Connecting with Nature During Winter
It is the cold and rainy season in Portland. The “hey, let’s hibernate time of year” but if your kids are like mine they NEED to get out of the house. Given that, here are a few ways to still connect with nature during the dark days in Portland:
- Snowshoeing: We love snowshoeing on the Barlow Trail and Trillium Lake in the Mt. Hood area. We also love Old Man Pass in Washington state. Need gear? REI sells and rents snowshoes. So does Next Adventure and they have a coupon in The Chinook Book.
- Hiking: We love hiking the trail from the Audubon Center to Lower Macleay Park any time of year. The trails at Tryon Creek State Park are also under an evergreen tree canopy and fun to hike any day of the year.
- Nature Watching: View wildlife from the warmth and comfort of your car any time at Ridgefield wildlife refuge. Winter sights there for us have included trumpeter and tundra swans in flight and afloat, countless herons, hawks, kestrels, coots and sparrows, and river otters frolicking in the water and on the ice. For in town wildlife viewing, we go to Oaks Bottom as well as Smith and Bybee Lakes any time of year.
- Camping: Yes, you read that right. Both L.L. “Stub” Stewart and Champoeg State Parks have cabins available for rent all year long – no tent required! The cabins are heated. They also have outdoor fire rings , so don’t forget the firewood and marshmallows!
