Top 10 Reasons to Go Hiking in Winter

1. No crowds. You'll have the trails, the campsites, and the views all to yourself.
2. No bugs. Mosquitoes and ticks are long gone. You can leave the DEET at home.
3. No poison ivy or nettles. Poison ivy vines snaking up trees retain the Evil Plant Oil year-round, but you won't have to worry about brushing against those leaves.
4. Different scenery. Snow, ice formations along creek edges, and woods with no leaves all create new and different scenes than you see in the summer.
5. Photographic opportunities. See number 4.
6. Good food. You can pack food for snacks or meals that would spoil in the summertime heat.
7. Hike off-trail if there's snow. Deep snow cover means you won't make new trails or ruts, so you can get off trail and navigate through the woods to places you might not get to visit in the summertime.
8. Prevent cabin fever. Get a regular dose of the sun's vitamin D and keep your mood up all winter long.
9. Fitness. Hiking, hiking through snow, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing are all great exercise. Forget the stuffy gym and enjoy the invigorating fresh air of the winter woods and fields.
10. Be a real outdoors-person. Getting outside year-round gives you a unique perspective and education on what the natural world is like all year long.

Bonus reason:
11. Learn new things. Winter is a great time to learn animal tracking, especially the morning after a fresh snowfall. See the wing marks where a hawk or owl swooped down for a tasty mouse breakfast. Find where a deer spent the night.