Plenty of winter walks on tap this month

If you’re interested in a winter woods excursion but don’t want to go alone, this month is featuring a host of free snowshoe and ski tours in the region.

The Flathead Community of Resource Educators is celebrating Winter Trails Day on Saturday, Jan. 20.

All activities are suitable for beginners and families. Here’s what’s on tap:

- Snowshoe walk in the Flathead National Forest, hosted by the Swan Lake Ranger District and Foy’s to Blacktail Trails, will be at the Blacktail Mountain cross-country ski trails near Lakeside, 10 a.m.-Noon. For more information or to reserve snowshoes, contact the Swan Lake Ranger District at 837-7500.

- Explore Lone Pine State Park on snowshoes. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., park visitors can borrow snowshoes and explore the many park trails. Contact the park at 755-2706 for more information.

- Ranger-led snowshoe hikes at Glacier National Park are hosted at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors need to purchase a park entrance pass. Meet at the Apgar Visitor Center.

- Join Flathead Audubon for a guided ‘Winter Birding and Tracking’ snowshoe hike along the river bottom trails at the Owen Sowerwine Natural Area in Kalispell, from 10 a.m to Noon. Call 249-3987 or email auduboneducator@gmail.com for more information and to register.

- The Montana Wilderness Association will snowshoe to Stanton Lake on Jan. 13 and host a winter ecology walk in the Condon area, Jan. 27 with Swan Valley Connections (http://wildmontana.org).

Also on Jan. 20 Glacier Nordic Club hosts Winter Trails Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Whitefish Lake Golf Course with free rentals, trail passes and more.

For more information about the events visit, http://flatheadcore.org.