day in single-digit weather cleaning up Dorrs Pond after the storm. They cleared snow drifts by hand and machine and resurfaced the ice for skating.

The outdoor pond ice skating experience is unique. Bundle up for the cold. Be prepared for fissure cracks on the ice. You need to bring your own skates and hot chocolate but there is a heated warming hut whose hours vary weekdays (mostly 8 a.m.-2 p.m.) and weekends (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)

How cold was it at Dorrs Pond at 9am?

Want additional places to play outdoors?

There are walking trails and cross-country skiing opportunities on the rail trails and at Stark Park.

Not everyone loves being outdoors in the cold but if you do and are out early enough, you’ll often get the chance to see rime ice and hoar frost!

Feeling less adventurous, or hate the cold?

JFK Coliseum has indoor public skating and skate rentals at varying times different days of the week.

You can find their schedule here.

Winter is here in force. See you outdoors.

Chill baby, chill.