Bundle Up & Get Outside
In the winter, the Port Austin area is a serene, peaceful place with plenty to do outdoors. Hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating, fat tire biking, ice fishing, snowmobiling, strargazing, and birding are all popular activites during the cold winter months.
Featured
Dark Sky Lodge
Open year-round, Dark Sky sits on a trailhead where you can snowshoe, hike, cross country ski, stargaze, and view birds & wildlife of the area. Stay with them and you can take advantage of free showshoe and fat tire bikes as well as stargazing and wildlife viewing gear.
Winter Activities
Hiking
Port Crescent State Park, Sleeper State Park, and Huron County Nature Center have hiking trails that are open in the winter months.
Snowshoeing
Port Crescent State Park, Sleeper State Park, and Huron County Nature Center have trails & Pak’s Bike Shop rents showshoes if you need them. Dark Sky Lodge offers them for free to overnight guests.
Cross Country Skiing
Port Crescent & Sleeper State Parks both offer groomed trails & Port Austin Hardware rents skis if you need them.
Stargazing
Sure, it can be cold, but the best parts of winter stargazing is how early it gets dark & how peaceful it is. Bundle up an hit one of the stargazing areas.
Birding & Wildlife
Many bird species and most wildlife stick around for the winter months. Many of our hiking trails are open throughout the winter and are ready for your visit.
Ice Fishing
A favorite winter pastime for locals, ice fishing is especially popular on the Saginaw Bay and in protected harbors around the county.
Ice Skating
Gallup Park has a covered ice skating rink & Port Austin Hardware rents skates if you need them. Of course, you can always hit the frozen lake too!
Winter Events
The Port Austin Chamber of Commerce has steadily been increasing wintertime events in the area over the years.
Snowmobiling
There are a couple designated snowmobile trails in the area, but many people enjoy the shoreline of a frozen Lake Huron as a main thoroughfare.
Need a Place to Stay?
Check out our lodging section to find a place to crash during your winter trip to the Port Austin area.