By DEBRA DONATTO

Getting stir crazy yet? North Country residents have more winter weather to get through than those in other regions. This winter has already been particularly tough on many. There has been so much extra physical work to do, such as shoveling and breaking ice.

We may need to be reminded that there are fun activities waiting for us, outdoors and in the woods. Parents may be tested when the kids are out of school for the winter and mid-winter breaks. It doesn’t take long for some children before those inevitable words are uttered: “I’m bored.”

Not everyone is an avid outdoors person, but you do not have to be to have fun. It doesn’t take a huge commitment to find a fun adventure at the Massena Nature Center.

Each winter season, snowshoes and cross-country skis are available to rent for only $4 a set. Rentals are available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The trails are open from sunup to sunset, seven days a week, for independent use, and there is no fee to use the trails themselves.

Anyone who can walk can snowshoe. Rentals are available in all sizes. There are even snowshoes to rent for little ones that look like bear paws.

The trails have gentle rolling hills that are easy to hike, even in snowshoes. The Upper Loop and Lower Loop are each about 1.6 miles long. Being loops, GPS units and map reading skills are not required to navigate them. All of the trail interpretive signs have numbered maps on them to guide hikers around the trails.

Cross-country skiing is a bit more challenging and could require some practice. The Nature Center has ski sets for all ages, and soon they will have many more in children’s sizes.

Skiers can use any and all of the trails, and do throughout the season. For this reason, it’s best for those not skiing to use trail etiquette.

What is trail etiquette? When the snow is deep on the trails, boots alone will punch holes in it with each step. This makes the trail very difficult to ski, especially after the holes freeze. It would be like skiing on the surface of the moon. Cross-country skiing requires a smooth surface.

The staff of the Friends of the Robert Moses State Park Nature Center, Inc. (“Friends”) always recommends that visitors use snowshoes to hike the trails when there is snow. Snowshoes actually help to pack the snow, and will create even better long-term conditions for the skiers. They also request that those snowshoeing be mindful of recent ski tracks, and avoid walking on them when possible. Some skiers prefer to follow existing ski tracks, and stepping on them (even with snowshoes) breaks the grooves. The conditions are rarely perfect, so every little bit of care is helpful.

The Nature Center is currently without trail grooming machines, so the only way to pack the snow down is through continued use. Snowshoe hikers are the best to accomplish that. It’s also much easier to hike with snowshoes than with boots in thick snow. Snowshoes keep you on top of the snow, and have metal grips to keep you from slipping on icy surfaces.

Those who are looking for something to do this winter can visit the Nature Center and try something new. It’s fun for the whole family and a healthy alternative to sedentary “screen time.”

The Friends also have a few Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe events scheduled this winter. Consider pre-registering for the next one on 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18.

For more information, call 705-5502, visit the Nature Center’s website at www.massenanaturecenter.org, or find them on Facebook.

Debra Donatto is program coordinator for the Friends of Robert Moses State Park Nature Center, 19 Robinson Bay Rd., Massena.