Candlelight Snowshoeing

This past Saturday night, Karen and I drove to Bluemound State Park, about a 20-minute drive from Madison, to participate in the Candlelight Ski and Hike, sponsored by the Friends of the Blue Mound State Park.

We arrived at 7:30ish and immediately strapped on our snowshoes and hopped on the 1-mile snowshoe loop. There was also a separate 2-mile trail for x-country skiers. Our trail was set deep in the woods, lit only by small tea lights set at ten foot intervals. It was incredible. The fog had really set in by that point, and the combination of that, and total darkness, save for a few candles and frequent whiffs of paraffin, made for a setting that was just totally eerie and magical at the same time. We did three quick loops of the trail, and then headed up to the bonfire to enjoy a few cups of cider, hot chocolate, and marshmallows. This was seriously one of the coolest things I've done in Madison. Definitely worth checking out. And totally free.

The next candlelight event at Bluemound is on Saturday, February 2, from 6-9 p.m. There are also candlelight ski and hikes taking place at many other state parks throughout January and February.