10 Reasons to Take a Winter Hike

The air might be cool, but winter is the perfect time for a hike. There is something magical about snow in the trees, icicles on the rocks, and the solitude of a winter hike.

But if you need more reasons to bundle up and go for a chilly adventure. Here are 10 reasons to take a winter hike:

  1. Traffic is light as people tend to hibernate, giving you the trail all to yourself
  2. Winter light makes for stellar photos (no Instagram filter required)
  3. You can use all of the cold weather gear you’ve been collecting
  4. Snowy trails provide a powerful workout
  5. New perspective from looking at the trail in a new way
  6. No bugs (and no bug bites)
  7. Your dog can hang longer thanks to cooler temps, making it an excellent time to start upping Fido’s mileage
  8. There’s an absolute calm quiet in the winter months, that’s hard to describe unless you experience it
  9. You can make a family memory that will last a lifetime
  10. There’s nothing like fresh air and sun on your face after being cooped up indoors (even if it is cold, it will feel wonderful)

Need hike recommendations? Roanoke Outside has you covered with top picks from around the region, sorted by location. Check out our hiking page complete with driving directions, mileage, difficulty ratings, trail details, and maps.

Want to take it up a notch? Tackle the Triple Crown challenge this winter. Hike three summits along the Appalachian Trail: McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker Cliffs. There isn’t a medal, but you’ll be able to boast to all your friends that you have done it (and have a few awesome selfies to share).

We’d love to see all your winter hike photos! Make sure to tag @roanoke_outside in your stories and use #roanokeoutside so we can see and share!