By Stephanie Sherman
Happy Holidays and hello to the New Year! Ready to start back up on that wellness resolution like many of us commit so often? While the gym membership is always an enticing deal this time of year, doing cardio in one spot while starting at a TV sometimes is not always the most fulfilling day out. A new year should bring new adventure, right? So, when is the last time you got out to your local State Park, or found a new park to explore? A little bit of snow and ice does not stop the seasonal fun for State Parks like Lackawanna, Vosburg and Nescopeck, who are all offering seasonal events in addition to the number of other parks still open for adventures in winter.
With over a half dozen state parks in the Pocono Region alone, a quick search can find your next day trip as parks like Prompton State Park, Promised Land, Tobyhanna and Frances Slocum are all open dawn to dusk for hiking and other winter adventures as long as the weather cooperates. Looking for a sledding spot after a good snow? Prompton welcomes you to adventure on their hills and trails. Dying to dig out the ice skates? Frances Slocum has a lake for you as long as you check in with the rangers for safety. Downhill skiing getting too pricey? Opting for cross country ski rentals at your local shop means you can hit many of our local State Park trails for only the price of your skis and gas. Tobyhanna’s 5-mile Lakeside Loop is a fantastic winter cardio adventure.
Looking for a little more guidance? The year-round professionals at Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks have you covered. Lackawanna State Park has a Snowshoe Grab’n’Go event on January 11th (weather permitting) and a winter hike scheduled for January 18th. Nescopeck will be hosting a Women in the Wilds: Eagle Watch on January 29th and a Golden Series: Bald Eagle Watch on February 6th. Need a little more festival fun? Nescopeck will be having a WinterFest on February 1st and Lackawanna will be celebrating on February 8th. More events get posted monthly on the DCNR Events Calendar at Events.DCNR.pa.gov/calendar.
An Environmental Education Specialist with Tobyhanna State Park, Stephanie Sherman has spent the last decade enjoying the Pocono region for its wide open spaces. She has been a professor in Outdoor Environmental Education with East Stroudsburg University and spent 6 years as Director of Education with Pocono Environmental Education Center. A snow bunny at heart, she enjoys all manner of winter recreation saying there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices!
