GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Indian Trails Golf Course in Grand Rapids is a year-round park. Snowshoe rentals are $3. Cross-country skiers can hit the trail, which is plowed fresh daily. Guests have to bring their own skis.
People from all across Greater Grand Rapids, from Hudsonville to Byron Center, hit the park the day after Christmas— during the first real "break" from the nonstop weekend snow.
“I think my family will fall more than I will," 4th grader Bryn Conner said before hitting the snowshoe trail for the first time with her family.
The snowshoe rentals and cross-country skiing are nothing new. But last week Tuesday, the park got in a dozen or so fat-tire bikes for people to rent and ride on the trails.
“We’ve only started it when the snow hit, and then it was closed last week. So it’s fresh,” Parks and Rec employee Steve Shotwell said.
People can bring their own fat tire bikes and ride the trail, but it can be quite expensive to purchase new ones. The bikes available for rent at the park retail for around $2,000 new.
For $20, people can rent the bikes for an hour and a half. Newlyweds Betsy and Charlie Vanrees just celebrated their first Christmas as a married couple. The next day, they decided to try the newest thing available. The Vanreeses have fat-tire biked before up north. This is their first time trying it out in Grand Rapids— and for good reason.
“When the sun’s out, you gotta get out, force yourself out in Michigan. Take advantage,” Betsy Vanrees said.
Monday was a busy day— and Steve Shotwell says he has no doubts the rest of the week will be full of brave souls braving the cold in new ways this winter.
"A lot of people have time off," Stockwell said.
