No Snowing Down

With trails, hills and thrills, St. Joseph County Parks is a hotbed for winter sporting

By Derek Smith

Snow, ice and cold—with these chilly elements lurking right outside our doors, it’s easy to channel our inner grizzly bear and hibernate until spring. But with only a few short months to experience the fun and beauty of a Beach Coast winter, it’s important to shake off the grizzly and tap into our more adventurous sides. From skiing to snowshoeing, inner tubing to an innocent snowball fight, St. Joseph County Parks has you covered. With three parks offering up all of this and more, it’s time to bundle up. Winter is beckoning you to come out and play!

Fast and Furious

Few things beat the thrill of an adrenaline rush, and inner tubing at St. Patrick’s Park in South Bend, Indiana or Ferrettie/Baugo Park in Osceola is a sure way to get one. Park staff “grooms” the hills by creating smooth, clear lanes to speed down.

“It provides a more thrilling experience because you’re going faster and smoother,” says Brooke Artley, Leisure Services Manager for St. Joseph County Parks.

For $3 a person (plus park gate fee), you get an inner tube and access to hours of slipping and sliding. Parents needn’t worry about safety: park staff regulates the traffic flow and there is a separate walking path to get up the hills that steers clear of zipping tubes. An added bonus: there’s a warming and concessions room at each park, the perfect spot to enjoy some hot cocoa.

Traditional sleds and toboggans are welcome at Bendix Woods County Park in New Carlisle; however, sledding there, while not dangerous, is “at your own risk” says Artley, because it is unsupervised.

A Scenic Workout

For cross-country skiers, adventure awaits at Bendix Woods and St. Patrick’s parks. While Bendix Woods has 195 acres of pristine snow-covered terrain, St. Patrick’s offers nearly six miles of groomed trails specifically for skiers ($4 daily fee). For newbies, a ski clinic at St. Patrick’s Park on Jan. 7 will be the perfect opportunity to learn the ropes. Also, no winter at the park would be complete without the popular Cocoa and Candlelight Ski Nights (visit www.sjcparks.org for upcoming dates). The trails of St. Patrick’s Park are illuminated for skiers, while cocoa and a warm fire await at the park’s historic cabin. “People who are avid skiers love to do night skiing if they can,” Artley says of the popular event. 

Don’t have your own skis? St. Patrick’s has brand new equipment for rent.

If skiing isn’t your thing, strap on some snowshoes. The sport is gaining momentum at Ferrettie/Baugo Park.

“It’s a nice excuse to get out and try an activity that doesn’t involve much skill,” Artley says. The park offers snowshoe rentals and encourages guests to walk along the park’s many scenic hiking trails. The best time to go, Artley says, is after a heavy snowfall.  “You sink a little when you walk, so the more snow the better.”

Visit www.sjcparks.org for more information on dates, times and fees.

Bendix Woods County Park
Timothy Road, South of US 20, New Carlisle
(574) 654-3155
Unsupervised cross country skiing and sledding

St. Patrick’s County Park
Laurel Road, north of Auten, South Bend
(574) 277-4828
Supervised inner tubing and maintained cross country skiing trails
 

Ferrettie/Baugo Creek County Park
County Line Road, north of US 933, Osceola
(574) 674-9765
Supervised inner tubing and organized snowshoeing

Photo Credit: Photos provided courtesy of Brooke Artley

Derek Smith is a writer, editor and graduate student studying digital media at Valparaiso University. A long-time resident of the Beach Coast, he grew up in Valparaiso and currently lives in Michigan City.