Epic Winter Activities to Try This Year
ReserveAmerica is here to inspire your next winter escapade with these three things you should add to your bucket list: ice skating on a frozen lake, dog sledding through a snowy landscape, and sledding down an epic hill.
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Ice Skating on a Frozen Lake
A quintessential wintertime activity, ice skating is best enjoyed on a frozen lake in the great outdoors. Below are two of our favorite natural ice skating locales:
Hills Creek State Park, Pennsylvania
Why We Love It:
- Other winter sports opportunities
- 10 modern cabins available in winter
This 407-acre park has a large lake perfect for ice skating in cold months. Other wintertime sports opportunities include ice fishing, sledding, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. You may spy some birds native to the area, including bald eagles and osprey. Ten modern cabins are open year-round, and 85 campsites and two yurts are open spring through fall.
Winchester Lake State Park, Idaho
Why We Love It:
- Picturesque setting at the foot of the mountains
- Four heated and furnished yurts available for rent
Whirl over Winchester Lake, a football field-sized lake, in your skates this winter. This beautiful lake is tucked away before the dramatic Craig Mountains. Ice fishing is another favorite winter pastime, as is cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Stay warm in one of four yurts with heating and basic furnishings that are available for rent all year long.
Recommended: Campgrounds with Yurts
Dog Sledding
For millennia, dog sledding allowed man to quickly travel over ice and snow. Today, modern modes of transportation have largely replaced the need for dog sleds - but we think the thrill of dog sledding is not to be missed by any dog or nature lover.
Tumalo State Park, Oregon
Why We Love It:
- Close to dog sledding opportunities around Bend, Oregon
- A fantastic jumping off point for exploring snow-covered backcountry
- Mt. Bachelor is nearby for snowboarding and skiing too
Located in the heart of central Oregon, Tumalo State Park is nestled along the banks of the beloved Deschutes River. The park is just a few miles from Bend, where various dog sledding outfitters offer excursions through the surrounding snowy backcountry. The park is a great spot for other winter sports, serving as a launching pad for exploring the area on cross country skis or snowshoes. Mt. Bachelor is also just up the road, where snowboarders and skiers can try their skills on some of the best powder in all of Oregon. The park’s campsites include 23 full hook-up, 54 tent sites, 7 yurts with heat and 2 group camping accommodations.
East Canyon State Park, Utah
Why We Love It:
- Close to dog sledding opportunities around Park City
- Heavy winter snowfall makes the area fantastic for winter sports
- Under an hour drive from Salt Lake City and Park City
Nestled within the mountains of northeastern Utah, East Canyon State Park is a popular place to get away from the city and immerse yourself in the outdoors. The large reservoir is a favorite for boating and fishing in the summer, while the area sees heavy snowfall in winter, ideal for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Operating out of nearby Park City, dog sledding guides can take you for a once-in-a-lifetime experience of dog sledding through the snow-covered hills.
Sledding
Sledding may have been your thing as a kid, but don’t leave it off your current outdoor winter activities list. It’s great exercise and still as fun as when you were in elementary school!
Fenton Lake, New Mexico
Why We Love It:
- A gorgeous mountainous park intersected by a lake and river
- The park sees on average 20 inches of snow each month in winter
- Plenty of outdoor winter activities, including sledding
High up in the Jemez Mountains, Fenton Lake State Park serves as a stunning backdrop for outdoor fun all year long. Enveloped in ponderosa pine forest with the Rio Cebolla flowing through it, Fenton Lake State Park is a mountainous escape for hikers and anglers in the summer. With at least 20 inches of snowfall each month in winter, it is also a paradise for outdoor winter activities, including ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoe, and of course sledding. The park offers group camping, as well as campsites with electric hookups.
Gavin County Park, Minnesota
Why We Love It:
- Flat and sloping terrain, combined with heavy snowfall, make it perfect for sledding
- Snowshoeing and cross country skiing opportunities too
- Plenty of campsites, as well as a cabin for rent
This 750-acre park is defined by its relatively flat woodlands with sloping topography surrounding the Cottonwood River. With the park getting plenty of snow all winter long, it is a winter sports enthusiast’s paradise with plenty of opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. The woodlands and river environment also makes it fantastic for bird-watching year-round. There are 62 campsites, including one cabin, for rent within the park.
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