Join the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and REI to celebrate Winter Trails Day! This nationwide effort offers children and adults (who may be new to snow sports) an opportunity to try snowshoeing, cross country skiing, or just winter hiking at no charge. It’s an invitation to discover the great fitness and social benefits of these easy-to-learn winter sports. The first six adults and three children (ages 7 to 11) to register will receive free snowshoe rentals from REI for this event.

Other participants will need to bring their own snowshoes, or can rent them in advance from REI.  After the frosty excursion, stay a bit longer and warm up with steaming hot chocolate! 

The Annual Winter Trails Day event involves almost 100 resorts and Nordic Centers across the county, and sends 11,000 kids and adults out on the snow each year. Here in Rhode Island the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and REI are teaming up to offer this free snowshoe hike (if snow permits) or a deep-woods hike at the new Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge in Coventry, RI. This 300-acre wildlife refuge was the estate of the late artist Maxwell Mays and Audubon opened the refuge to the public, as Max had intended, on October 1, 2011.