Decatur Magazine: Decatur, Illinois: Travel: Winter Outings

articles online: travel archives: day trips

Winter Outings
By Debby Hays

The cold wind nips at your nose and chills you to the bone.
A thick carpet of white covers the once green ground.
Winter is here.

During these cold winter months most of us turn our energy to enjoying the cozy pleasures of sedentary activities. We welcome the chance to wind down from our busy schedules and spend time with family and friends, reading a good book, or catching up on the latest movies by a nice, warm fire. However, as winter rages on - cabin fever sets in.

This winter why not try something that allows you to get out and enjoy the central Illinois landscape? Decatur offers several activities that allow families the opportunity to laugh together, have fun, cure cabin fever, and develop some family traditions at the same time.

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Rock Springs Center, located at 1495 Brozio Lane off Rock Springs Road, offers cross-country skiing for people ages 3 to 93. Maps are available for those unfamiliar with the designated trails. There are trails for both novice and experienced cross-country skiers. Workshops are held in January and February and are offered on a first come, first serve basis, so contact Rock Springs Center to schedule.

There is no need to go out and buy equipment; Rock Springs Center provides rentals. You can rent skis, boots, and poles to use on Rock Spring sites for $6.00 for two hours. They also rent cross-country skis for $12.00 for 24 hours, which can be used both on and off Rock Springs sites.

Three to four inches of snow is recommended for cross-country skiing. However, before heading out to Rock Springs Center, it is recommended that you call to make sure that the conditions are favorable for cross-country skiing.

If you have your own equipment, try cross-country skiing the bike trails through Fairview and Kiwanis Park. Skiing these trails offer an excellent opportunity to view nature during the winter months.

Rock Springs Center also schedules night walks on the trails in the conservation area during the winter months. Contact the center for dates and times.

SLEDDING
What better way to re-discover the kid in you than by taking a trip downhill…on a sled! The Decatur Park District offers a great opportunity for just that in Nelson Park. For years families have been dragging toboggans, saucers, sleds, and even flat cardboard boxes to the park when the snow flies. The "official" Decatur sledding hill is located just off the Nelson Park pool parking lot.

One and a half miles northwest of Blue Mound, Illinois, in southwestern Macon County, is the Griswold Conversation Area. Griswold offers a large sledding hill that has a nice long, very steep run. At the top of the hill is a warming hut that has warmed many cold toes and fingers. Call Rock Springs Center for conditions and to make sure sights are open.

AND, DON'T FORGET THE PARKS
When there is a nip in the air pick up the marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey bars and head to Fairview, Nelson, or Scovill Park. The outdoor grills located in each of these parks are ready to accommodate a winter cookout. Call the Decatur Park District and arrange to have a woodpile waiting for you when you arrive.

ICE SKATING
If you prefer to keep your winter activities indoors, there is always ice skating at the Decatur Civic Center. Skating starts October 27 and runs through March 18. The skating schedule is as follows:
Monday-Friday Noon-1:00 p.m.
Wednesday & Friday 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Friday 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 1:00-3:00 p.m.

It is recommended that you call the Civic Center to make sure that there has not been a change in the schedule.

Admission is $3.50 per person and skate rental is $1.00.

So, shake off those boots, grab your hat and mittens and round up the family for an exhilarating day of winter fun. These winter activities will do wonders to fight that old cabin fever.

Debby Hays, a frequent contributor to Decatur Magazine, lives in Mt. Zion with her husband, son and two cats.

Rock Springs Center
1495 Brozio Lane
Decatur, IL 62521
(217) 423-7708
Visitor Center Hours: 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday
1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday
Conservation Hotline: (217) 421-7493

Decatur Park District
610 E. Riverside Drive
Decatur IL 62521
217-422-8535

Decatur Civic Center
1 Gary Anderson Plaza
Decatur, IL 62523
(217) 422-7300

This article originally appeared in the December/January 2001 issue of Decatur Magazine.
It may not be reproduced or redistributed in whole or in part without the publisher's consent.
© Copyright 2000 Decatur Magazine - First String Productions. All rights reserved.

< previous page