Sports Outdoors

Grafton Lakes State Park and the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park will host the 29th Annual Winter Festival and Ice Fishing Contest on Saturday, January 25. The Winter Fest will feature winter exhibits, vendors and family-friendly and recreational activities. The event is free of charge and main events run from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Winter Festival offers a variety of free, active and entertaining activities, both indoors and outdoors. Indoor offerings will include nature crafts and exhibits, including Five Rivers “Wheel of Wildlife” and fly-tying with Trout Unlimited. Out of the Pits will offer its very popular kissing booth with charming, adoptable pitbulls on hand. Ford’s Falconry will bring native birds of prey for the public to meet and learn about these fascinating creatures from wildlife rehabilitator Richele Ford. The Rensselaer Land Trust will bring its Enviroscape, giving children a hands-on experience of watershed health. Tamakoce Wilderness Programs will offer nature awareness games as well as a hike to discover animal signs in the woods and fields near the exhibit building. Face painting, hot food and many other exhibits will also be available indoors.

The 7th Annual Polar Plunge benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation jumps into Long Pond at 1 pm. Participants can still sign up for the plunge and receive a hot drink after the experience. Please call Margaret Philips at 479-3739 to pre-register.

New outdoor events this year include a dog walk for furry friends as well as an introduction to animal signs. A new primitive skills demonstration will warm visitors with a toasty fire, a snow fort and the chance to learn an ancient form of firemaking with the bow drill. There will be guided outings throughout the Park for all levels and ages to enjoy, on snowshoes if conditions permit or offered on foot along the Park’s trails. Northland Newfoundland Dog Club will give sled rides pulled by their jovial and furry dogs on the beach. Carriage rides with majestic Percheron horses will also be offered by Indian Creek Farm.

The annual ice fishing contest draws several hundred fishermen annually and will run from 5:30 am to 3 pm on all the ponds in the Park. Ice conditions are expected to be more than adequate for the event. Participants can register starting at 5:30 am until 11 am on January 25 at the Park’s pole barn, accessible via the Winter Entrance. A $10 entry fee for adults 16 and older is required to participate in the fishing tournament. The catchers of all first place fish will receive a $300 cash prize this year, awarded for the longest length catch of trout, walleye/chain pickerel and yellow perch. Children may enter at no charge, and their winning entries will receive gift certificates and other prizes. Please remember that all participants 16 and older must have a New York State fishing license to fish in the Park at any time.

For more information about the Winter Festival, please call the Park at 518-279-1155. A full schedule of events is available on the Grafton Lakes State Park’s website (www.nysparks.com/parks) and on www.facebook.com/GraftonLakesStatePark.

February 1, Saturday – Snow Shoe Trek – Enjoy the winter by trekking through the forest on a pair of snowshoes  from 1 to 3 pm. This is a free program. Snowshoes may be rented from the Center for $5. Bring any snack or water you may need along the way. Call ahead for snow conditions. Snowshoes may be rented any day with advanced registration for a fee of $10 per day, $5 for half day, and there are special group rates.

February 2, Sunday – Wildlife Tracking Series continues during February. Dan Yacobellis, local naturalist and tracker, will be leading Family Friendly Tracking  from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm or 1 to 3:30 pm. The cost is $15.

February 9, Sunday –  tracking with a focus on fishers will be offered from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The cost is $20. Both programs offer a $5 discount for members, students and seniors. Winter is more enjoyable when you can discover movements of the animals around you. Common tracks found include red and grey fox, fisher, otter, porcupine and weasels. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.

February 14, Friday – Valentine’s Day Full Moon Trek. Enjoy Valentine’s Day at a free guided cross-country ski and snowshoe trek at the Center from 7 to 9 pm. The trek will cover two miles and is designed for the intermediate skier or snowshoer. No beginners, please. Snowshoe rentals are available for $5. Hot cocoa and chocolates will be shared around a campfire following the trek. Please contact the Center for updated snow conditions.

February 16, and March 16,  Sundays – Nature Writing Workshops.Paying Attention Among the Trees: A Winter Walk and Nature Writing Experience will be held from 1 to 3 pm. Diane Kavanaugh-Black will lead participants on a meditative woodland walk followed by writing with intention in a cozy wood stove heated cabin. This workshop will inspire the creative process whether you are a novice or already working on your own writing project. Sign up for one or both sessions. The cost is $15. $12 for members. Pre-registration is required for both workshops and space is limited, so register early.

The Dyken Pond Center, located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for ice fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Visit www.dykenpond.org for directions and a complete schedule of our winter events. Call 658-2055 or visit the website www.dykenpond.org.