Those of us who choose to live in upstate New York do so for a variety of reasons. For many of us, one of the biggest is because we love the region’s four very distinct seasons, each with its own unique opportunities for outdoor fun and adventure.
Eve snowshoeing at Moss Lake
Winter Traditions in the Mohawk Valley
Usually, at this time of year, there would be annual winter-themed festivals that would pull people out of the warm confines of their homes and into the crisp winter air, such as the Ice Harvest Festival in East Meredith and the Cooperstown Winter Carnival, both traditionally held in February.
Even though we can’t do most, if not all, of those types of things right now, we still have plenty of options in the Mohawk Valley when it comes to getting outside and being active during the winter.
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Potato Hill Farm in Boonville: My favorite place for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing is Potato Hill Farm. It’s part of the Black River Environmental Improvement Association (BREIA); it’s amazing, beautiful land, and there’s a bonus: there are bathrooms on the trail!
- FT Proctor Park in Utica: In the winter season, there are few better places to partake in one of my favorite activities, snowshoeing. The park has some hills and a creek – and provides a very tranquil setting for getting out and exercising.
- South Woods Switchbacks at Roscoe Conkling Park in Utica: Another favorite is Roscoe Conkling Park and its South Woods switchbacks. The wooded hills provide a good work out whether you’re hiking, shoeing or skiing; and I’ve seen many deer and a few wild turkeys while out on the trail!
- Sherrrillbrook Park in New Hartford: Sherrillbrook Park is great for both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, with its varied landscape through open fields and woods. Dog owners should also take note of the park’s dog run.
- Moss Lake Trail in Eagle Bay: The Adirondack Park has a lot of places to go, obviously, but one gem that’s on my favorites list is Moss Lake and the Moss Lake Trail. It’s a relatively short jaunt around the lake, but its location deep in the Adirondack Park makes it a particularly beautiful spot – you’re bound to see plenty of wildlife, and the wooden bridges on the trail afford a pleasant view of the surrounding woods and water.
These, of course, are only a handful of the vast number of great locations to get out and explore, exercise or just relax and do a little sightseeing. If you’re looking for more ideas and other places to go, check out the NYS Parks website here: https://parks.ny.gov/ and the Discover Upstate New York website here: https://www.discoverupstateny.com/. Now get out there!
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