Winter Wonderland
20 degree temps, icy footing, snow laying like a thick blanket over the ground… sounds like great hiking conditions right?
UGH yes!!! I’m telling you guys you have no idea what you are missing out on! People tell me all the time how crazy I am to be hiking in the winter, but wow the experience is absolutely breathtaking. If you have never winter hiked before I highly recommend that you do!
This weekend I went north, to Schuylkill county and visited Tuscarora State park. A member of my hiking group suggested visiting and I had never been before so I was totally game! Click here to learn more about the park. Tuscarora state park is a great recreation area surrounding the lake. Here you can hike, fish, kayak and do so many other outdoor activities. If you have never visited I highly recommend you take a drive up!
We met at the boat ramp on the left side of the park when you first enter. As you drive down to the parking lot you are greeted with a gorgeous view of the lake. It was completely frozen over, and there we about 15-20 ice fishermen out on the lake. No, I did not see anyone catch a fish. We started out hike, heading to the left staying along the shoreline of the lake. The trail was completely iced over which made walking fairly difficult. Spikes and poles are highly recommended for this type of hiking (although not needed).
The views walking around the lake were breathtaking. Pictures do no justice. The silence. It was perfect. Just you, your thoughts and the beauty of nature. Nothing beats it.
As we wrapped around the lake, we determined that there was not enough daylight left to go the entire way around the lake. Sooooo we decided to cut across the lake instead! How wild walking on the ice!!! I had never hiked across an entire lake before. It was definitely a cool experience. I’m sure some of you are asking how the heck do you hike across a frozen lake? You just slide! Some members even got the courage to run and slide across the lake (no not me).
We hiked all the way to the end of the lake and went up into a small cove. There was a small frozen stream to check out. It felt like we were in another world. The ice on the trees made them sparkle in the sunlight. The way the light bounced off the frozen lake was enchanting. Feeling completely at peace is an understatement. The quiet and solitude was exactly what I needed in order to regroup and get ready for a new week.
We took a little snack break, (granola bars and crackers for the win), while we sat on the boat dock and took in the beauty of the lake. It was so quiet and peaceful, even though there was a group of us, everyone was silent in that moment. One of the guys went to sit down on the dock though, and put his foot straight through the ice LOL, needless to say, using caution while out on the ice is always a must. After a snack and a little rest we headed back to the parking lot as the sun began to set.
We probably only hiked about 4 miles (I forgot to turn on my tracker). But those 4 miles were tough! Hiking on the ice is a different type of workout but so beyond worth it! I highly recommend you try it sometime! The key to winter hiking is dressing in layers and having the proper footwear. I’m telling you, wearing spikes on your boots is like having 4x4. You are able to cover so much more ground and feel much more stable on your feet. If you have questions feel free to reach out to me, I am always happy to help out!
I am excited to get back up to Tuscarora. There is a lot more hiking spots I would like to check out, and when the weather is nicer I would love to get out and kayak the lake!
Have you been there before? If so, what trails do you recommend?
