Step out Saturday on Winter Trails Day

Winter Trails Day is Saturday and several organizations and resource agencies will host free outdoor winter activities around the Flathead Valley.

The daylong event is organized by the Flathead Community of Resource Educators, a network of individuals and organizations working together to increase awareness and understanding about the natural, historical and cultural resources of the Flathead region.

All activities are suitable for beginners and families. Be prepared with warm clothing and wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots.

•  Flathead Audubon and Foy’s to Blacktail Trails will host a snowshoe walk at 10 a.m. at the Blacktail Mountain cross-country ski trails near Lakeside. Participants may bring snowshoes, although a limited number of children and adult shoes will be available by reservation. Meet at the upper trailhead parking area. For more information or to reserve snowshoes, contact the Swan Lake Ranger District at (406) 837-7500.

•  From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors to Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell can borrow snowshoes and explore the park’s trails. Adult and children snowshoes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A ranger-led snowshoe walk will begin at 11 a.m. Contact the park at (406) 755-2706 for more information or to reserve snowshoes.

•  Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are offered at Glacier National Park. They will begin at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Apgar Visitor Center. Each hike will last about two hours and reservations are not required. Snowshoes will be provided for hike participants. The snowshoe walks, offered on Saturdays and Sundays, will continue through March 20.  The snowshoe walks are presented in partnership with the Glacier National Park Conservancy. Participants must purchase park entrance passes. For more information, call (406) 888-7800.