The Chutes and Ladders park isn’t your average playground — this enormous wooden structure occupies an entire hillside. It’s a wild labyrinth of wooden stairs, secret tunnels, and swinging bridges. Standing at the bottom, you can just barely see the top platform, high on the hill above.
Exploring the Chutes and Ladders Park
Chutes and Ladders is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of playground. Little ones (or parents who need to conserve their energy) can stick to the lower levels. Climb to the first tier and return on one of the short slides. Go up a level, and you’ll discover an unexpected spiral slide. Everywhere you turn, there’s another play structure or a cool hideout.
If you’re feeling adventurous (and energetic), head straight for the top. There are plenty of ways to get there — climb a near-vertical ladder, haul yourself up tall wooden steps, or swing across the monkey bars. The higher you go, the more obstacles you’ll encounter. (The swinging bridge is our favorite.)
The top of the Chutes and Ladders park is well worth the climb. This elevated platform rises high above the surrounding area, offering a beautiful view of the park and the Portage Canal.
To get back down, hop in one of the two long tube slides. Be prepared — you’re going to work up some speed! The slide that’s closest to the beach is faster; the other one has a nearly flat section in the middle to slow you down a bit.
Fun for Kids of All Ages
The Chutes and Ladders park isn’t just for kids — you’ll often see adults climbing around or shooting out the bottom of the slides. If you prefer to keep an eye on your kids from the bottom, there are picnic tables with shade awnings near the base of the playground.
Do your children need to get out more energy? Send them to the top of the sandy hill; it’s a challenging hike, and they can roll or moon-bounce back to the bottom.
While Chutes and Ladders is the ultimate playground, it can be intimidating for little ones. The park offers a smaller play structure for toddlers. There are also two swing sets.
Chutes and Ladders in Houghton Waterfront Park
Chutes and Ladders sits inside Houghton Waterfront Park. The park is open year-round, but the play structure is only accessible when the snow melts; ice can build up in the slides and on the stairs. When you’re done on the playground, check out the rest of the park’s amenities: picnic areas, grills, cornhole, an ice cream shop, and more.
Visiting in hot weather? You’re in luck — the park has two of the most convenient beaches near Houghton, MI. Change into your swimsuit in the changing rooms, and hop straight into the Portage Canal for a swim.
How to Get to Chutes and Ladders Park
Chutes and Ladders is located in Houghton, Michigan, about 1 mile west of downtown.
Directions to Chutes and Ladders
- From downtown Houghton, take Lakeshore Drive east along the water.
- Drive 1 mile to Houghton Waterfront Park
You can leave your car in the large parking lot. On festival and concert weekends, parking can be hard to find. In that case, park in downtown Houghton and walk down to Chutes and Ladders on the Houghton Waterfront Trail.
History of the Chutes and Ladders Park
The park that surrounds Chutes and Ladders wasn’t always there — in fact, it’s a relatively new addition. When Houghton was a copper boom town, this area was occupied by a massive railroad operation. Then, when the mines closed, it became something of an industrial wasteland.
The City of Houghton, led by city manager Ray Kestner, went to great pains to revitalize the waterfront. In 1986, they started to build the facilities at Houghton Waterfront Park.
In 1992, the city built the Chutes and Ladders park with funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), The hill under the play structure didn’t exist; it was built with fill material taken from land near Shopko (now Evangel Community Church).
Things to Do Nearby
Looking for other fun things to do? Take your kids on an adventure to one of the waterfalls near Houghton, MI; Hungarian Falls, in particular, is fun for the whole family. The City of Houghton RV Park, one of the most popular campgrounds in Houghton, MI, is right next to the park.