Still plenty to do between seasons
Enjoying Christmas ornaments adorning evergreens on a trail run.
Enjoying a natural slide on the rocks off the trail at Rib Mountain State Park!
With last year being a rare exception when winter arrived (and stayed) the day before Thanksgiving, it seems like most years we have to pass through a period of interseasonal weather between fall and winter. During this time, daylight is scarce, we’re not used to the cold temperatures (although in February we walk outside in same temperatures in shorts), and surfaces may be slick. Nonetheless there is plenty to enjoy outside as long as you dress for the conditions.
Check out Christmas decorations - on foot
Forego piling in the car and enjoy Christmas decorations in your neighborhood and beyond. If you go at night, make sure you’re visible to traffic. On the weekend, you can still enjoy plenty of blowups and other decor during daylight hours. Make a game out of spotting Rudolph, the Grinch, Santa, or Olaf (even if you don’t have kids)!
Hit the trails…
With no bugs and wet spots frozen (or even dry with our dry fall), this is the perfect time to explore a new trail. Just be sure to wear blaze orange, especially if the area is open to hunting. You’ll be amazed at the silence and solitude in areas that are usually busy in the summer months.
…and try off the beaten path
If you’re especially adventurous, try exploring off trail and experience a park in a completely new way.
You’re wearing long sleeves and pants (and perhaps several) so you don’t need to worry about poison ivy or getting scratched by the little underbrush that remains. Also, if there’s any snow on the ground, you can always follow your footprints back to the main trail. (Or you can usually pull up a map on your phone that shows you where you are if you get turned around.) If this is something you enjoy, consider signing up for an orienteering or adventure race to stay motivated to keep active through the winter months.
Ringle bike trails are suitable for a wide range of ability levels with features and workarounds.
Go for a bike ride
Kids love biking all year in the driveway and even without snow, you can still take a spin most days, pending trail conditions. Be sure to check for trail closures. CWOCC maintains several trail systems in Central Wisconsin that remain open through the fall:
Ringle - singletrack
Big Eau Pleine County Park - double track and singletrack
Prairie Dells Loop Underdown Recreation Area / Underdown - singletrack and ski trails
Make use of manmade snow
And if you need to scratch that itch for snow, you can take advantage of manmade snow. Enjoy riding up on the tow system at Sylvan Hill then enjoy tubing on one of six runs down. Or hit the slopes at Granite Peak and ski or snowboard on a variety of runs.