A Sampling of America's Winter Wonderlands
By David Lukas
Posted Dec. 20, 2007, at 1 p.m.
Do the cold overcast days of winter get you down? Try this sampling of winter wonderlands to perk up your spirits as you discover some of America's best gems. Winter is a great season to visit these places if you like snow and getting away from the crowds.
Snow covers the spectacular Bryce Amphitheater from Sunrise Point
© Rob Blakers. Lonely Planet Images.
Southern Utah's Dazzling Winter Playground
A case in point is Utah's Arches and Bryce Canyon National Parks, both crowded during the summer but virtually empty in winter. Why visit in winter? For the rare opportunity to see soaring sandstone arches and pinnacles of brilliant red and orange rock all dusted in pure white snow.
Perhaps it's the freezing nights and remote feel of these places that keep them isolated in winter, but when you have these parks and trails to yourself on a crisp sunny day, you are part of a privileged club.
At the higher-elevation Bryce Canyon, rangers loan out free pairs of snowshoes on a first-come basis if the snow levels get more than a foot deep. Or bring your own cross-country skis to explore some of the desert wilderness in winter. At a lower elevation, Arches National Park rarely sees a lot of snow, but the towering snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance provide a stunning backdrop behind some of the most scenic rock formations in America, making this a perfect season for hiking Arches' many trails.
Vermont's Skiing Capital
If snow is your thing, then head to the "Ski Capital of the East" for a bit of downhill skiing, dogsledding, ice-skating or snowboarding. Despite being a popular skiing destination, the charming village of Stowe, Vt., gets far more visitors in summer and fall than in winter.
This 200-year-old village preserves more than a hundred historic buildings, including its famously beautiful white-steepled church, all nestled among fields and forests at the base of Vermont’s highest peak, Mt. Mansfield.
Renowned for having one of the finest cross-country skiing systems in North America, Stowe is equally known for its many award-winning restaurants. Sophisticated in a splendid mountain setting, Stowe is also home to about 50 country inns, bed-and-breakfasts, four-star resorts and destination spas, making it easy to walk from your lodging to one of the many local restaurants or village shops after a long day of skiing.
A Quiet Amish Interlude
Travelers with an eye for the quieter lifestyle might prefer to check out the rich Amish heritage found along sleepy country roads in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, Lancaster County alone has over 2500 miles of winding country roads that connect countless small towns, villages and farming communities, each with its own unique charm and allure.
Here the Amish devotion to family, hard work and simplicity can be seen in their horse-drawn buggies, quilts, farms and homemade food as you meander backroads and learn more about a less frenetic pace of life. When the fields are layered with snow in winter, expect to find festive holiday celebrations, warm cheer and sleigh rides.
Known mostly for their simple farming traditions, the Amish have recently taken up a variety of cottage industries and begun inviting travelers to visit their homes and farms. In Holmes County, Ohio, and Lancaster County, Pa., you can join Amish-led tours, arrange a homestay, or lend a hand on one of the region's many "working farms," making this one vacation you will never forget.
Bio: David Lukas is a professional naturalist who lives just outside Yosemite National Park. He leads nature tours and writes about the plants and animals of places ranging from Borneo and Tanzania to Nova Scotia.
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