While the cold weather may make some people want to bundle up indoors, there are plenty of winter activities in the Five College Area to explore this season with family and friends. If you don’t know where to begin looking, here is a list of some locations where you can get the most out of the season!
Photo by Stephanie Nicole, Flickr
Snow Sports
Before the opportunity to sled passes you will want to take advantage of the many great rolling hills in the surrounding area! Skinner State Park’s summit road is a popular spot enjoyed by the locals after a fresh winter snowfall. Look Memorial Park further offers sledding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and has an ice rink that is open to the public when the weather permits. Hilltown Families has a great list of sledding hills with recommendations from local community members, as well as this Readers Choice compilation from VisitMA.com .
In addition to the ice rink at Look Memorial Park, Mullins Community Ice Center at UMass Amherst offers public skate times with equipment rentals available. Check the web schedule to view the upcoming skating times and prices, as they are subject to change throughout the season for events and activities. Take advantage of these winter sports—the season will be over before you know it!
Winter Hiking and Exploration
Many of our state parks and forests often offer winter-centered hiking trails and explorational opportunities such as Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke and Mount Holyoke Range State Park. In Easthampton and Northampton, Acadia Wildlife Sanctuary is a wonderful area to take advantage of the changes that come with winter. For those that enjoy snowshoeing, WMASS Outdoors has compiled a list of top spots.
Whether it involves enjoying the scenic views of the colder weather, or learning about the environmental and habitual changes that come with the winter season, you can find plenty of winter-related educational programs and scenic views to experience.
Winter Lights and Festivals
Though the holiday season is behind us, we’d be remiss to not mention the many beautifully illuminated scenes throughout the Five College Area.
Springfield’s Bright Light’s at Forest Park consists of a three-mile drive-through viewing that has been an annual tradition since 1995. McCray’s Holiday Light Walkthrough is another yearly opportunity, featuring hand-strung bulbs that turn McCray’s Farm into a winter wonderland to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
And lastly, let’s not forget about the winter festivals! Downtown Northampton Association (DNA) holds an annual Ice Art Festival — a free community event featuring talented local artists and their spectacular ice sculptures.
WinterFest Amherst is another yearly opportunity, spanning over multiple days and including many different activities that vary yearly and take place all around Amherst.
Similarly, Easthampton’s WinterFest is a yearly fundraiser that offers winter activities and events. Celebrating seasonal beauty, cultural diversity, Nashawannuck Pond, and the surrounding community’s rich heritage, this fundraiser supports surrounding businesses and organizations.
While some of these festival opportunities may already be over this winter, they occur annually. Save this blog post for next year!
