Winter walks in the Woods

There is something about taking a hike while it is snowing. Winter hiking in general has something special about it. Besides seeming to see fewer people, there is also a quality in the air. Sounds are clearer, and that icy tingle you feel on your face makes you feel a little more alive.

I’m grateful to live where I do. I have close access to the foothills of Colorado. But even if you don’t have that kind of elevation, getting outside in the winter, locally, can change your perspective.

Trails not only seem less crowded and sound clearer, but the difference in appearance can be dramatic. There have been many times, usually at the beginning of winter, that I’ve felt like I’m on a totally new trail even if I’ve hiked or biked it a hundred times.

It really gives you that sense of marvelous exploration even close to home. I get that when traveling overseas. But since I don’t know when that might be happening again (hoping for late Summer 2021) I am grateful to be able to explore locally.

My partner and I have been able to enjoy a lot about local trails recently. As this year goes on we are going to venture farther out from the local and more across Colorado and the surrounding states.

Road trips became a thing again last year. And I don’t expect that to go away anytime in the near future. The idea of having your own little travel pod, exploring the great outdoors where you can social distance, is a travel technique that might be with us for a while. Even with the increase in gas use, it might even be a better thing for the planet

So until then, explore locally. Get outside, go in winter, hike a trail the other way. Do something to remind you that the world is still out there waiting to be explored.