Winter in Maine is a time to embrace and explore | Nature Connects

**Gabe Perkins** _is the executive director of Inland Woods + Trails._ The days may be shorter and the temperatures colder, but here in Maine, winter is one of the best seasons to be outside. I’ll admit I’m biased. I put on my first pair of skis at age 3, learning early how to move and glide across snow, and I’ve openly embraced winter ever since. Snow is the only form of precipitation you can truly play in, and a fresh blanket of powder opens the door to experiences found nowhere else: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife tracking and much more. Winter is just as dynamic as the growing season. Snowpack builds and recedes, freeze-thaw cycles reshape the land and the conditions shift from day to day. Each morning offers a new version of the landscape, and a new invitation to explore it. It’s a season that invites stillness and motion, often at the same time. At Inland Woods + Trails, we manage more than 100 miles of trails year-round in Western Maine, including 25 miles of groomed showshoeing, cross-country skiing and fat-tire biking trails. You can visit us at The Bethel Resort located at 21 Broad St. in Bethel every day from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. into March.  One reason winter recreation resonates so strongly is that it has a relatively low barrier to entry. With a pair of snowshoes or skis, you can take advantage of these groomed trails, or simply explore the landscape right outside your back door. Many communities support gear libraries, school programs and loaner equi... --- *Note: This is a summarized excerpt. Click the source link above to read the full story.*