Frequently Asked Questions

Boating/Fishing Q: Do I need a fishing license? A: A fishing license is not required as this is private property. Q: What kinds of fish do you have in your lakes? A: We stock our lakes with small and largemouth bass; black and white spotted crappie; channel catfish; "exceptional" yellow perch; walleye; bluegill; and sunfish. Q: Can I bring my own boat? A: You are welcome to bring your own boat. Please note that we do not allow gasoline motors and there is a personal boat launch fee of $10.00 per day.   ATV/Jeep Q: Can I bring my jeep or other 4-wheel drive vehicle to drive on your trails? A: Off-road activities are limited to off-road event weekends only. Q: Do you rent ATVs? A: No, we do not rent ATVs. Q: Can I ride my ATV from my campsite to the trails? A: No, we do not allow the use of ATVs, Off-road motorcycles, or golf carts on our camp roads.   General Camping Q: Are pets welcome? A: Pets are welcome as long as they are kept on a leash. Q: Is there a limit to the number of tents we can put on a site? A: We have no limit to the number of tents you can put on a site. Our sites vary in size, so you may put as many tents on a site depending on the size of the tents and the size of the site. Q: May I bring a grill with me? A: Yes, you may bring a grill with you. Q: To whom does the 2- or 3- night minimum apply? A: Any person staying on a reserved site must pay for a minimum of 2 nights (or 3 nights on a holiday weekend). Q: Which weekends are considered holiday weekends? A: The following are considered holiday weekends: Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, and Columbus Day Weekend. Q: Do you have any items for sale? A: We sell ice, firewood, night crawlers, and we have vending machines that sell sodas. Q: Are we allowed to bring our own firewood? A: Due to the introduction of non-native insect species, the USDA forest service recommends using firewood from local sources. As a convenience to our customers, we do sell local firewood. For more information, please see: Emerald Ash Borer Information Page Forest Health Protection--Northeastern Area Don't Move Firewood.org Q: Are the showers open during the winter months after November? A: The restroom and shower facilities are closed during the winter months do to the cold conditions.   Frequently Asked Questions about SkiCove  Q: When are you open for the season? A: Our season really starts when we have sufficient continuous cold weather. Usually around the last week of the year. Once we get at least three continuous days of temperatures below 22 degrees at night, we can make enough man-made snow to open. Q: When it snows outside, does it help? A: Actually, No. Natural snow has a different texture and consistency. It takes over 10 inches of natural snow to make one inch of usable snow for the tubing hill. If anything, it makes it harder for people to get here because of the snow covered roads. Q: What days are you open? A: Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. Depending on conditions of the hill. Please call ahead to make sure we are open. Also check the website often for any closings. We may be open on certain Wednesday evenings for large groups and private tubing parties. Call us during the day on Wednesday to see if we will be open that evening. Q: Can I take my child down in the tube with me? A: No, not in the same tube. You must place your child in a separate tube and you can hold onto his/her tube and go down together. Q: What should I wear and are there any restrictions? A: There are no restrictions as to clothing. Whatever keeps you warm and comfortable. When temperatures are 20 degrees or below and the wind is blowing, you may want to wear extra clothing, long underwear, or ski outfits. Goggles are optional but not required. Good outdoor shoes with treads are helpful. No smooth bottom or high heels. Please refrain from wearing any jewelry or hanging earrings. Don't carry your cell phone when going down the hill. Q: Can I bring my own tube, snow sled, skis, snow board, or toboggan? A: No. We provide the only tubes you can use on our tubing hill. Q: Is there a place to get warm? A: Yes. We have a warm building where you can sit down, watch TV, and get snacks. Q: Once down the hill, how do I get back to the top? A: There is a lift on the left side of the hill that will take you back to the top. Once you get to the bottom, quickly exit your tube and walk to the left, and follow the trail to the lift line. Q: Why do you have a half hour break between sessions? A: Our staff needs a break in order to warm up. Standing out in the cold air all day is quite demanding. Q: Do you give discounts for groups? A: If your group is greater than 20 and you call in advance, you can receive a discount. Q: How do you make your snow? A: We have high pressure air pumps and high volume water pumps that feed the snow making nozzles. When the mixed air and water emits from the nozzles, and the temperature is right, snow will form and fall to the ground in huge piles. Please don't eat the snow. The water comes from a pond. Q: How do you spread the snow piles? A: We have a large snow groomer that pushes and tills the snow into the chutes you see on the hill. Q: How deep is the snow on the hill? A: There are places where the snow is almost 14 feet deep. The average hill is around five feet deep depending upon the snow making conditions. Q: How long does the snow last if it gets warm? A: Depending on the air temperature, we can sustain a few warm spells and still have a good hill to tube on. Warm conditions makes the hill much slower. Please call ahead to confirm if we will be open after a warm spell. Q: Does rain destroy the hill? A: Usually it doesn't. Rain drains through the man-made snow leaving most of the hill intact. We just have to chop up the hard ice with our machines to get it usable again. Q: What are the red and green lights for at the bottom of the hill? A: The lights indicate if it is clear to proceed down the hill. Normally they stay green. If you see a red light, you should not start down the hill. If you are on the way down the hill and see the light turn red, use caution, try to slow down, and be observant because the bottom may not be cleared of tubers. Q: How do I put my lift ticket on? A: Easy. Take the wire wicket and loop it into your zipper, button hole, or loop on your coat. Fold the ticket in half. Open it back up and bend it backwards with the color side to the inside. Fold it on the line of arrows and a crack will appear and you can easily remove the backing. Place the ticket over the lower part of the wire wicket and fold it. Q: What if I loose my ticket? A: Immediately go to the office and notify them so you can get a replacement. Numbers are assigned so you must give the office your name to get the same number again. Q: My family of five came all the way from Richmond and we only have $35 cash. Can you give us a break and let us go down a few times? A: Please don't embarrass us by asking questions like that. We have set or price per person for a reason. Our insurance, payroll, and operating expenses dictate how much we must charge for each customer. There is an ATM at the bank in Gore if you need cash.