Matthew and Alex Weinberger grew up in Tamarack Nature Center. The kids were stuffed in aBaby Bjorn and strapped to their father Mark as he set out hiking on the kilometers of trails. “It’s nice to get into the woods and the prairie,” Mark Weinberger says. “It’s a great getaway.”
Matthew, 14, and Alex, 11, now strap on their own skis with Mark and their mother, Lisa, and go less than two blocks from their home to the 320-acre preserve within Bald Eagle-Otter Lakes Regional Park in White Bear Township.“They like being outside, they like winter, they like being on skis,” Mark says of his kids. “They think it’s a cool place.”
The Weinbergers aren’t alone.
“Tamarack Nature Center is such a popular space for families,” says Allison Winters,spokeswoman for Ramsey County Parks and Recreation. “It’s family-friendly.”
The friendliness extends to first-timers, and those who don’t have skis and snowshoes in their closets.
“It’s one of the few places that rents equipment,” says Mark Weinberger, who teaches skiing classes at Afton Alps in Hastings and Trollhaugen in Dresser, Wis. “It’s a nice way for someone who’s not sure if they will like it.”
For classic cross-country skiing, Tamarack Nature Center includes a 1-kilometer beginner trail near the nature center building, a 3K trail around Tamarack Lake and a 4K loop that extends around Fish Lake. “The 3K and 4K trails are together for a while and an extra kilometer breaks off for the more difficult terrain,” Winters says. “It’s a bit hillier, wooded terrain.”
The cross-country ski trails are routinely groomed during the season, starting with a 6-inch snow base, and whenever there is a substantial fresh snowfall. Also included in the myriad trails is a 2.3K snowshoe trail that is left natural.
Wildlifeabounds at Tamarack, andthe Weinbergers often see deer, fox and birds of prey.
“It’s such a beautiful area to go out and explore in the winter,” Winters says. “So many people when they are out know that it’s not uncommon to see deer or other wildlife. That is so fun for families, especially when you have little kids out there, to have that experience in a metro area.”
Rental Information
Tamarack offers cross-country skis, boots, poles and modern snowshoes for rent from December 21 to March 2, depending on the weather and snow conditions.
- The rentals are available for a minimum of two hours, for on-site use only and are to be returned by 4 p.m. A Minnesota ski pass is required on all trails and can be purchased online or where fishing and hunting licenses are sold.
- Rates for skis and snowshoes for children over 6 years old to adults are $12 for two hours and $6 per additional hour. Rates for kids under 6 are $6 for two hours and $6 per additional hour.
- Rentals are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Sundays. The trails are open a half-hour before sunrise and half-hour after sunset.
- The Tamarack shack is open regular hours on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President’s Day, “which is a great way for families to use the days off from school,” Winters says.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Tamarack will host several special events this winter.
Jan. 11 and Feb. 1: Back Country Snowshoe Trek
Jan. 20: Parent-Child Snowshoe Trek
Jan. 25 or Feb. 8: Ski Otters (ages 4-7), Group Ski (adults)
January 12, 26 and February 2, 9: Nordic Ski Club (grades 1–5) 4-week series
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Tamarack Nature Center
5287 Otter Lake Road
White Bear Township
651.407.5350
parks.co.ramsey.mn.us/
