Hibernation: Canceled!

Winter Activities 2020-21

With the arrival of the cold and snow and continued restrictions on in-person activities and gatherings, many of us feel as though we are getting ready to hibernate for the winter. 

Time to cancel those plans to hibernate all winter long! Elmhurst and the surrounding areas offer many outdoor winter activities that are safe to participate in while remaining socially distant. This listing of winter activities gives you an idea of some activities you can enjoy this winter. And while you may be dressed like Ralphie's younger brother in A Christmas Story, you'll be outside and active. And you can always hibernate with hot cocoa by the fire (or the leg lamp) when you get home.

Check websites for hours and COVID-related guidelines. Some locations are only open on school holidays and vacations. Rentals are often only available if there is enough snow on the ground. See websites for details. 

Cross Country Skiing

• Arrowhead Golf Course. Bring your own skis or rent equipment at this Wheaton golf club. Open to the general public. 
• DuPage County Forest Preserves. Bring your own skis. Trails are groomed if time allows after roads and parking lots are cleared. Trail maps are provided online. 
• Morton Arboretum. If there are more than 4 inches of snow on the ground, trek the trails at the Morton Arboretum on your own skis or rent them at the arboretum. Please see website for dates and rules. 
• Camp Sagawau. If you're just starting out, Camp Sagawau is a great place for beginners. You can rent equipment and even take lessons. 

Ice Fishing

• DuPage County Forest Preserves Ice Fishing waters. The forest preserves of DuPage county offer many bodies of water available for fishing. Bring your own equipment. Be sure to have a license if over 16 years of age. According to Dupage County Forest Preserves, rangers do not monitor ice conditions, so fish at your own risk: "as a guideline, not a guarantee, a minimum of 4 inches is recommended for any activity."

Ice Skating

• DuPage County Forest Preserves. The forest preserves of DuPage county offer many bodies of water available for ice skating. Bring your own skates. According to Dupage County Forest Preserves, rangers do not monitor ice conditions, so skate at your own risk: "as a guideline, not a guarantee, a minimum of 4 inches is recommended for any activity."
• Maggie Daley Park. Skating is open along the lake at Maggie Daley Park! Be sure to read the regulations and register before heading out to Chicago. 
• YMCA Elmhurst. Skating lessons are going on now, and the YMCA is hoping to host open skates for families with limited capacity later this winter. Call 630-834-9200 for more information. 

Snow Shoeing

• DuPage County Forest Preserves. Explore the trails of the many forest preserves in DuPage County by shoe shoe. If you do not have your own, you can rent them at Blackwell Forest Preserve. 
• Itasca's Spring Brook Nature Center. Rental snow shoes to explore the Woodland, Marsh and Prairie Trails. 
• Morton Arboretum. Bring your own or rent snow shoes to take an adventure on the trails at Morton Arboretum. See website for dates and rules. 

Sledding

• Berens Park and more. Bring your sled to Elmhurst Park District sled hills at Berens Park, Crestview Park, and Eldridge Park. Ben Allison Park boasts an accessible junior hill as well. Call the Rainout Hotline for the status of sled hills. 
• DuPage County Forest Preserves. The forest preserves of DuPage county offer many hills perfect for sledding. Bring your own sled. 
• Mount Hoy. Take an 800-foot ride down Mount Hoy at Blackwell Forest Preserve on a snow tube! Must rent tubes from Blackwell. See website for dates and snow requirements. 
• Riverwalk Sled at Rotary Hill. Bring your own tube or sled.   

Walk/Hike/Run Activities

• Morton Arboretum Winter Hikes. Check out the best winter hiking routes at Morton Arboretum 
• Navigation & Wayfinding. Check out the compass course at Blackwell Forest Preserve, the orienteering courses at Waterfall Glen, and the geocaching and letterboxing adventures at various DuPage County Forest Preserves. 
• Pine Pacer Challenge. A run/walk challenge at Morton Arboretum. 
• Fresh Air Friday guided walk at St. James Farm in Warrenville. 
• Troll hunt at Morton Arboretum. 

Find your snow pants, bundle up, and enjoy all that Elmhurst and DuPage County have to offer this winter. Hibernation 

What winter activities can we add to our list? Let us know by emailing us at info@lwreedy.com or by posting a Facebook post about this blog post on Facebook. We hope to hear from you!

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