People looking to get some exercise during the winter months have started to turn to an old method of transport.

Snowshoes, which date back some 6,000 years, are gaining popularity among people who want to enjoy the outdoors, experience nature and get some exercise.

Lightweight, cheaper than skis, and useable anywhere there is snow, snowshoeing has become an outlet for some visitors at Myre-Big Island State Park.

“There seems to be just as many people coming out to snowshoe as cross country ski,” said Tom Wanous, a Department of Natural Resources official at Myre-Big Island.

Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea rents snowshoes for $6 and Wanous has noticed the increase in temperature bringing out more snowshoers.

The nice thing about snowshoes is they keep hikers from sinking into the snow by spreading weight over a greater area. Snowshoes are flying off the shelves at Cabela’s and onto the feet of people who want to enjoy the outdoors and remain active during the winter months.

“We’ve been getting several shipments and as soon as they’re in, they’re gone,” said Linda Whitney, a retail associate who has worked for Cabela’s for seven years.

Whitney has never seen the demand higher for snowshoes than now.

“People just seem more aware of it,” she said. “All this snow has really increased the demand.”

A starter kit, which includes poles, a bag and snowshoes, runs around $129 at Cabela’s and the more expensive snowshoes can cost up to $199.

Snowshoeing has its advantages over cross country skiing. The equipment is often less expensive, snowshoers are able to walk nearly anywhere and there’s less know-how needed than cross country skiing. With snowshoeing there’s not much to learn and no special bindings or boots needed.

Albert Lea Community Education picked up on the trend and launched a number of classes last year and again this year. Every other Saturday Community Ed holds classes at Myre-Big Island from 1 to 3 p.m. for $10.

“This year is a perfect year for it,” said Scott Hanna, the manager of the Albert Lea Rock Gym, which staffs the snowshoeing clinics. “It’s a lot of fun to do it when it’s powder snow.”

Hanna and his staff have sessions planned for Jan. 23, Feb. 6, Feb. 20, March 6 and March 20 and are open on a first-come, first-serve basis.

There’s plenty of area to cover at the park and plenty of wildlife to take in, which makes snowshoeing attractive to some.

Interest has spread around Minnesota as well. In February there is the Twin Cities Snowshoe Shuffle in New Brighton. It’s a 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer race and has run for the past four years. It serves as a regional qualifying race and is the third-largest in the country.

One the biggest reasons remains the abundance of snow the past few winters has provided.

Yuri Justin, who lives in the Albert Lea area, has cross country skied for the past 35 years but decided to try snowshoeing two years ago because she enjoys hiking as well.

“Both snowshoeing and cross country skiing are good exercise this time of the year,” Wanous said.

The park still draws plenty of cross country skiers and skiers have two miles of groomed trails to cruise around. Snowshoers are prohibited from walking on the groomed trails, but can walk anywhere else in the park.