Enjoy winter it’s only natural? Sure,
Here are 6 ways you can get outside and make the most of these frosty days
Regardless of how much you may love nature and the outdoors, at the first sign of yet another Ohio winter many of us make plans to hibernate or, better yet, flee. We dread the bitter cold, dry heat, gray days and endless windshield scraping. Winter in Ohio marks that time of year when venturing outside is done in short spurts and walking on pavement becomes not only unpleasant but downright dangerous.
But winter can offer many pluses for the senses — the quality of light, the soft colors, the quiet sounds, the fresh-smelling air, and all these sensory experiences are markedly different during the winter season.
Traditional winter activities such as ice skating, sledding, skiing (with the possible exception of cross-country) are not really about enjoying nature per se. They’re more about exercise and fun, with a nature bonus if you’re paying attention. But if you’re truly after an exploration and appreciation of nature for nature’s sake, here are six activities you may wish to try.
HIKING
Another word for hiking is walking — and walking can be done anywhere by most everyone. To experience nature for educational, spiritual and physical enjoyment, several locales around the area offer paths and programs for the winter walker.
Five Rivers MetroParks, with 14,000 acres of land across the Dayton area, offers Hike for the Health of It. These hikes are at 2 p.m. every Saturday throughout the year at various parks throughout the county. There also are hikes sponsored by groups other than MetroParks, such as the recent Ohio Volks Walk, which may begin at different times. Most of the hikes are 3 miles long and move at a comfortable pace. Terrain varies per site, and some terrain is rugged.
Upcoming Hike for the Health of It events: Saturday, Feb. 5, at Cox Arboretum and Saturday, Feb. 12, at Huffman MetroPark, Saturday, Feb. 19 at Sugarcreek MetroPark and Saturday, Feb. 26 at Eastwood MetroPark. For more information, call (937) 567-1413 on weekdays.
More information about MetroParks hiking programs: For a complete list of parks, with detailed descriptions and handy maps, visit www.metroparks.org. Trails are open all winter long in most MetroParks. Some trails are plowed, some are snow-packed. To view all parks, with links to interactive, directional maps and hiking trails, visit www.metroparks.org/GetOutside/FindPark.aspx. To learn about MetroParks’ hiking/walking programs, visit www.metroparks.org/GetOutside/fitness_health.aspx. For other questions, call MetroParks at (937) 278-2623.
Don’t forget about other park districts throughout the area, such as the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Parks District, southeast of Dayton. This park district and nature preserve offers a wide range of programs for nature lovers in the winter season and year-round. For more information. visit
www.bellbrooksugarcreekparks.org.
In Yellow Springs, you can hike in John Bryan State Park, Clifton George or the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. The latter is a 1,000-acre nature preserve, and all of it is accessible from a 25-mile network of footpaths. There are some steep hills and drop-offs in some of these preserves, so you will want to be cautious and wear good hiking boots.
Glen Helen offers programs such as talks at the Glen Helen Building, guided hikes through the preserve and nature hikes in every season. Whether hiking solo or in a group, hikers begin at the Trailside Museum or the Glen Helen Building, both of which can be found at 405 Corry St., located off Xenia Avenue (u.s. 68) in Yellow Springs, across from Antioch College. Programs are free or have a nominal fee to help support operations at Glen Helen. For more information, call (937) 769-1902 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends or visit antiochcollege.org/glen_helen.
BIRDING
Birding can include bird watching, feeding, counting or photographing. If birds are your interest, then Glen Helen can be a valuable resource, even in winter.
“We have a monthly bird walk in the Glen,” said Glen Helen Ecology Institute director and self-described birder Nick Boutis. “The next walk is on Feb. 26, starting at 9 a.m. from Grinnell Mill at the intersection of Grinnell Road and Bryan Park Road” in Yellow Springs, he said. The goal of the upcoming Winter Birding Walk is to “search for ducks on the Little Miami and woodpeckers everywhere.”
Many of the Glen’s birding and other nature walks start at the Trailside Museum. For more information, visit antiochcollege.org/glen_helen.
For winter birding, the Dayton Audubon Society recommends you should “grab your binoculars and spotting scopes, and dress warmly.” To learn more about the Dayton Audubon Society, or to join, go to: www.dayton.net/audubon. The site also lists 16 of the Dayton Audubon Society’s favorite spots for birding, including Aullwood, Creekside Reserve (a small fen, wetland and prairie in Beavercreek off u.s. 35), Grand Lake St. Mary’s Fish Hatchery, two state parks and eight of the MetroParks. For the complete list, with descriptions and links to directions and types of birds you may see, go to: www.dayton.net/audubon/favsites.html.
WINTER FISHING
When most people think of fishing in the wintertime, they probably picture ice fishing — but that’s not the only way to go. Five Rivers MetroParks offers opportunities for winter fishing on ponds and lakes, or in deeper sections of local rivers. For suggestions, visit www.metroparks.org/winter. Ice fishing is permitted at several of the parks, however conditions are not monitored, so fishers must take necessary safety precautions.
Ken Carman, founder of the Greater Dayton Fishing Association, advises that “ice fishing on the rivers isn’t always safe because the flow reduces the water’s tendency to freeze. On local lakes however, ice fishing can be one of the best ways to access deeper water without a boat. You need at least 4 inches of ice to be safe, and I don’t know that any lakes are frozen that thick right now.”
“You can ice fish with regular equipment,” he said, “but the conditions are far better suited for special gear, which makes it a costly investment for fishermen around here.
But winter fishing is another story. Carman suggests carp fishing on the Great Miami River.
For more information on the Greater Dayton Fishing Association, visit betterfishing4unme.org.
SKYGAZING
Another nature activity you can do — on your own or in a group — is skygazing. Glen Helen hosts these types of events throughout the year. Sometimes skygazing activities are canceled due to cold or cloudy conditions, so it’s always a good idea to call Glen Helen at (937) 769-1902 or check their website to be sure it’s still happening. Here are the next skygazing events scheduled through the Glen:
Full Moon Hike, Feb. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. departs from the Trailside Museum, down the hill from the Glen building at 405 Corry St., Yellow Springs.
Stargazing, Feb. 18, 7-8 p.m. at the lawn by the Antioch College Amphitheater. Meet at 920 Corry St. in Yellow Springs.
NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Many avid birders, fishers, skygazers and hikers, and other such nature lovers, like to photograph, write about and share their special finds. Go on your own or join one of the local photography clubs (such as Focus Photo Club or Tripod Camera Club); or you can participate in some of the shared activities the parks provide.
Five Rivers MetroParks has a number of nature photography programs throughout the year, including workshops and photo sessions in parks. For more information, visit www.metroparks.org/GetOutside/photography.aspx.
Glen Helen’s next photo hike is Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon. The photo hike starts from and ends at the Trailside Museum, near the Glen Helen Building at 405 Corry St., Yellow Springs.
THE INDEPENDENT NATURE LOVER
If you enjoy nature, but prefer to enjoy it on your own or in the company of family and friends, there also are a number of other public and private areas where nature lovers are allowed and even encouraged to visit and enjoy.
The privately-owned Aullwood Audubon Center has six miles of hiking trails encompassing several different habitats, including forest, prairie, marsh and pond. The Audubon Farm, part of the center, teaches children and adults about animals and plants and the importance of the family farm.
Aullwood Audubon Center is located at 1000 Aullwood Road in Dayton. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children 2-18, and children younger than 2 are free. Members of Friends of Aullwood and the National Audubon Society also enter free. For more information, call (937) 890-7360 or visit aullwood.center.audubon.org.
Mount Saint John in Beavercreek is another private nature retreat that you may not have considered. The 150 acre property offers a variety of ecosystems — from wetlands to prairies to gardens to woods.
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