Start your winter adventure here!

Today I'm excited to have my friend Margaret as a guest blogger! Margaret Crawford is mom to a 2-year-old son and enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time outside. She and her husband of 13 years are introducing their son to their love of nature and traveling every chance they get.  She is super cool and is the best person to ask about outdoor-sy things to do in Des Moines.


If cabin fever has set in, and you are looking for something fun and different to do outside, head over to Active Endeavors and rent snowshoes. They are known for selling outdoor apparel, accessories, and gear, but they also rent snowshoes and cross country skis for one or two day adventures. The store is located off University Avenue in West Des Moines near Barnes and Noble with quick access from the entire metro area via I-35. You will be at a park for snowshoeing in no time.

We stopped in close to 10 am on a Saturday, completed some paperwork and would have been ready to head out in a matter of minutes. However, we just can't help checking out their wide selection of clothes, shoes, coats, and more! 

Active Endeavors rents Atlas snowshoes with sizes from toddler and up available so you can make it a family adventure. The sizing is very flexible, and the snowshoes work with virtually any boot or shoe you have (preferably waterproof).

I had never worn snowshoes before but only needed a quick tutorial on the bindings, which the staff members are more than capable of providing. One thing you will notice at Active Endeavors is that the staff all participate in and are passionate about outdoor activities so they are a wealth of information. I was excited to discover they rent cross country skis at such reasonable prices, too, so I asked about trails and quickly learned of some locations around the area that groom trails for skiers. 

It was a beautiful day to spend outdoors. The temperature was only in the mid-20s, but with sun and almost no wind and our activity level, it was perfect. With gear in tow, we headed to Raccoon River Park. With the recent snowfall, the trails were plenty snowy with evidence of other people cross country skiing and snowshoeing, but we felt like we had the entire trail to ourselves. It was a great day to enjoy the peace and quiet of the Iowa outdoors in a new way. Raccoon River Park's location is great, especially if you want to check out La Barista for a beverage to warm up afterward.

If Raccoon River Park isn't convenient for you, almost any bike trail around town that is still snowy would work or check out Waveland Golf Course, Big Creek, Saylorville or Maffitt Reservoir which have more extensive hiking trails. Some neighborhood parks have large open areas which could be a good starting point if your little one is trying snowshoes for the first time. We like West Des Moines' Quail Cove Park for the walking trail with rolling hills just beyond the playgrounds. It would be perfect for a beginning snowshoe adventure close to home.

Current pricing for snowshoe rental is $15 for one day and $25 for two days while cross country skis, boots, and poles are just $17 for one day and $28 for two days. At Active Endeavors, they say "Your Adventure Starts Here" so head over and give a new activity a try!