Finding a reason to go outside in the winter can be hard. We get it! It’s cold. It’s often cloudy. The urge to stay under your blanket with your warm drink is understandable, but there’s actually several benefits to visiting The Parklands in the colder months. The winter months can offer us several opportunities you don’t get any other time of year!

The Views: Aside from the possibility of snow, which can turn even the grayest landscapes into stunning backdrops, you can see deeper into the forest along hikes. Once trees drop the last of their leaves, more of the stunning Kentucky landscape is revealed to the casual hiker. The lack of greenery can often be a blessing, showing you sights the undergrowth and treetops may block during warmer months.

No Bugs or Sweat: Stepping outside in the warmer seasons often comes with side effects not all of us enjoy, like bugs buzzing around us or sweat simply from standing in nature. If this sounds a bit like you, a winter excursion might be the perfect way for you to get a breath of fresh air without being bothered. There are plenty of trails to explore at The Parklands without bees or mosquitos flying by your ear and places to rest and watch the world pass by without feeling damp and sweaty after!

Fewer Crowds, More Quiet: For many people, uninterrupted quiet time can be hard to find, even moreso in the winter when there are fewer extracurriculars and excursions to keep people busy. While the cold is often a reason to keep people inside, it creates the perfect environment for uninterrupted quiet time in parks. With fewer crowds and emptier trails, there’s rarely a better time to walk and explore The Parklands for meditation and recentering.

Better Mental Health: While experiencing green spaces is vital to one’s mental health year-round, it’s especially important in the colder months. Many people experience a drop in energy, motivation, and overall mood in the winter. This is due to any number of factors, including less vitamin D due to shorter daylight hours. For many, it is dark when we leave for work and when we return home in the evenings, making it all the more important to soak in that daylight where we can. Going for a brisk walk and experiencing the evergreens or hearing the babbling of Floyds Fork is sure to make the cooler, shorter days more enjoyable and boost that mental health!