Out and About

Need to re-commit to those New Year’s resolutions? Consider a jaunt to picturesque Brown County, Indiana, where the annual Winter Wellness Weekend will jumpstart your fitness program and provide a meditative space to ponder your 2013 goals. The weekend’s activities include a five-mile trek in Brown County State Park, located in Nashville, Indiana, and yoga workshops in the park’s Abe Martin Lodge. Here, the main events:
 

• Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 19, take a winter hike along one of two trails in Brown County State Park: The 3.5-mile southern loop starts at the Nature Center and goes past a gorgeous scenic overlook at Hohen Point and continues into the Stahl Valley before looping around Lake Stahl. The 2.75-mile woodland hike begins at the Recreation Building, passes through Ogle Hollow Nature Preserve, and goes around Lake Ogle before returning to the start. Both routes will be lined with naturalists from the Department of Natural Resources who will greet hikers with winter wildlife facts. Also on both routes? S’mores! A local Boy Scout troop will provide walkers with the marshmallow treat in an open-air hut; hot chocolate, coffee, and tea will also be available. Either hike is $1; for more information, call 812-988-7303.

• For something more ambitious, consider the Frosty Trails Five Mile jog, hosted by the Indiana Running Club. The race kicks off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 19, at the park’s Lower Shelter and continues on a hilly 5.2-mile course over bike trails. The $25 registration fee gets you a T-shirt, a hearty bowl of chili or soup upon completion of the run, and access to the warming shelter, where snacks and hot chocolate will be served. For more information, call 812-822-0327.

• Throughout the weekend at the park’s Abe Martin Lodge, yogis from River Light Yoga will lead courses on meditation, nutrition, and beginning yoga. There will also be workshops on how to tap your artistic creativity and how to use art as a tool for achieving life goals. An all-access pass to the weekend’s classes is $45; for more information, call 812-988-9642 or go to riverlightyoga.com.
   

GO Winter Wellness Weekend in Brown County, Indiana. For more information, call 800-753-3255 or go to browncounty.com/winterwellnessweekend.

Where to Stay: The Abe Martin Lodge (Brown County State Park, Nashville, 877-563-4371, in.gov/dnr/parklake/inns/abe/lodging.html) has 84 guest rooms that combine luxury with a rustic setting; rates range from $77 to $157. Cornerstone Inn (54 E. Franklin
St., Nashville, 812-988-0300, cornerstoneinn.com) has 38 guest rooms convenient to Brown County State Park and Nashville’s antique stores; rates range from $149 to $199 per night.

Where to Eat: The Little Gem Restaurant (Abe Martin Lodge, Brown County State Park, Nashville, 812-988-4418, in.gov/dnr/parklake/inns/abe/dining.html) hosts two Saturday dining events: “Breakfast with the Naturalists” at 7 a.m. and a “Hiker’s Lunch Buffet” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plan on eating hearty food in a lodge setting. The Artists Colony Inn (105 S. Van Buren St., Nashville, 800-737-0255, artistscolonyinn.com/restaurant) offers house-made soups and quiches, plus traditional American dishes including meatloaf, turkey, and potpies.

Photograph: Courtesy of the Brown County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau