Big Bear Arena

Sault Ste. Marie, MI · Public skating times & prices

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians' two-rink arena, opened September 27, 1996

Public skating at Big Bear Arena: the next 7 days

Monday, October 12

  • · Public Skate · $4

Tuesday, October 13

  • · Public Skate · $4

Wednesday, October 14

  • · Public Skate · $4

Friday, October 16

  • · Public Skate · $4

Sunday, October 18

  • · Public Skate · $4

Admission and skate rental

Admission
$3–$4 · Official source
Address
2 Ice Circle Dr, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Phone
(906) 635-7465
Website
bigbeararena.recdesk.com
The white front of Big Bear Arena, with the Sault Tribe crest and the names Big Bear Arena and Chi Mukwa above the glass entrance. — Big Bear Arena
The white front of Big Bear Arena, with the Sault Tribe crest and the names Big Bear Arena and Chi Mukwa above the glass entrance. Photo: Google Maps listing · Source
A game seen from the rail above the glass, players spread across the sheet under a wide white roof with banners along the far wall. — Big Bear Arena
A game seen from the rail above the glass, players spread across the sheet under a wide white roof with banners along the far wall. Photo: Google Maps listing · Source

Named Chi Mukwa, Ojibwe for Big Bear

Big Bear Arena opened on September 27, 1996, and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians owns and operates it. The building's Ojibwe name, Chi Mukwa, means Big Bear.

The 150,000-square-foot building puts two sheets of ice under one roof. One is an NHL rink measuring 85 by 200 feet; the other is an Olympic-size rink 15 feet wider. A fitness club and the tribe's education department share the building. The Sault High Blue Devils play their home games here, and so do the Soo Indians, one of the longest-running Midget AAA programs in Michigan and the last one left in the Upper Peninsula.

In April 2005 the arena hosted game six of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League final, with the Northern Michigan Black Bears trailing the North Bay Skyhawks three games to two. In December 2023 the Blue Devils hosted St. Mary's College from across the border on the second day of the Rodenroth Motors Showcase, the two schools' first meeting in eight years.

Before you head out.

Admission, rentals and arrival details, researched from official rink information. Source checks stay current for 30 days.

Admission

Public skating is $4 for adults and $3 for students and seniors; children 5 and under and Sault Tribe members with ID skate free.

Source checked · · Official source

Skates & rentals

Skate rental at public skating is $2 (youth size 8 to adult size 13).

Source checked · · Official source

A source check records what the rink published on that date. Session-specific booking details take precedence.