Winter is an excellent time to explore the Lakeshore, especially with a National Park Ranger on snowshoes! Ranger-Led Snowshoe Hikes will be offered on December 27th and December 30th, and then every Saturday & Sunday during January & February, beginning Saturday, January 7, 2006. All hikes will start at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center at 1:00 p.m. The Visitor Center is located on Highway M-72 at the edge of the village of Empire.

Rangers will first provide basic snowshoeing instructions and then, everyone will travel by car to a specific trailhead. During the snowshoe hike, rangers will share interesting facts about the park's unique features. Be prepared and plan to be outside until about 3:00 p.m.

Not only is snowshoeing easy, fun, and good exercise, it is also an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. The ranger-led hikes are mildly strenuous, yet they proceed at a leisurely pace for approximately one and a half miles. This allows visitors an opportunity to look for signs of wildlife or evidence of ancient glaciers or to simply experience a winter wonderland.

The National Lakeshore has a limited supply of snowshoes and will provide them free of charge. Participants need only purchase the park entrance pass to join in the fun. Space is limited, so please call 231-326-5134, extension 328, for more details and to make reservations.

Last updated: 15DEC2005
Http://www.nps.gov/slbe/Snowshoe.htm