It’s amazing how a few inches of snow changes the course of outdoor recreation we New Englander’s participate in. The recent coating of flakes led me to give cross-country skiing another try for my second time ever. With hiking and biking trails transformed to snowshoe and cross-country ski terrain, I couldn’t have chosen a better place than Bear Brook State Park.
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With an extensive trail system weaving through 10,000 acres there are endless opportunities to explore for a day or several days of recreation. Actually, a single trail managed to keep me occupied for an entire afternoon – that being the new adaptation of Little Bear Trail. This one mile or so sloping path gave me an uphill challenge as well as some fun downhills as I attempted to turn on the skinny ski’s that were somewhat foreign to me. The extra layers I wore turned out to be excessive as I did not realize the great workout cross country skiing provides.
What made the expansive size of Bear Brook even better was that it offers complete separation from snowmobile trails. Having trails designated for only cross-country skiing and snowshoeing helps improve recreation for both those enjoying the park by foot and machine.
There were all kinds of friendly folks on the trails too, from equestrians to mushers, seemingly all with a single goal in mind – enjoy the wonders of nature.
With a long winter ahead of us, Bear Brook is a more than adequate place to fulfill your recreational needs. This park is a true winter wonderland, a world within a world, right in your own backyard.
I love xcs in the northeast, and it looks like we have deep snow for the first time in ages. My wife has complained for years that she can’t handle the cold, because her ears go nuts. this year at xmas i gave her the ponytail headband from trailheads (they are at http://shop.trailheads.com), and they are fantastic. i got the gloves for myself, they work on my iphone, so this way i on’t have to freeze my fingers when i post.
cheers