Imagine an otherworldly place that only exists when brisk temperatures allow, and you may picture the Ice Castles, a highly anticipated, temporary attraction in Colorado that is a favorite for families and even guests from around the world. Every year, thousands of people flock to experience the joy of this winter wonderland and the awe-inspiring, frozen construction that “brings fairy tales to life.” There are two Ice Castles in Colorado this winter, but for the third year in a row, Ice Castles Cripple Creek is just a short drive from Colorado Springs.
“The Ice Castles are made up of half a million individual icicles,” says Amanda Roseth, marketing and engagement director for Ice Castles. “Hundreds of thousands of icicles are grown and hand placed by ice artisans to equal over 20 millions pounds of ice.”
The concept for Ice Castles began in 2011, when Brent Christensen crafted a backyard ice cave for his own children in an attempt to get them out of the house and play in the frosty Utah weather. His original creation attracted children from all over town and was affectionately dubbed an “ice castle.” His vision continues to bring the concept of a custom, frozen playground to the masses, with multiple locations continuing to grow across North America. Ice Castles first came to Colorado in 2019 at Dillon. Now Cripple Creek nabs the spot for closest proximity to the Springs, but there is an Ice Castles in Silverthorne, Colorado, too this winter.
The whimsy of this spectacular, frozen palace is suitable for all ages, especially those wanting to emulate the beauty and wonder of Elsa’s powers in Disney’s award-winning film, Frozen. We won’t judge if you want to unleash your inner Disney princess with some twirling and singing, and all our kids — a 7-month-old, 11-year-old and 14-year-old — thoroughly enjoyed our icicle-laden adventure.
The acre of ice offers an immersive experience featuring numerous ice slides, a maze of archways, caverns to crawl through. There are immaculate ice-carvings and LED lights that invite Northern Lights effects to the structure after dark. Our family favorites included racing down the slides and weaving our way through the seemingly endless ice tunnels.
“Let go of your inhibitions and immerse yourself in the enchanting beauty of Ice Castles,” Roseth says. “We’ve created a world of wonder and magic, made even more memorable when you interact with the ice — whether by crawling through tunnels, sliding down ice slides or embracing your inner child.”
Grownups at least 21 won’t want to miss the Polar Pub, serving boozy hot cocoa, spiked warm apple cider and additional adult beverages. We got a little boost from our hot chocolate with the addition of peanut butter whiskey and Bailey’s Irish cream.
“The Polar Pub ice bar is a great attraction for the adults to partake in for a day date or nighttime date,” Roseth says.
A small food truck caters to the younger crowd offering kid-friendly drinks, a nacho station, mini donuts and other snacks. After grabbing refreshments, you can warm up around a handful of elevated fire pits for an al fresco dining experience like nowhere else.
As you might expect, the ice castles are very chilly, so we highly recommend dressing in waterproof layers just as you would to hit the slopes at any Colorado ski resort. Ski pants or bibs, jacket, gloves/mittens and beanies are all a good bet. And plan to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours or more exploring the mystical, crystallized surroundings.
Watch How the Ice Castles Are Built
Founder Brent Christensen gives insights and shows the process of building castles out of millions of icicles.
The season for Ice Castles is entirely weather dependent. Ice Castles Cripple Creek is expected to operate through late February. All sites for the Ice Castles are selected to be built next to a natural water source so the ice melt can return to the environment in the spring to be used again by surrounding wildlife, people and natural vegetation.
Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly advised as weekends typically sell out. Parking is free, and temporary bathrooms are on site.
For more information and to book tickets visit icecastles.com.
