Things To Do During A Rochester Winter: Snowshoeing

Seeing as we're smack dab in the middle of another Minnesota winter, my wife and I decided to get out and enjoy the beauty all around us this year, so we took the plunge and bought some snow shoes. Now, we just have to get out and put them to use!

Don't tell anyone, but I've always enjoyed winter (though it can get to be a little long), and have always liked getting outside, even when it's cold. I like to ski, powering up a snowmobile is a great time, and even grabbing a sled and heading down the nearest hill can be pretty fun, too.

A few years ago, we spent a February weekend on the North Shore at Gunflint Lodge, north of Grand Marais. We hit the cross country ski trails on frozen Gunflint Lake, did a little sledding and did some hiking through the woods. Last year, we did a candle-light hike on the Lost Creek Hiking Trail in Chatfield during the Chill Fest Celebration and had a great time.

So, this year, we're setting out to try snow shoeing. What's cool about it is, outside of the snow shoes, you don't need much else to try it-- unlike skiing or snowmobiling, where you typically need a lot more gear. In fact, you can just strap on the shoes and head out in the snow, I'm told.

There are several great places to start one's snow shoeing adventure here in the Med City,  too, with Gamehaven Sports and Recreation Park, Quarry Hill Nature Center and Oxbow Park all offering snow shoe rentals, so you can try it out before you buy your own shoes. And both the Minnesota DNR and Midwest Weekends have a rundown of some other cool places to snow shoe, as well.

Or, as a co-worker told me, now that we have our own shoes, it's as easy as heading over to Soldier's Field Park and making some tracks. And now that the weather isn't supposed to quite as cold as it was last weekend, we're excited to get out and try it out. I'll let you know how it goes!