After a pair of mild winters, winter sports enthusiasts are returning to state parks this year to participate in some of their favorite activities. Earlier this month, snowmobile trails opened for the first time this season across Door County, while cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and fat bikers could also hit the trails over several inches of snow. Additional traffic has been noticeable at Wisconsin State Parks, such as Potawatomi State Park. Park Superintendent Erin Brown-Stender said after a slow start to winter, activity picked up as the temperatures dropped. She says the First Day Hike at Whitefish Dunes State Park was among its most attended. Good ice conditions helped make last month the second busiest January for visitors since 2000. With snow piling up on area trails, Brown-Stender does not expect that trend to change.

The uptick in visitation this winter follows what Brown-Stender called an average summer for the state parks she oversees, which include Potawatomi and Whitefish Dunes state parks. That being said, she added that camping last year was the busiest its has ever been based on her records.