BOUNTIFUL -- When the snow flies and temperatures drop, many people look for new and exciting ways to exercise outdoors. Some hit the slopes, while others take to indoor sports like swimming. But to find that middle-ground, look to snowshoeing.

"This is a great sport because it's fun for people who enjoy running or walking" said Gary Willden of Centerville. "A lot of people first discovered snowshoeing because they were looking for something to do in the snowy weather that would be similar to the warm weather sports like running."

Willden teaches outdoor recreation classes at Weber State University and said the sport has been increasing in popularity over the last five years.

"The popularity of snowshoeing has grown significantly for a variety of reasons."

People can choose how hard and long they want to enjoy snowshoeing. From a 15 minute jaunt along the streets in town after a snowfall to trips to the mountains, snowshoeing offers diversity.

"It's a lot like walking, speed walking and running," Willden said. "People can go at their own pace or they can break it up and go fast for a while and ease back."

In addition, many snowshoers enjoy the landscape and scenery while snowshoeing.

"People enjoy going out taking in the beauty of the area they are walking in," Willden said. "It's great to be able to move along and then see an animal or just the fresh fallen snow."

"There are some real nice places locally people can enjoy snowshoeing," Willden said.

One of the most popular spots for locals is Mueller Park.

"You can find people out there almost any day there's snow on the ground," Willden said. "It's nice because the trails bring snowshoers to many beautiful areas."

Another hot spot for the sport is in Adam's Canyon and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

"I enjoy the Bonneville trail because it puts me above the inversion if we have that and it's out in the open and I can enjoy the scenery of overlooking the valley," Willden said.

Snowshoeing is popular in the valley, but also is a sport people look to for fun in areas like Park City. One of the top snowshoeing experts in the country, Laurie Lee of Bountiful has penned a book on snowshoeing for the Utah enthusiast.

"The Best Snowshoe Trails of the Wasatch" is due to hit shelves just prior to the 2007-08 season.

"It's such a wonderful experience that I wanted to write a book so I could share with everyone else the information I have concerning where the best place to snowshoe locally is," Lee said.

sschulte@davisclipper.com