Wally Kidd Blog: Up North Winter Activities
Winter in Northern Michigan means a deluge of crystal snowflakes and a variety of ways to best enjoy it. The spectacular natural scenery is a welcome sight for adventurers who relish these colder months. So bundle up, have a warm beverage nearby, and head outdoors to experience the best of what this area has to offer.
This corner of Michigan boasts three of the best ski resorts in the country, providing downhill skiers and snowboarders ample opportunities to hit the slopes. Whether you tackle the runs at Boyne Mountain, the Highlands, or Nub’s Nob, you’re in for an exhilarating ride with beautiful vistas at every turn. Each resort offers lessons for those new to the sport, as well as equipment rentals. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, discounted lift tickets are available at the Highlands for sensational skiing under the stars. Named by Ski Magazine as one of the top small ski areas in the US, Charlevoix’s Mt. McSauba is a charming, family friendly spot to enjoy a more low key skiing experience.
If cross country skiing is more your speed, miles of trails can be found in and around Walloon Lake, Charlevoix, Boyne City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Burt Lake. Each trail is also available for snowshoers to savor the splendor of the snowy woods. Those who love to hike in warmer months will find snowshoeing to be a wonderful way to maintain their hobby all year long. The Highlands’s Enchanted Trail remains open through February 25th for illuminated snowshoe adventures at night. Over at Mt. McSauba, candlelight snowshoe hikes through pine forests that hug Lake Michigan’s shoreline deliver a truly unique way to enjoy the woods. And be sure to check the sky each evening: the northern lights appear more often on these long winter nights.
Hop aboard a snowmobile to explore vast areas of terrain on unpaved trails, or give fat tire biking a try. With both electric and manual varieties available, the wide tires let you bike through the snow with ease. Boyne Mountain and the Highlands each offer guided horseback riding excursions, taking riders on remote trails for a marvelously tranquil outing. Ice rinks can be found throughout the area, from the base of Boyne Mountain to the quiet shores of Walloon Lake. Hockey enthusiasts will love playing under the towering pine trees at Petoskey Winter Sports Park, while a separate rink is reserved solely for ice skaters.
Sometimes the best part about venturing outdoors is the relaxing après ski rituals of sitting by a fire, sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine, and catching up with friends. These quiet winter days allow you to fully appreciate the peaceful silence of the northern woods and unwind with ease, forgetting the stress of everyday life. Whatever your activity of choice may be, we hope you’re making the most of this beautiful wonderland of snow.
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