As winter winds down giving way to the eventual change of seasons, recreational opportunities begin to change as well.  The ski hills and snowmobile trails close, cautious fisherman wait for ice out on their favorite bodies of water, and cross country skiers and snowshoers pack up there gear.  For a lot of people, this time of year is a holding pattern until the snow has melted and the temperatures stabilize, but there are
a number of activities that peak during this transition period.  The warming temperatures, longer days, increased sunshine, and April showers bring back our migratory birds, help the snow melt and the water levels rise, and of course bring us the May flowers.  The rising water levels and snow melt leads to prime whitewater kayaking and rafting conditions, as well as, great views of Wisconsin’s Waterfalls.  Most people don't even realize we have waterfalls in Wisconsin, and some aren't much more than a trickle in late summer and fall, but in spring they deserve more than a passing glance.

The previous are words I wrote last year to describe the season's change, and this year it is no different.  We truly are in a seasonal transition.  If you want to experience all four season's in Wisconsin, live here for a few days in March.  In 2012, it was 78 degrees on St. Patrick's Day, but it could very well have been below zero.  It could rain, snow, sleet, or hail in March like is predicted for the next couple days, or it may be sunny and calm.  Get out and enjoy the transition.  This time of year is a unique time where you can ice fish and kayak, downhill ski and mountain bike, or shovel snow and wear shorts all within a couple days of each other.

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." - George Santayana

Winter is here a few weeks earlier than in recent history.  The below average temperatures and above average snowfall have a lot of people cursing old man winter and praying that mother nature will deliver spring in a similarly early fashion.  But, I would say, don't swear off winter just yet.  Winter offers everyone a unique look at an otherwise familiar location.  The once leaf littered branches and trails have become powder coated tree limbs and pathways.  Your favorite scenic overlook that allowed you to view the vibrant colors of autumn now displays a palette of grays and white.  And, that  peaceful lake you pulled a wall-hanging walleye out of just a couple months ago has become a giant sheet of 12" thick ice.  To be honest, those descriptions would typically get an "I know, it sucks, doesn't it?" response from the majority of people I meet in my hometown, but if you take a closer look at what you are viewing, you may just develop a greater appreciation for the gift of seasonality in the Great Lakes region. 

If you spend anytime in a undeveloped area this winter, take a few minutes to look around and observe the differences.  The wildlife trail that has been trampled into a muddy pathway for the past 6 to 8 months is now refreshed by each new snowfall and shows distinguishable time-stamped footprints of deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, maybe even a coyote or wolf.  The Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay that you could previously hear chirping in the trees behind cover of leaves, needles, and pine cones now is a bold accent against the monochromatic gray backdrop.  The newly frozen water adds the entire State of Rhode Island to Wisconsin's explorable seasonal land mass.   And, for those that build up the courage to discover some place new, but were always afraid of getting lost, know that your footprints in the snow always allow you to remember where you came from.

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me, an invincible summer."  Albert Camus