Winter Sports

Follow the Erie Canalway Trail from Chittenango to Oneida on cross-country skis or snowshoes. The trail offers wide views, crisp air, and tranquil moments.

For winter hiking, head to Oxbow Falls County Park or Nichols Pond County Park, where frozen streams, wooded paths, and snow-covered hills turn familiar trails into something new. Each step brings a fresh view and a reason to linger.

Friends of Stony Pond (FROSTY) embraces the winter months through its efforts in trail development and maintenance, snow grooming, snowshoe rentals, and advocacy of human-powered trails-based activities throughout Madison County.

When the cold starts to settle in, warm up in the villages of Cazenovia or Hamilton with a meal rooted in the season. Farm-to-table restaurants serve comforting dishes made with local ingredients, best paired with a glass of regional beer, wine, cider, or spirits. Take time to wander downtown shops, where lights glow warmly in the windows and winter feels welcoming.

Check out our events to see upcoming winter festivals, events, markets, and more!

One of the most wonderful ways to enjoy the natural beauty of winter is to cross-country ski through the many trails of Madison County.

Cazenovia offers 25 miles of free, groomed trails that are perfect for any age and experience level. FROSTY (Friends of Stoney Pond) maintains the trails at several sites, including the one at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, which provides a unique and inspiring setting as you ski amongst amazing works of art. For an added challenge, ski through acres of fresh snow in the Brookfield Railroad State Forest—a truly serene setting

That’s just to name a few places! No matter where you ski in Madison County, you’ll be surrounded by the elegance of Mother Nature’s winter paintbrush. For information on equipment rentals or even more trails and their locations, check out the listings below and our cross-country skiing blog.

Cross-country skiing, It’s In Our Nature.

Enjoy snowmobiling on hundreds of miles of the most interesting and well maintained trail networks in New York State. There are trails for all levels of riders, so bring the whole family. Ride along winding woodland trails with abounding wildlife in the hills of southern Madison County. Enjoy the patchwork of hardwood and coniferous forests among the rural setting of agricultural lands.

Take a break as you ride past the windmills high above the hilltops in Fenner and enjoy the views of Oneida Lake and the shores of Lake Ontario beyond. Stop to take in the breathtaking majesty of Chittenango Falls, ride along the historic towpath of the Old Erie Canal, or follow the trails north to the shores of Oneida Lake. While you are out enjoying our trails, be sure to visit one of the many businesses that support snowmobiling in Madison County.

If you're visiting us from out of state, make sure you register your snowmobile here.

Madison County provides many ways to enjoy the amazing fun and beauty of winter. A true favorite, snowshoeing gives you the opportunity to walk in a winter wonderland at your own pace, in a place of external and internal peace. Madison County is home to some of the best - and most peaceful - places to snowshoe in all of Central New York.

Trek through the snow-covered woods of Charles Baker State Forest. Take in an afternoon around the stillness of Mount Hope Reservoir. For miles of trails through diverse scenery, visit the wonderful Great Swamp Conservancy.

That’s not all Madison County has to offer! For information on equipment rentals or even more trails and their locations, check out the listings below and read our snowshoeing blog.

Snowshoeing the beauty of winter’s landscape. It’s In Our Nature.