Winter can be a lot more fun when you and your family are outdoors on snowshoes. If you haven’t tried them yet, you’ll find it’s almost as easy as walking. Kids charge off giggling, you drag a sled and find a spot for some downhill action or bring hot cocoa to sip at a scenic overlook.

“Kids love the all-terrain aspect of snowshoeing,” says Santa Fe Mountain Adventure’s Janine Sieja. “They feel like they have superhero powers, stomping up and down steep slopes. And they love taking breaks to build snowmen or have snowball fights.”

Karen Denison with Outspire! says snowshoeing encourages families to get away from the crowded hill. “It’s less the end and more the means for exploring with the kids. Rabbits, coyote, squirrel, bobcat and deer leave behind plenty of tracks in the snow. Figuring out who has been here and where they are going is a great game.”

And snowshoeing is beautiful in its simplicity, a relatively low-tech sport that’s easy to learn. “Kids like that there’s no skill required,” say Geoff Goins of Enchanted Forest Ski Area. “They can stay with their parents on the trail and don’t get out-skied.”

Ready to buy? “Rent first,” says REI Specialist Dara Johnson, “so you can try out the sport.” When you’re ready, snowshoes are sized by weight and several companies make kid-specific shoes, which fit youngsters weighing up to 80 or 100 pounds. Otherwise they can wear an adult small.

You can get snowshoes designed for either play in the backyard or to head into the backcountry. “Backyard snowshoes are a lot of fun but might not be sufficient for an extended walk in the woods,” Johnson says. Examples include Little Bear models and also the adorable Redfeather’s Snow Paws, which leave Bigfoot-shaped prints in the snow. Prices range from $15 to $30.

“Backcountry snowshoes are small versions of adult shoes,” says Johnson. “Durable, strong and with metal crampons to grip the snow.” Examples include models by Atlas, Tubbs and MSR, which are all adjustable and range in price from $40 to $70.

And where can your family go in New Mexico to lay down some wide tracks? On a good snow year, you’ll find hundreds of suitable trails throughout the state from the northern mountains around Taos and Red River to the Sacramentos in the south near Ruidoso.

“Below the Santa Fe Ski Area, Aspen Vista and Norski are great for families to try on their own,” says Sieja. “Aspen Vista is nice and wide and usually packed down, which makes the going easier for beginners. And Norski has a variety of well-marked smaller trails and usually it’s quieter there.”

Further down the mountain is Hyde Memorial State Park, known to families for its tubing hill. “Skip the hill,” says Denison, “and wander around the Black Canyon area.”

Michael Grady, president of New Mexico Mountain Club, has more advice. “When the snow is deep enough for snowshoeing, it’s mostly at higher elevations. That means you’ll find suitable trails on the Sandias’ east side, and in the Pecos and Jemez.”

You can also try snowshoeing with your family at a New Mexico ski area. For example, at Angel Fire Resort, you can rent shoes and head out on Nordic trails at the top of the mountain or on greenbelt trails through town.

Great Ways to Get Started

Enchanted Forest Cross-Country Ski Area
This area grooms trails for snowshoers as well as cross-country skiers and offers rentals, warming huts, outhouses and ski patrol. On Dec. 25, your family can snowshoe a loop lined with farolitos and on Jan. 5 and Feb. 2, tour by headlamp. Phone: 800-966-9381. Web site: www.enchantedforestxc.com.

Outspire!
This hiking company leads guided snowshoe tours from trailheads around Santa Fe. Experienced guides help you with gear/technique and point out things like animal tracks. Most families opt for 2-3 hours on the snow and Outspire’s inventory includes adjustable snowshoes for kids. Phone: 505-660-0394. Web site: www.outspire.com.

Valles Caldera National Preserve
Bring your own equipment and traverse the wide expanse of the Caldera west of Los Alamos on winter Fridays and weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Dec. 29. A day-use permit costs $10/adults and $5/children (ages 6-15). No charge for children under 6. Or snowshoe for free during public appreciation days: Jan. 1 and 15, Feb. 19. Phone: 866-382-5537. Web site: www.vallescaldera.gov.

New Mexico Mountain Club
Join New Mexico Mountain Club based in Albuquerque and go on weekend snowshoe outings. Household memberships only cost $12/year. While NMMC is not a guide service, they usually have several beginning sessions each winter. Check out www.swcp.com/~nmmc and click on club activities.

Santa Fe Mountain Adventures
This company’s outings are designed to match your family’s desire, fitness and experience, even if it’s your first time. SFMA offers afternoon half-day trips for $79/person (minimum 3 people), which includes transportation from downtown Santa Fe, gratuities, snacks and beverages and a souvenir water bottle. Phone 800-965-4010. Web site: www.santafemountainadventures.com

Albuquerque’s REI
Come out for a morning in the Sandias during REI’s Snowshoe Romp (Jan. 27) and try out a pair of snowshoes with a guide on the 10K Trail. Cost ($5 co-op members, $7 non-members) includes rental. Families welcome and pre-registration required. Another option is the shop’s free Snowshoeing 101 (7 p.m. Jan. 16 at REI), which will focus on selecting gear, basic skills and where to go. Pre-registration requested. REI also has an extensive selection of rental snowshoes to outfit the whole family. Phone: 505-247-1191.

Family Snowshoeing Tips from Local Experts

-Expect to go about half the distance you hike in summer, especially if there is fresh snow. –Outspire!

Don’t push kids too hard. Short legs have a harder time in deep snow. –Enchanted Forest.

Poles offer stability and help you get up if you fall. –NMMC

Be careful not to walk in cross-country ski tracks with your snowshoes! –SFMA

When calling rental shops, ask about children’s sizes. –Outspire!

Nothing ruins a trip faster than cold, wet feet. Kids should wear wool/synthetic socks and rugged waterproof boots or shoes. –SFMA

Carry high-calorie, nutritious snacks and a lunch to replenish energy. –NMMC

Because snowshoeing is aerobic, dress in several lighter layers—instead of a snowsuit—so you can make adjustments. –Outspire!

Waterproof or windproof outer layers keep you warm and dry, sunglasses ward off the harsh reflection of sunlight on snow, and a warm hat and scarf or neck gaiter help with heat loss where it happens most. –NMMC

Practice in your backyard—or on carpet—before heading out on a trip so kids get used to the shoes. –REI

Be sure snowshoes are easy to adjust and cinch snugly to your children’s footwear. Floppy snowshoes are inefficient and frustrating. –SFMA

If the trail isn’t packed down, take turns breaking trail, which is fun but tiring. –REI