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Ski or snowshoe by candlelight

On a cold winter's night, follow the twinkling lights.

If you do only one thing outdoors in winter, do it by candlelight.

Nothing is more magical than a forest full of flickering lights. I got hooked when I skied in Minnesota's Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. A fat blue moon hung in the sky, sparkling hoarfrost made twigs as nubby as reindeer antlers and more than 400 glowing bags gave the forest a fairy-tale aura.

That was especially memorable, but so was every other time: on the Red Cedar State Trail from Menomonie, past the cascading ice of the Blue Wall; on Chequamegon Bay, with fireworks bursting ahead; along the shore of Lake Bemidji, with city lights twinkling on the horizon.

But all of the events are lovely, and all end with hot drinks and bonhomie around the bonfire. They're all put on with the help of volunteers — a gift to anyone who wants to venture out on a cold winter’s night.

Here's our 2012 guide to candlelight events in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Many parks line only their groomed ski trails with lights, but some also light trails for snowshoeing and hiking, and most will hold a candlelight walk if there's not enough snow.

If you want to ski with even more light, look for an event close to the full moons on Jan. 9, Feb. 7 and March 8 in 2012.

Though the park events are free, most state parks and park reserves require a vehicle sticker for the evening. Events in Minnesota also require a state ski pass, $6 daily and $20 annual.

In Wisconsin, some events require a state trails pass, $4 daily or $20 annual; the pass also is good for bicycling trails.

Some parks rent skis and/or snowshoes. For a really special evening, rent a camper cabin and ski right up to your door when you're finished (reserve far in advance). Most events are held 6-9 p.m., but check for details. 

Beginners can try candlelight events on bicycle trails, which are flat. The event on the Red Cedar State Trail from Menomonie, Wis., is a particularly good one.

For more, see our Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing sections.

Dec. 31, Fort Snelling State Park in the Twin Cities; walk and ice skate.

Dec. 31, Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, Minn., snowshoeing, hiking and skating plus sledding at the New Year's Eve Party.

Jan. 7, Minnesota state parks: Lake Carlos near Alexandria, ski, snowshoe or hike. Itasca, lantern-lit ski and snowshoe.

Jan. 7, Wisconsin state parks: Mirror Lake near Wisconsin Dells, ski, snowshoe or hike. Harrington Beach near Belgium, ski and hike. Wildcat Mountain near Ontario, torchlight ski or hike. Blue Mound State Park near Mount Horeb, Wis., ski, snowshoe or hike.

Jan. 7, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe (or hike unless trails are icy).

Jan. 14, Minnesota state parks: Lake Bemidji State Park near Bemidji, ski and snowshoe. Wild River near Taylors Falls, ski and snowshoe. Hayes Lake near Roseau, ski. Banning near Sandstone, ski.

Jan. 14, Wisconsin state parks: Kohler-Andrae near Sheboygan, ski or hike. Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak near Delafield, ski or hike. Lake Kegonsa near Stoughton. Governor Dodge near Dodgeville, ski, snowshoe and hike.

Jan. 14, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Hartwick Pines near Grayling, lantern-lit, ski. Sleeper near Caseville, ski and snowshoe.

Jan. 14, Maasto Hiihto Trail in Hancock, Mich., on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Jan. 20, Montebello Niteski in Bemidji, Minn., part of the Minnesota Finlandia event. There's a 6 kilometer race, $10 including hot food and drink, and 2 kilometer children's tour, $5. It's electric, though, not candlelight.

Jan. 21, Minnesota state parks: Charles A. Lindbergh in Little Falls, ski, snowshoe and hike. Frontenac near Red Wing, ski and snowshoe. Nerstrand-Big Woods near Northfield, ski and snowshoe.

Jan. 21, Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail from Preston in southeast Minnesota, ski and hike, with chili around a bonfire.

Jan. 21, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Hoeft near Rogers City, lantern-lit, ski. Van Riper west of Marquette, ski. Wells near Menominee, lantern-lit, ski and hike.

Jan. 27, Navarino Wildlife Area near Appleton, Wis., snowshoe or ski, $5, $12 for families.

Jan. 27, Red Cedar State Trail from Menomonie, Wis., ski, with candlelight walk on the Stokke Trail and candlelight snowshoe in Riverside Park. Snowshoe use is free, and there will be Swiss Miss hot chocolate and a bonfire.

Jan. 28, Minnesota state parks: Buffalo River near Moorhead, ski, hike and snowshoe. Lake Bronson in the state's northwest corner, ski. Sakatah Lake near Faribault, ski. Glacial Lakes near Starbuck, ski.

Jan. 28, Mora Lantern Loppet at the Vasaloppet Ski Area, 15 miles north of Mora, Minn., and 10 miles east of Isle, a town on the southeast corner of Lake Mille Lacs.

Jan. 28, Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings, Minn., ski. $10, $8 in advance.

Jan. 28, Spirit Mountain Nordic Center in Duluth, ski.

Jan. 28, Hartley Nature Center in Duluth, ski, snowshoe and ice-skate, with guided snowshoe hikes and a light supper. Cost is $10 for non-members. 

Jan. 28, Wisconsin state parks: Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls, ski or snowshoe. Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit near Eagle, ski or hike. Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area near Mercer, ski. Hartman Creek near Waupaca, ski.

Jan. 28, Mosquito Hill Nature Center near New London, Wis., snowshoe, $8, including rental, snacks and hot drinks. Reserve a week in advance.

Jan. 28, Stower Seven Lakes Trail from Amery, Wis., ski, snowshoe or hike. Two miles of this new state trail in western Wisconsin will be lighted by candles.

Jan. 28, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Fayette Historic on the Garden Peninsula, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Hartwick Pines near Grayling, lantern-lit, ski. Cheboygan in Cheboygan, lantern-lit, ski.

Jan. 28, Casper Bluff near Galena, Ill., ski, snowshoe or hike, $5 donation to Jo Daviess County Conservation Foundation.

Feb. 3-4, Minnesota state parks: Lake Carlos near Alexandria, ski and snowshoe.

Feb. 4, Minnesota state parks: Buffalo River near Moorhead, ski, snowshoe or hike. Afton near St. Paul, hike and snowshoe. Zippel Bay State Park on Lake of the Woods near Warroad, ski and snowshoe. St. Croix near Hinckley, ski or hike.

Hayes Lake near Roseau, ski. Rice Lake near Owatonna, ski, snowshoe and hike. Itasca, lantern-lit ski and snowshoe. Mille Lacs Kathio near Lake Mille Lacs, ski or hike.  Glendalough near Battle Lake, ski.

Feb. 4, Root River State Trail from Whalan, Minn., toward Lanesboro. There's a soup supper afterward at the Whalan Village Hall.

Feb. 4, Wisconsin state parks: Blue Mound State Park near Mount Horeb, ski, snowshoe or hike. Mirror Lake near Wisconsin Dells, ski, snowshoe or hike. Harrington Beach near Belgium, ski and hike. Big Foot Beach near Lake Geneva, hike. Black River Falls State Forest, ski, snowshoe or hike.

Flambeau River State Forest near Phillips, ski. High Cliff on Lake Winnebago, ski or hike. Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit near Campbellsport, ski or hike. Peninsula near Fish Creek, ski or hike.

Feb. 4, Ice Age Trail, Bohn Lake segment east of Hancock, Wis., in Waushara County, ski, snowshoe or hike, $5 with music and homemade chili and soup in a heated barn.

Feb. 4, City of Lakes Luminary Loppet in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood, ski or snowshoe on Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles, past magical ice ruins, pillars and a twinkling island.

The fee is $15 by Nov. 30, $17 by Jan. 15, $20 by Jan. 31, then $25. The weekend event also includes ski races that are fun to watch.

Feb. 4, Loop Around the Lake in Minocqua, Wis., ski, snowshoe and hike. This 5K fund-raiser around Lake Minocqua is $30 by Jan. 28, then $35.

Feb. 4, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Bewabic near Iron River, lantern-lit, ski.

Feb. 10, Cascade River trails from Cascade Lodge between Lutsen and Grand Marais, Minn., ski, part of Winter Tracks Festival.

Feb. 10, Minnesota state parks: Jay Cooke near Duluth, ski and snowshoe.

Feb. 11, Lebanon Hills Regional Park in St. Paul suburb of Eagan, ski, snowshoe and hike. $10, $8 in advance. Preregister at 651-554-6530.

Feb. 11, Gateway State Trail in the St. Paul suburb of Oakdale, hike.

Feb. 11, Wisconsin state parks: Kohler-Andrae near Sheboygan, tiki-torch ski or hike. Peshtigo River State Forest near Crivitz, ski or hike. Willow River near Hudson, ski or hike. Rib Mountain State Park in Wausau, snowshoe. 

Interstate in St. Croix Falls, ski, snowshoe or hike. Lapham Peak in Kettle Moraine State Forest near Delafield, ski or hike. Bong Recreation Area near Burlington, walk with bonfire, music and desserts.

Feb. 11, Afterhours Ski Trail in Brule River State Forest east of Superior, Wis.

Feb. 11, Mosquito Hill Nature Center near New London, Wis., snowshoe, $8, including rental, snacks and hot drinks. Reserve a week in advance.

Feb. 11, Minnesota state parks: Lake Maria near Monticello, snowshoe.

Feb. 11, Baker Park Reserve in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Plain, Valentine's Day ski, $25 including catered dinner and ski equipment.

Feb. 11, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Hoeft near Rogers City, lantern-lit, ski. Indian Lake near Manistique, lantern-lit, snowshoe. Hartwick Pines near Grayling, lantern-lit, ski. Port Crescent near Port Austin, lantern-lit, ski.

Feb. 12, Baker Park Reserve in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Plain, snowshoe, $7 including equipment.

Feb. 14, Minnesota state parks: Wild River near Taylors Falls, snowshoe with bonfire.

Feb. 18, Minnesota state parks: Gooseberry Falls near Two Harbors, ski, snowshoe or hike. Father Hennepin near Isle on Mille Lacs, ski.

Feb. 18, Sugarbush Trail from Oberg Mountain trailhead near Tofte, Minn., ski and snowshoe.

Feb. 18, Wisconsin state parks: Governor Thompson near Crivitz, ski or hike.

Feb. 18, Book Across the Bay benefit race/tour across Chequamegon Bay between Ashland and Washburn, Wis., 10-kilometer ski, snowshoe or walk.

Registration up to Feb. 8 is $15, $10 for children or students and $35 for a family, including shuttle from Washburn and chili feed, bonfire and music afterward. Walk-up rate is $25/$20/$50.

For more about the race and area, see Winter in Washburn.

Feb. 18, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe.

Feb. 25, Minnesota state parks: Split Rock Lighthouse State Park on Minnesota's North Shore, snowshoe or hike. Maplewood near Pelican Rapids, ski. Old Mill near Thief River Falls, ski.

Feb. 25, Michigan state parks: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness near Silver City, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise, lantern-lit, ski and snowshoe. Hartwick Pines near Grayling, lantern-lit, ski.

More events

For moonlight snowshoeing and other snowshoe events, check Minnesota  and Wisconsin state parks.

Just across the southeast Wisconsin border in Illinois, the McHenry County Conservation District has scheduled candlelight skis on the first weekends in January and February that follow at least 4 inches of snow; sign up to be notified of dates at MCCD@MCCDistrict.org.

In January, the Friday and Saturday skis will be held at The Hollows near Cary; in February, at Marengo Ridge near Marengo.

Last updated on February 2, 2012