in Wisconsin can be a trying time when early March comes in like a lion with artic cold temperatures and a snow pack that just will not melt away. It reminds me of when I was a young boy out on my bike on the country roads near my home. I would ride past those crazy farm dogs that always wanted to chase you for miles, and all you could think of was “enough already”. Climate change seems to have been turned upside down this winter and about the only thing you can do is go south, hibernate on your couch, or go out and embrace the season. I enjoy a nice seaside sunset in a warm locale, but the vacation only lasts so long. Vacations always seem to end just when winter wants to send out another polar vortex just as you are trying to find your car in the airport parking lot. The couch hibernation thing only lasts so long before your Netflix account runs out of movies and you start to feel the effects of cabin fever. When you “embrace the season”, winter takes on a whole new meaning. Starting with something that can be as simple as strapping on your boots and walking around the yard on a sunny afternoon. 
You can dive in and make a day of it by hiking a trail with some snowshoes, rent some cross country skis, or find a local sledding hill. Believe it or not, many Wisconsinites love winter and are happy to give you their ideas on how to enjoy it. The following sites might provide you with some alternate ideas for you to “embrace the season”, and give your family stories to tell for years to come of the cold winter of 2013-14.
After typing in the search box: ‘Winter hiking in Wisconsin’ the following sites were provided.
- www.wisconsintrails.com>Outdoors
- www.travelwisconsin.com/things-to-do/outdoor-fun/winter-activites
- http://bayfield.org/what-to-do/snow-ice-activities/
- http://driftlesswisconsin.com/things-to-do/outdoor-activites/hiking/
- http://visitwaukesha.org/visitors/county-parks/
Here is just a small sample of sites that can direct you to a day of fun on a sunny winter day. The big advantage to winter hiking is the lack of bugs and being able to see areas too wet to traverse in the summer. Many retail outfitters are offering cold weather gear on sale this time of year, so getting some good high tech gear can make all the difference in your comfort level when out on a winter hike. Don’t forget your camera, you never know what you might see in nature’s winter beauty.
