After years of waiting for the right conditions, the Buzzards Bay Coalition dusted off its sets of snowshoes and put them to use at the Sawmill. As soon as the snow hit, we moved quickly to create a simple, beginner friendly snowshoe outing that gave families a reason to get outside and explore the watershed in winter.

Over the first weekend, more than 50 people participated across eight guided sessions. Most were families with young children, many of whom had never worn snowshoes before. Getting the snowshoes on the kids was half the fun, with plenty of sitting on the floor, tightening straps, swapping sizes, and helping kids wobble through their first few steps before they found their balance.

“All of these snowshoes have been with the Coalition for years, but we just haven’t had the snow to use them,” said Stuart Downie, Vice President of Outdoor Exploration. “As soon as we saw the conditions line up, we pulled them out of storage and built something simple that let kids experience winter in a hands-on way.”

Participants headed out along the Sawmill trails, moving slowly through the woods and wetlands, spotting animal tracks, snow covered grasses, frozen edges of the stream, and the quiet that settles in after a snowfall. The Learning Center stayed open throughout the event so families could warm up, rotate groups, and gear up between sessions.

“It was amazing to watch kids who usually race through these trails in summer, slow down and really notice what the winter changes,” said Bay Adventures Manager Vernon Baptista. “You could see their confidence build with every step once they realized they could move comfortably across the snow.”

The event made use of a limited set of youth snowshoes owned by the Buzzards Bay Coalition, with families encouraged to bring their own if they had them. The strong turnout confirmed that even short, low barrier outdoor programs can have a big impact, especially when they invite people to experience familiar places in new ways during the winter months.

Snowshoeing at the Sawmill