Audubon Trails: A Great Benefit to your Membership

Winter isn't exactly the time when most of you think about the benefits of your membership here at Elcona CC. Typically snow is on the ground, some of you have hunkered down for a few months and many of you have traveled to warmer destinations.  For those of you that are local during the winter, I would encourage you to continue to think about Elcona.

Sure, the clubhouse is closed for its annual shutdown in January and February but there are still activities that you can do to take advantage of your membership. Tom and Kayla continue to offer indoor lessons that are held in the warmth of the Cart Storage building. This is a great opportunity to keep your golfing muscles active and improve your game ensuring you will be ready to go when the weather breaks.

Grassland section looking south

Another benefit to your membership that I wish more of you would take advantage of is the availability of the Audubon Trail System. Regardless of the weather, these trails are open for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Grassland / Farmland looking west toward clubhouse

For those of you that know me well, you are aware that I am an avid runner. After the recent stretch of warm weather, a majority of our snow cover melted and gave me the opportunity to get back out on the trails and enjoy the winter scenery. The trail system consists of over 5 miles of trails that can be utilized in any way you would like.  Below is an example of the route that I like to run on a regular basis. I used my Garmin GPS watch to map the run as I went to give you an idea of what a 3 mile loop looks like.

3 mile loop

These trails are maintained on a regular basis and are always available for use. We recently completed a project with a local Eagle Scout to increase the Bluebird populations throughout Elcona's property. Several nesting boxes were added along the trail system with the hope that many Bluebirds will be visible in the near future.

Grassland looking north

Every time I am out on these trails, I am amazed at the elevation changes and land types that cover our property. Over the course of this three mile loop, you are exposed to wooded areas, grassland, farmland and a little bit of the golf course. The elevation changes provide a great change of pace, but aren't too difficult for the casual hiker/walker to enjoy.

Wooded section near campsite

If you are suffering from cabin fever, this is a great reason for you to get out. After all, it's your club, so why not take advantage of it?  Have a great rest of the winter and I hope to see you out on the trails. I know I'll be out there with regularity. Trail maps are available at the Main Office if you are interested.

Grassland / Farmland looking south