Pokagon's Slide
N 41° 42.258 W 085° 01.741
16T E 663989 N 4618822
One of Pokagon's most exhilirating locations.
Waymark Code: WM20H2
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 08/15/2007
Views: 151
Believe it or not, the Toboggan Slide at Pokagon State Park was originally put in by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. It got its start when the CCC "boys" built a wooden toboggan run for their own sledding fun. The original run had a huge curve about halfway down, and curved down toward Lake James. The following year, they straightened the track to get greater speed, and in 1938 took the fun to an entirely new level by building a 20-foot tower. The fun was contagious, and Park Superintendent Russell Sprague sought to enhance the operation. Thus, a Pokagon winter tradition was born. 1940 saw the birth of a second track. The tracks were originally refrigerated by Mother Nature, but the workeres dressed it to help it stay smooth. They would haul ice up from Lake James, and a special machine would shave and chop the ice to make the run smooth for sledding. In 1971 the slide became refrigerated by artificial means. The slide was redone in 1984, and a rental facility and warming center was added. The track reopened in 1986. Local business commented to the Pokagon staff that the closing of the toboggan run really impacted their business!
This slide is only one of three refrigerated slides in the entire Midwest. They have done additional fine-tuning work on the slide in 1988, and it continues to grow and improve. It is estimated that over 90,000 people ride this slide annually. The top recorded speed on this run is 42 mph. The 30-foot tower, plus the dips and valleys in the run, make for a total 90-foot drop. The ride itself is about 20-30 seconds long, and in that time you ride approximately 1/4 mile. People from all over still come to Pokagon to enjoy this most exciting contribution from the "boys" of the CCC to Northeast Indiana and Pokagon State Park. To log your visit to this waymark, you must post a picture of yourself with your GPSr at the Toboggan Slide. Please also include any details about your visit to the Toboggan Slide. If you wish to include more details about your past experiences here, please do so!
This listing was created with extensive help from Fred Wooley, Interpretive Naturalist for Pokagon State Park, and columnist for the Herald-Republican newspaper. We thank him for his assistance and copies of his articles, without which we would not have been able to provide these listings.
Parking is right next to the ride.
Fee Area?: Yes
Average Run Length (feet): 1400
Parking Area Location: Not Listed
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