Spring is Springing: Explore Outdoors

After an unusually warm winter with multiple days reaching temperatures in the 50s and 60s, the official arrival of spring on March 20th might seem like just another day. Maybe you’re mourning the cross-country skiing that never came to be or feeling pangs of melancholy every time you walk past your snowmobile in the garage, still gassed up and freshly polished, waiting for that perfect snowstorm that never arrived. Now the robins have returned, heralding the arrival of spring with each hop and chirp. Spring is springing, ready or not.

While the lack of precipitation this winter may create a variety of issues, it has provided the benefit of uncharacteristically dry walking trails. Now is a perfect time to lace up that new pair of hiking boots you received (or bought yourself) for Christmas and get outside. At Lake Carlos State Park, the wind coming off the lake still has a chill sharp enough to make your eyes water; further into the woods, however, a light breeze tickles through dried leaves, creating a natural percussion beneath the melodic callings of birds. This is the season to look up, as you might see a pair of black-capped chickadees flittering between trees or an acrobatic red squirrel listening intently with tufted ears. Each day brings the potential to see more wildlife stirring in the warmer temperatures or returning home to Minnesota after a winter away.

Whether you’re playing “I Spy” with the kids and looking for the brilliant orange beak of a female cardinal, taking a quiet walk alongside a loved one, or yes, even breaking in those hiking boots you bought yourself, there is no time like now to begin exploring Alexandria.