Cross-Country Skiing Is Back At Electric Park

PLAINFIELD, IL — This winter, Nordic skiers don't necessarily have to hop on a flight to the West Coast or make the trek up to Wisconsin or Michigan to hit the slopes. Instead, they can do it right in Plainfield.

The Chicago area saw the snowiest November day on record last weekend, and while it brought with it frigid temperatures and icy road conditions, it also primed Electric Park for cross-country skiing.

Electric Park, which spans almost 28 acres along the DuPage River, first opened for cross-country skiing in 2022, when the village received a donation from a local health clinic to purchase grooming equipment. If conditions are right this winter, the Public Works Department will prep the park for skiers.

Mayor John Argoudelis shared in a Facebook post Friday morning that he skied seven kilometers and spotted deer, coyote tracks and a bald eagle while out on the powder.

"We have beautiful groom trails here, right in Plainfield," he said in a video. "Let's enjoy winter. Let it snow."

To ski, residents who have equipment will only have to go to the park and have fun. But people who don't have the materials can visit surrounding businesses that rent skis. King Keyser, at 41 S. Washington St. in Hinsdale, is among sporting goods stores that have rental equipment.