Easy Winter Runs: Scenic trails across the USA BY MARK LEBETKIN Just because the streets are covered in slush, doesn't mean you have to wait 'til spring to get outside. 20 RUNNER’S WORLD
Getting outside during the winter has its own rewards, among them crowd-free trails, fewer insects and scenery you can only see when the weather's right. Whether the novel sight of desert mesas dusted with fresh powder or a waterfall frozen into columns of pale blue ice or simply the peaceful sight of fields blanketed in untracked snow, the charms of winter are worth the effort. Not that you'll need crampons and an ice axe to enjoy any of these 13 easy day runs. Sure, you'll have to prepare for the weather, maybe even add snow chains to your tires for the trip to the trailhead, but these trails and hiking areas were chosen for their high ratio of scenic value to difficulty. Any reasonably fit person can tackle these in a day. There are a couple modest summit climbs and at least two sections of the Appalachian Trail (depending on how you slice it). A couple trails can be as flat as you want them to be. None are more than moderately strenuous, and all showcase the best of the season. They may even make you wish winter would last just a bit longer. Well, maybe not longer. But once you breathe the fresh air on one of these runs, you might not mind the wait for spring so much. WHITE CLAY CREEK, DELAWARE AND PENNSYLVANIA Less than an hour's drive from Philly and only half an hour from Wilmington, Del., White Clay Creek State Park and Preserve is a rustic respite from city. Carl Ewald, founder of Philadelphia-based TerraMar Adventures, recommends the Penndel trail, a converted rail trail along the creek that begins on the Pennsylvania side. "There are other trails in the park," he said, "but, this is the prettiest." This graded out-and-back affords wooded views of the frozen creek and has mile markers so runners can choose when to turn around. "If runners are up to longer runs, at just over 3 miles you will cross over the border into Delaware," said Ewald. "There is a nice loop extension in Delaware. Continuing straight along the trail will take you through alternating woods, meadows and farm fields until you reach the visitors center. You can return along a trail that follows the bank of the river back to the Pennsylvania border." On your drive back to Philly he recommends stopping by Vala Vineyards, "a little winery that has a great tasting with cheese in a beautiful setting." GARDEN OF THE GODS, COLORADO SPRINGS Pike's Peak looms over vertical red rock spires in Garden of the Gods Park, on the western edge of Colorado Springs. With names like "Kissing Camels" and "Three Graces," these natural snow-dusted formations make a peaceful backdrop for 15 miles of trails. One great choice, the Chambers-Bretag-Palmer loop, is a 3-mile trail encircling the entire park with rolling, rocky terrain and less than a 250-foot climb. A.T. 'VELVET ROCKS' SECTION, HANOVER, N.H. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is typically a summer activity, but this small stretch that begins at the Vermont- New Hampshire border is an easy winter hike through snow-blanketed fields, hardwood forest, and up a rocky granite ridge with views of the town below. Speaking of the town, this section hike actually begins in downtown Hanover, home of Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth Outing Club, which maintains more than 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail in the region. Snowshoes may be necessary on this 5.2-mile out-and-back, and trekking poles are a must. KINCAID BEACH TRAIL, ANCHORAGE Just over a mile south of Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage is Kincaid Beach, a secluded sandy beach on Cook Inlet with views of Mount McKinley and the Alaska Range, says Erin Kirkland, publisher of family travel guideAKontheGO.com. "[It's] great on a clear afternoon," she said. Technically a spring hike -- "which are still considered winter hikes in the Lower 48" -- you get there via a mile-long access trail through the hilly old-growth forest of Kincaid Park, where you're likely to encounter moose and the occasional bear. Once on the beach, if you're in the mood for a longer walk, you can stroll along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, a multi-use path that follows the shore for 11 miles into downtown Anchorage. ROBERT FROST TRAIL, MOUNT HOLYOKE RANGE S.P., MASS. The southernmost section of this 47-mile trail, named for the poet, passes through the Mount Holyoke Range, a rare east-west ridge in central Massachusetts with ravines, caves, valleys, deep woods and 360-degree views – all, potentially, on the same hike. Hikers leaving from the Notch Visitors Center can take any number of loop and out-and-back options of varying difficulty since the trail intersects the longer, more difficult Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in several places. BROCKWAY SUMMIT, NORTH LAKE TAHOE Whether you live in the area or are visiting one of Tahoe's several ski resorts, this small section of the Tahoe Rim Trail just off of Highway 267 near Truckee, Calif., is a great way to take in views of the entire lake. A healthy climb (about 800 feet), this up-and-back sometimes requires snowshoes and takes about an hour for those acclimated to the mountain air, or two hours for "flatlanders," says Andy Chapman, spokesman for the North Lake Tahoe Marketing Cooperative. "Once at the top, I prefer to pack some snacks and sit to enjoy the sweeping views of the Pacific Crest -- you can see all of Lake Tahoe from Squaw Valley to Heavenly in South Shore, Mount Tallac, Crystal Bay and beyond," he said. "It's gorgeous, easy to access and a relatively quick trip." For a more leisurely hike with less climbing, he suggests Tahoe Meadows off of Highway 431 on the Nevada side. WINTER EDITION, 2018 21
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