Winter doesn’t have to be a cold, dark, dismal time – within easy reach of Delaware, Ohio, are some awesome places for enjoying winter activities! Whether you want to hike through winter wonderlands, hit the slopes for some snowy fun, or just enjoy Ohio’s wonderful seasonal scenery, wrap up warmly and head for these nearby locations!
Gallant Farm
Located on Buttermilk Hill Road, Gallant Farm represents a working farm as it would have been in the Depression era. Buildings on the 19-acre farm include a farmhouse with period furniture, a barn with late 19th-century timbers, a machine shed with period tools and implements, and the granary, which houses the restrooms, a classroom, and an office.
The farm path takes you around the site, where you can visit the pond, vegetable garden, orchard, and meadow and get up close to the demonstration crop fields. During your self-guided tour, you’ll get to meet costumed interpreters going about daily and seasonal chores. The farm will transport you back to see how farming was done in the 1930s and 1940s. Entrance to the farm is free, although some programs may carry a small fee.
Gallant Woods Park
A pedestrian connection from Gallant Farm leads into the 231-acre Gallant Woods Park, which offers year-round family leisure activities. In the park, five trails meander through old-growth woods, wetland woods, restored prairies, and rolling meadows. You’ll also find a playground for the kids and a sledding hill for all ages to enjoy in the winter.
The park provides natural habitats for many varieties of wildlife: native bird species include various songbirds, barred owls, red-bellied woodpeckers, pheasants, hawks, and meadowlarks. On the trails, look for signs of deer, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and rabbits. Admission to the park is free.
Alum Creek State Park
You’ll find a hub of recreational activity at Alum Creek State Park, which is just 20 minutes southeast of Delaware. More than 40 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails wind through beech-maple forests, over gently rolling hills, across deep ravines, and along the scenic shores of the 3,387-acre Alum Creek Lake.
Many plant and animal species make their homes in the park. Depending on the season, the park offers opportunities for camping, boating, swimming, fishing, and hunting. In the winter, you can enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice boating, ice skating, and ice fishing.
Mad River Mountain
The Mad River Mountain resort is around 40 minutes west of Delaware and offers fun on the slopes for the whole family! For the skiers and snowboarders, the resort has 12 lifts, 20 trails, and a terrain park suitable for all abilities. With an elevation of 1,460 feet, a vertical drop of 300 feet, and 100% snowmaking coverage, the mountain provides challenges for all levels.
Non-skiers can enjoy the Avalanche Tubing Park, the largest of its kind in Ohio with over 1,000 feet of lanes. The resort also has a ski and snowboard school, an equipment rental store, and Ohio’s largest ski lodge, featuring 180-degree views of the slopes.
After a day out exploring these Delaware winter activities, you can curl up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the afterglow of a fabulous day!
Image via pixabay.com | Licensed under Pixabay License
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