Nature: The Best of Winter

Let the Nature Center Help You Make The Best of Winter

By Kimberly Zewatsky Kalamazoo Nature Center

If you don’t already know, fi nd out exactly why Michigan is proudly dubbed “a Water-Winter Wonderland.” True, some winter days roar like a lion, while others are simply majestic and some as kind as a lamb. But across the mitten state, folks stay resilient as they improvise, adapt and take action to enjoy what others may deem the most dreadful time of year. No matter the climate, KNC’s trails await. Once dressed appropriately, you can strap on a pair of snowshoes, cross country skis or winter cleats for an exhilarating meditation on nature. As you navigate the terrain of prairie, forest or marsh, it’s easy to pay close attention to surrounding sights, smells, textures and sounds. While on snowshoes you can connect with nature while enjoying one of the oldest forms of transportation. The earliest snowshoes are believed to have been created entirely of wood around 4000 B.C. and were worn by First People who crossed the Bering land bridge from Asia into North America. The Athabascan Tribe of the Northwest and, closer to home, the Algonquins of the Great Lakes region experimented and perfected the iconic rawhide lacing.

The look and materials have evolved over millennia, and what once resembled a wooden tennis racket with a fi n has morphed into something comprised of high-tech materials. What hasn’t changed -- and is still highly recommended -- is the need for walking sticks known as trekking polls for balance and stabilization.

According to the Washington Post, snowshoe use spiked by 12-percent during the pandemic, as the sales of snowshoes quadrupled. It’s no wonder, as the age-old winter sport allows ample room for social distancing with the double advantage of providing solace and exercise in the great outdoors. KNC’s 16 trails offer varying degrees of diffi culty, with some suited for beginners and others for experienced hikers and snowshoers. (Trail signs clearly mark the levels of diffi culty.) Whatever your choice for trailblazing, be sure and pack a camera to capture the snow-blanketed prairies, rolling hills and clear rush of icy streams that thread through the 14-plus miles of trails. Although KNC does not rent equipment, the Trailhead Gifts and Books shop inside the Visitor Center has traction walking cleats and hiking sticks for sale. To put that equipment to good use, KNC provides further incentive for trekkers with its Hiking Spree program. Hikers can earn special medallions for their hiking sticks, which KNC awards with each new trail hiked.

For those who prefer to stay indoors during frigid winter months, KNC offers yoga sessions to boost health and well-being. Mindful Yoga is led by KNC’s Alicia Swift, KNC’s membership manager and registered yoga instructor. While the sessions are held inside KNC’s Visitor Center, Swift said, “They’re a great way to observe all the nature that’s right outside our windows. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that combines relaxation, breathing, balance and concentration.”

Register in advance of the January 11, and February 8 sessions to reserve your spot. “No experience necessary,” Swift said. “With yoga, you participate at your own level.” Whether you choose an indoor or outdoor activity -- or both -- the message is clear: don’t be afraid to get out and enjoy nature at your own pace.