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Get outside:
GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE THIS WINTER
Every season is ripe with opportunities to partake in favorite pastimes and activities – and to try new ones. If you live in Michigan or have visited the state during the winter, you know already that this time of year offers a lot of beauty and a lot to do.
People from around the country flock to Michigan, a true destination state, to see its beauty and history for themselves. Like Michiganders traveling south to take a jump in the salty ocean, coastal dwellers visit to jump into the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Let’s experience life and explore the Mitten State in new ways this winter, and throughout this year.
What can you do this winter to get outside, and get out of your comfort zone? What plans can you make that will stretch your limits or get you to try something different, maybe something you have always wanted to try?
STRAP ON SOME SKIS.
Feel the wind in your face and get a rush as you speed
down one of Michigan’s slopes. Even if you’ve never tried downhill skiing before, you can take a lesson or simply work your way down and up the bunny hill until you have a better feel. The best ski resorts include Boyne Mountain/Boyne Highlands, Nub’s Nob, Shanty Creek, Caberfae Peaks, Crystal Mountain (Northwest Michigan); Ski Brule, Mount Bohemia, Pine Mountain, Big Powderhorn, Marquette Mountain, Big Snow Resort (Upper Peninsula); and Mount Holly (Southeast Michigan).
If downhill skiing is not your pace, then try cross-country skiing. Michigan has a plethora of state parks whose walking trails in summer transform into the perfect trail for a gentle ski through the woods. Check with your local state parks. There
are also specific cross-country ski trails, such as the trails
at The Homestead in Glen Arbor (11 miles), the Porcupine Mountains Ski Area near Ontonagon (90 miles and runs
past frozen waterfalls), and Fort Custer Recreation Area near Kalamazoo (45 miles). There are many, many more to choose from across the state, so research for one nearest your location or find one that fits your bucket list and make the effort to get there this year.
FLOAT DOWN A RIVER.
Unlike ponds and small lakes, rivers have the benefit of remaining relatively lively during the winter, as the moving water doesn’t allow for much freezing. Bundle up, grab a friend, and go winter kayaking or river rafting for a truly
12 • 2022 MICHIGAN RV & CAMPGROUNDS
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