Explore Michigan’s Winter Wonderland

Being active in winter is a challenge for many of us. Cold weather drives us indoors and the thought of scraping the windshield and driving on slippery roads keeps many people from venturing out into the winter landscape. This year, once the roads are clear, I challenge everyone to get active and explore the magical, snowy scenery Michigan has to offer. Grab a pair of snowshoes and search for snow!

If you’ve ever enjoyed floating on foot through a winter wonderland, you know what I’m talking about. If not, just imagine the earth shrouded under a smooth white blanket, twinkling like a billion miniature diamonds strewn across the forest floor. Tiny footprints, left by chickadees, mark the ground under a hemlock tree. They’ve gathered to celebrate a winter feast of seeds which drop from cones to dot the snow below.

Winter woods are quiet places. Most birds have left for warmer homes and many mammals den up to sleep the winter away. The rare encounters we do have with our forest friends in winter are special ones. Have you ever seen tracks of a porcupine lumbering down a trail? They drag their quills like tines of a child’s rake through a sandbox filled with snow. If you choose to follow a fox, be prepared for an inquisitive adventure. Filled with twists, turns, leaps and jumps, their wild route just might leave you wondering how they disappeared right into thin air.

Strap on snowshoes in Michigan and you can explore frozen waterfalls, magnificent ice caves, and deep swamplands where midsummer mosquitoes would simply carry you away. Or you might venture out to windy Lake Michigan and walk on thick plates of ice that line the frozen shore. The sublime magnificence of grandfather forest is only an hour and a half from Midland at Hartwick Pines State Park.

You don’t have to travel far to experience some winter fun that can really get your heart pumping. Local adventures at Chippewa Nature Center are planned each week throughout January and February with hikes just right for beginners and families. Participants can borrow several styles of traditional snowshoes to try along with adjustable poles which help you stay on your feet as you get your bearings. For a full calendar of Nature Center programs, visit us at www.chippewanaturecenter.org. Under the “Resources” section, you’ll also discover an article which will help you “Choose the Right Snowshoe.”

Whether you chose snowshoes, cross-country skis or just your snow boots, bundling up and getting outdoors this winter is really worth it. Being outdoors in the open air can banish the “winter blues” and a good dose of fresh air every day will help you avoid being sneezed upon by any sniffling noses in the house. Looking to burn some calories? Snowshoeing burns up to 45% more calories than walking or running at the same speed!

If snowshoeing sounds interesting, but you still have some questions, don’t hesitate to call the Naturalist on Duty at Chippewa Nature Center by dialing 989.631.0830. We hope you see you on the trail this winter and wish everyone a safe and healthy season – outdoors!