Snowshoeing & Skiing In Michigan
Don’t hide from winter in West Michigan. Do what real locals do: Bundle up, immerse yourself in the cleansing December air, and get that heart rate going. Book a winter getaway at the Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, where comfort and hospitality are paramount, and embrace winter.
Spend A Day In Someone Else’s Snowshoes
Allow us to set the scene. You wake up and wipe the sleep from your eyes in one of our customized rooms, nestled into a plush Vispring bed, to the smell of pancakes and fresh roasted coffee. After a rejuvenating soak in a sleek Waterworks shower, you wander into our warm dining room for a delicious farm-to-table breakfast.
Once you’ve layered up with your cozy wool socks and comfiest winter sweater, you bid adieu to the Wickwood team in the foyer and make your way through the gently falling snow to Landsharks, two blocks away. There, you rent top-of-the-line snowshoes or cross-country skis from Fischer, Tubbs, or Redfeather for $18 a day.
“Sunshine cannot bleach the snow, nor time unmake what poets know.”
It’s a short ten-minute drive to Saugatuck Dunes State Park to start your day of adventure. With steep, undeveloped dunes and more than 15 miles of trails—most of which lead to Lake Michigan—SDSP is the preeminent destination for skiers/snowshoers of all levels. Although the terrain will be steep throughout most of the park, we can recommend routes for beginners.
If you feel the need for speed, go all out and get yourself a lift ticket at one of the area ski resorts. Bittersweet (36 miles from our door in Otsego) is a terrific option that contains 350 vertical feet, 20 runs, six chair lifts, three wonder carpets, and one rope tow. If you’ve never skied before, Bittersweet, where certified ski patrol offers private, semi-private, and group lessons, is a good place to start. — *Consider going on a weekday: Not only will lift lines be shorter, but also weekday rates are a bargain at the Wickwood.
Another good skiing option is Timber Ridge Ski Area, Southwest Michigan’s oldest ski hill. Thirty-seven miles away in Gobles, Timber Ridge draws folks from all over not just for skiing and snowboarding, but also snow tubing. Nine tubing lanes mean more than enough action to go around for your kids (or you).
At the end of the long day, come home to the Wickwood and warm yourself in a comfy chair front of our fireplace with a hot cup of cider and a good book. Whether the rest of your evening involves a lovely dinner at Coast 236 or a quiet interlude of canoodling under an ultrasoft ALT For Living cashmere blanket with a loved one, life will be good.
Want to make this all a reality?
Give us a call and the Wickwood team would be happy to help customize your winter getaway and arrange for a snowshoeing and cross-country skiing adventure in Saugatuck, Michigan!
