This review of Rolling Hills Water Park is part of our Summer Series: Wednesday Activity Reviews. Rolling Hills hosted us in August 2019 to update our review and we have added 2023 information. The water park has not significantly changed since the 2019 season.
Our Visit to Rolling Hills Water Park
As always, we had a great time at Rolling Hills Water Park. We usually visit close to opening to beat the crowds. For this trip we switched it up with a late afternoon visit from 3:30-5:30p. With cooler temperatures it was not that crowded even in mid-afternoon.
New Splash Pad
A brand new splash pad with a pirate ship theme debuted inside the Rolling HIlls waterpark in 2019. The prior splash pad was removed after the 2017 season and there was no splash pad for 2018.
Even at 13 my daughter had a blast on the new splash pad. She had to kneel down to use the water guns, but she gladly took aim at mom and the camera.
In addition to my daughter, I saw several other teens enjoying the slide. However, I think they need a longer landing pad. I saw many kids including my daughter slide right off the end and keep going. The smaller slide had a back stop at the end of the pad.
Water Slides
There are two sets of water slides at Rolling Hills Water Park. Plunge Peak is the “new” slide tower that was added in 2013. Slide Mountain is the “old” slides that are built into the rock formations behind the wave pool.
Plunge Peak has three body slides:
- Twisting tube slide (yellow)
- Open twisting slide (blue)
- Open speed slide (green)
These are free standing slides which each terminate in a chute instead of a pool. These slides can have long lines when the park is crowded.
Hint, try the slides while the wave pool is on. The lines usually get longer when the wave pool is off. New for 2019 were benches next to Plunge Peak for observers.
There is both a tube slide and a body slide. Smaller children can ride the tube slide in a parents lap. If you are heading to the tube slide, be sure to grab your tube before heading to the top.
The ground at the bottom of the stairs is labeled with tube or body. Make sure you wait in the correct line.
There is also a small slide for toddlers and preschoolers (under 42″ height). Parents can stand at the bottom to catch their kids. This small slide is part of the larger zero entry pool.
White Cap Bay Wave Pool
White Cap Bay wave pool is one of my daughter’s favorite parts of Rolling Hills water park in ypsilanti. She is always listening for the bell indicating that it is active. When she was younger, she liked riding an inner tube as the waves bounced her up and down.
As a teen, my daughter loves diving through the waves without a tube and riding them into the “shore”. The wave pool is something that families of all ages can enjoy together.
Lazy River
The Lazy River is in the back of the Ypsilanti water park and is also an activity for all ages. There are two paths through the lazy river. The action channel includes bucket dumps, a wall of water, jets, and more. The calm channel without these spray features a more relaxed experience.
They have both double and single tubes available for the Lazy River. The double tubes are perfect to ride with your child – or so friends can ride together.
The Lazy River is perfect for all ages and abilities. Some kids love zooming through the course by walking their tubes or swimming. While some adults prefer the lazy ride.
Do you know they offer river walking in the mornings before the water park opens? I started doing that in 2022 and love it.
Zero Entry Pool
Rolling Hills Water park has a Zero Entry Pool between Slide Mountain and the wave pool. The pool has a maximum depth of less than 4 feet. But, my daughter still has fun swimming around, particularly in and out of the waterfall.
Food and Drink at Rolling Hills Waterpark in Ypsilanti
Rolling Hills Water Park has a great Snack Bar. They serve fresh grilled burgers and boneless chicken breasts for sandwiches or salads. We typically have lunch at the snack bar.
The snack bar operated with limited offerings in 2021 and 2022 but it is back with fresh grilled items in 2023!
I love that they grill the burgers and chicken to order. They also offer PB&J Uncrustables, hot dogs, and Polish sausage.
Their chicken caesar salad is one of my favorites. Mine looked so good that my daughter asked to try it at 8 -even though she didn’t eat salad at time. She loved it!
We have always felt that their prices were reasonable – $5 for a cheeseburger &7 for a chicken caesar salad. A frozen yogurt is available for $2 and the portions have always been generous.
We typically arrive at park opening and ride the slides before it gets too crowded. We typically break for lunch before 12:30. Around 1p, the food lines get long and stay that way most of the day. Purchased food must be eaten in the snack bar area.
If you want to bring your own food, you can get a handstamp and eat outside the water park.
Rolling Hills Video
Check out our video from 2017 – just remember that the sprayground will be different.
Visiting Rolling Hills Water Park in 2023
Age Range
Rolling Hills Water Park offers something for all ages. Kids as young as toddlers will enjoy the zero entry pool with gently bubble geysers. They may also like the splash pad if they don’t mind a bit of spray. At the same time, there are enough thrills for tweens and teens to enjoy a visit.
While there is enough for toddlers to enjoy, I would recommend a minimum age of 4 or 5 especially. We’ve been bringing our daughter since she was 4.5 and she still loved it at 13 in 2019.
Getting to Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills Water Park is part of Rolling Hills County Park. The park is located at 7660 Stony Creek Rd in Ypsilanti Township.
How Much is Rolling Hills Water Park?
Rolling Hills Park is part of the Washtenaw County Park system. It has a vehicle entry fee of $6 for county residents and $10 for non-residents. An annual vehicle pass is available for $30 (county resident)/$45 (non-resident).
The annual vehicle pass is also valid at Independence Lake. The Blue Heron Bay splash park is at Independence Lake.
Rolling Hills Water Park Ticket prices are:
- Resident – $11
- Non-Resident – $13
- Children Under 36″ are always free!
They no longer offer cheaper admission on weekdays.
Water Park Hours
Rolling Hills Water Park typically opens on Memorial Day Weekend and is open through Labor Day. Their 2023 hours are noon-7p.
They will be closed on weekdays from August 28-September 1. They will reopen for Labor Day weekend.
Other Water Parks & More
The Ann Arbor area has several other water park options – both outdoors and indoors.
Besides Rolling Hills Water Park there are several other places to get wet during the summer. Check out these 11 Pools, Water Parks, and more.
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