Say you’ve always wanted to try cross-country skiing, but you haven’t done it because you’re like me.
Cautious? Not a bit.
Lazy? Perish the thought.
Cheap? Bingo!
Fortunately, you can now try out cross-country skiing while keeping that money safely tucked inside your wallet thanks to a new program from Preservation Parks of Delaware County.
The Pop-Up Try-It Program allows you to try cross-country skiing for free-ninety-nine.
Casey Smith, Outdoor Connections Manager for Preservation Parks, said the Pop-Up Try-In Program is available at Deer Haven Park, 4183 Liberty Rd. in Delaware, and at Gallant Farm, 2150 Buttermilk Hill Rd. in Delaware.
There are 12 sets of adult skis and five sets of youth skis for free use, along with a few sets of snow shoes. Preservation Parks’ Adventure Naturalist Bodhanaa Nithyananba heads up the program. (They call her Bodie around the office.)

The new program was very successful after the recent snowfall, with 171 people trying out the skis. The trails follow the gravel walking paths, so things are a little slow with the weekend melts.
Moving forward, here’s what you need to know:
- Because such decisions aren’t made until there’s snow on the ground, the locations and hours of the cross-country skiing Try-It Pop-Up Program are posted to the park system’s Facebook page.
- You cannot reserve the equipment. The skis are available on a first-come, first-served basis. So, get in line, Bucco, and no ditching.
- A lap around the track takes about 30-60 minutes. This is designed to give you a taste of cross-country skiing, not prepare you for the Winter Olympics, so don’t be a ski hog.
There are other Pop-Up Try-It Programs, such as hiking with trekking poles, trying out e-bikes, archery and yoga. For those dates and times, visit the Preservation Parks calendar on its website at Calendar.
By: Robin Yocum