I’m not much of a cold-weather gal unless it snows. Generally, I prefer sunny mild days when the sky is blue and I can wander around the woods, munching on snacks while a gentle breeze flutters through the trees. While warmer days are coming (it’s almost March), it feels like the Shenandoah Valley finally experienced a true winter this year, plus we got the added blessing of single digit temperatures!
But whether it’s forty or fourteen degrees outside, the cold is no excuse to skimp out on getting a bit of sunlight and if you’re like me and not trying to drive up any icy mountains in the snow just to have a bit of solitude and nature-time, Paul State Forest is the perfect trail for you.
Paul State Forest is located near Dayton, Virginia and is like entering a little woodland island nestled in the midst of cows and farms. The trail is about four miles out-and back and is very easy in difficulty, so it’s good for individuals of all ages and abilities. While parts of the trail are overgrown, most of your path will be well-marked. This park is dog-friendly and there’s no entry fee, so bring your pups along for a walk through the woods. It’s a great spot to see flowers, birds, and other animals and you’re unlikely to encounter many others there.
I’ve been to Paul State Forest in all four seasons, but this year was the first time I ventured out during the snow (mostly because we haven’t gotten much snow). My friend Ginny and I took some pups here in January, right after we’d gotten a decent amount of powder. In total, we were four dogs strong and made quite an intimidating group, but we figured we’d be the only ones walking around the snow at eight in the morning in below freezing temperatures.
How wrong we were! Little did we know we would encounter a gaggle of four identical (albeit adorable) Shih Tzus early in our walk. The little pups were naturally terrified (their owners looked quite scared too and who could blame them – our dogs were about the same size as we were). Fortunately, all the dogs were well-behaved and despite a semi-tense few moments before the owners could scoop up their little dogs, we managed to pass each other without incident and enjoy the rest of our chilly stroll through a winter wonderland.
Happy Hiking!
