GENERAL ICE THICKNESS GUIDELINES
These GUIDELINES (not rules) are for new, clear (blue) ice on lakes and ponds. Ice is never 100% safe! White ice or “snow ice” is only about half as strong as new clear ice.
Under 4” – STAY OFF
4” – may allow for Ice fishing or other recreational activities on foot
5” – 6” – starts to allow for a Snowmobile or ATV
8” – 12” of good ice supports some cars or small pickups
12” – 15” will likely hold a medium sized truck
PLEASE NOTE: These thicknesses are merely guidelines for new, clear, solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe. Always check before you go!
- Your safety is your responsibility! There is not a guaranteed “inch-thickness” to determine if ice is safe.
- You can test ice thickness and quality using a spud, needle bar or auger.
- Strongest ice: clear with bluish tint.
- Weak ice: ice formed by melted and refrozen snow. Appears milky.
- Stay off ice with slush on top. Slush ice is only half as strong as clear ice and indicates the ice is not freezing from the bottom.
- A sudden cold front with low temperatures can create cracks within a half-day.
- A warm spell may take several days to weaken ice, and cause the ice to thaw during the day and refreeze at night.
- Ice weakens with age.
- If there’s ice on the lake but water around the shoreline, be extra cautious.
- Stronger the current and/or springs in the lake, the more likely the ice will give to open water.
- Avoid areas of ice with protruding debris like logs or brush.
- Keep an eye out for dock bubblers or de-icers as the ice near these mechanisms will be unsafe. Always check the ice and be aware of your surroundings.
ALWAYS keep in mind that ice does not freeze uniformly across a body of water. For this reason, check the thickness at regular intervals (at least every 100-150 feet) to ensure safety.