A little frigid, wintery weather never stopped anyone, especially in Hudson! There’s year-round fun to be had, so bundle up, grab a piping hot cup of hot cocoa, and get ready for some winter outings with your friends, or the whole family.




Let it Snow
When you live in the Midwest, there’s one thing you can count on every winter: everyone’s love of skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and sledding. Luckily, Hudson has it all and so much more.
 
For some fun in the snow, head to Willow River State Park. This popular park is open year-round and features a spectacular view of Willow Falls and the Willow River Gorge. There are miles of scenic hiking trails and in the winter, it’s perfect for snowshoeing and more. The park has two miles of hard-packed trails on the north side of the river available for pet owners and for activities like snowshoeing, dog sledding, and hiking. There’s also nine miles of cross-country ski trails on the south side of the river that are groomed and tracked by volunteers for skate and traditional stride style skiing.
 
Warm up in the Nature Center classroom. It’s open for use as a warming house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Other winter activities include sledding, ice fishing, and camping. It’s the perfect place to enjoy winter activities with the entire family.

Catch of the Day
If you’re looking for some great ice fishing, sledding, skating and snowshoeing, make sure to check out Homestead Parklands. Homestead Parklands is located in Northwestern St. Croix County, about nine miles north of Hudson and five miles south of Somerset, and wraps around the northern half of Perch Lake. This popular park has an array of fun winter activities, like:

• Ice Fishing
• Skating on Perch Lake
• Sledding
• Snowshoeing
• Cross-country skiing (trails are not groomed and skiers will need to break their own trails)

Just note that a daily or annual pass is required.




Swooning over Winter Swans
If magical lights and Trumpeter Swans are more your speed, you’ll definitely want to head to Lakefront Park in historic downtown Hudson during the winter months. Take a stroll among thousands of dazzling lights at Lakefront Park and feel the magic along the shoreline of the St. Croix River. The festive holiday lights in Lakefront Park stay up through mid-February, and you should see how gorgeous the parks are in the snow!
 
Make a festive and memorable weekend of it with the entire family. Late winter is a great time to spot the elegant and beautiful, snow-white Trumpeter Swans that are right at home drifting on pockets of open water amid the snow and ice along the water near Lakefront Park.




Adventures in Snowmobiling
If you’re looking to spend a day whipping through trails on your snowmobile, check out this official Snowmobile Trail System Guide. There are 237.7 miles of groomed, state-funded trails near Hudson. There are also segments of local trails that may not be groomed.
 
There are so many benefits to getting outside during the winter, especially with all the great parks surrounding Hudson. Staying indoors can be tempting, but we say embrace winter and get outside–the benefits always outweigh a little cold front.