By Andi Prewitt

The instinct to hole up indoors, becoming one with your couch, all winter long is a strong one. However, this is the time of year when the outdoors is most invigorating — providing a much-needed jolt of joy in the form of crisp, fresh air and wide-open spaces, which Salem has an abundance of. The chatter of summertime visitors is replaced by the entrancing sounds of nature: rippling streams, roaring waterfalls, and the honks and chirps of migrating birds. And you’re likely to find normally clogged trails almost completely empty.

For the best experience, do be sure to come prepared to explore, which means wrapping yourself in warm layers, wearing waterproof boots, and packing a rain jacket in case the skies open during your trek. The good news is, though, that the Salem region’s winter temperatures are relatively mild thanks to its temperate climate, so you shouldn’t need to don a parka while enjoying its parks, wildlife refuges and trails.

Get a Bird’s Eye View

If you stuck with your pandemic-adopted hobby of birding — which exploded in popularity, when tracking portly purple finches with neon fuschia mohawks and long-legged great blue herons was a welcomed socially distanced distraction, then consider Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge your new winged-creature haven. The nearly 2,500-acre swath of land, just 14 miles west of Salem, hosts more than 230 recorded species throughout the year, including migrating waterfowl that consider it a top-notch pit stop.

Baskett Slough was established in 1965 as a wintering habitat for dusky Canada geese, and while they’re hunkered down for the season, some hiking routes are off limits (Open April 1-Sept. 30), but not the Rich Guadagno Memorial Loop Trail, which at only a mile long, manages to wind across a variety of terrains — from an Oregon white oak savanna to a moderately sized butte. At the top of the hill, take in the view from an observation deck, where you’ll want to refer to a Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex Bird List (downloadable online) to commence your search.

Find More Feathered Flocks

Take your binoculars 12 miles south of Salem to another protected area, Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, where your eyes will dart down to the confluence of the Willamette and Santiam rivers and then up toward the sky in an effort to identify everything from the red-capped downy woodpecker — the smallest of its species in North America — to snow-white tundra swans on leave from the Arctic. A boardwalk dead ends at a bird blind, while the Ankeny Hill Nature Center offers photography classes and guided walks for those who may be new to birding.

Explore Salem’s Backyard

You don’t even have to leave Salem to feel as though you’ve slipped out of the city. Just a few miles from downtown lies Minto-Brown Island Park, a sprawling greenspace dotted with stands of trees that at 1,200 acres is bigger than New York City’s famed Central Park. That’s more than enough room for 29 miles of trails, some that skirt the Willamette River, which can be traversed on foot or bicycle; even more observation platforms for wildlife viewing; and a 30-acre off-leash dog park.

Return to civilization via a short jaunt across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge, named after the late, longtime Oregon Senate President. You’ll spill out into Salem’s popular Riverfront Park, also hugging the Willamette, a wildly transformed industrial site that used to be occupied by mills of all sorts (flour, paper, woolen) and even an auto junkyard. In their place is essentially now the city’s backyard, complete with lush lawns, a jungle gym, covered pavilion and dock leading to the Willamette Queen Stearnwheeler, which paddles up and down the river on select dates in winter.

Take the Trails Less Traveled

Sometimes you’re in the mood for a city’s greatest hits — experiences that make it iconic and tend to draw all of the out-of-towners. Other times, the low-trafficked, locals-only vibe summons. When in the mood for the latter, these two routes provide that only-if-you-live-here, isolated experience, which best allows you to commune with nature. Croisan Creek Trail is about a mile long, tucked along residential neighborhoods but also immersed in the woods — above you will be big leaf maples as well as hazel and cherry trees; at your feet, thick rugs of ivy. The Spring Valley Trail offers a network of three loops, some of which ascend above the Willamette. Bonus: Both are easy if you’re not trying to break a sweat.

Gaze at Silver Streams

Silver Falls State Park is known as the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system for good reason: It’s not only the largest park, at more than 9,000 acres; its popular 7.2-mile loop takes hikers to a jaw-dropping 10 waterfalls, including four clear curtains of cascades you can walk behind.Those attractions also make it one of most heavily visited state parks, particularly during summer. However, come winter, there’s a good chance you’ll be rolling solo once you get past the 177-foot-tall South Falls, just steps from the parking lot. And you’ll be rewarded for your effort to walk the entire route with water gushing at full force over craggy, moss-covered basalt formations thanks to the seasonal rain.

Hug the Shoreline

Detroit Lake, nestled 43 miles southeast of Salem amid the rolling Doug fir-covered ridges that define the Santiam Canyon, is a rowdy place come summer. Its shores are populated by campers (there are nearly 300 sites), while anglers in boats and all sorts of water toys bob about the reservoir. But once the party barges are docked for the season, the 9-mile expanse is downright serene. The best way to explore this massive blue pool come winter is by hiking an easy 2.7-mile trail that encircles the campground, taking you along the shoreline, where on clear days Mount Jefferson, Oregon’s second tallest, will be peeking over the Santiam hills.