Northeast Wisconsin golf courses encouraging winter activities ahead of weather impacts
DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – After the cold front Wisconsin experienced last week, warmer temperatures are expected to create difficulties in maintaining snow trails used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, and more.
“It snowed last weekend, and we’re using the trails; they’re all open right now,” explained Nicole Frank, the Co-Owner of Hilly Haven Golf Course. “The forecast looks like it’s going to warm up in the next couple of days, so gotta use them now while you can.”
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The golf course transforms into a place for winter activities and while many parks and trails have closed, Hilly Haven remains open and fully operational for now.
“We were really busy yesterday, and it warms our hearts to see everybody coming out to enjoy nature and the weather and the fresh air and exercise using our land,” stated Frank.
Several guests came today to take advantage of their trails before it’s too late, including Tyler Hau and his dog, River.
“Yeah, she loves running, and every now and then, she’ll veer off for a squirrel, but she’s great,” beamed Hau. “She stays on the trail with me and she enjoys it more than I do I think.”
For his first time experiencing the trails, Hau says he and his dog love it, and it’s a great place to spend time outdoors and get exercise.
“I love it. Again, just an opportunity to get out,” said Hau. “There are trails here and there in Wisconsin, but I can’t emphasize enough just being able to come get a bike and take it out.”
A crew goes out daily to groom the trails. However, maintaining them for guests like Hau is going to be a challenge if the weather warms up.
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“They are open as long as there is snow, and sometimes there are icy conditions; the fat tire bike trails are a little tricky; we have to have 35 degrees or lower in order to have the base,” explained Frank. “For skiing, they will be open as long as they have tracks; it’ll be a little sticky as it gets warmer, but then snowshoeing is available too with the snow, and if there is no snow, then we switch to hiking.”
Hilly Haven Golf Course has cross-country ski trails, separate trails for the fat tire bike trails, and then another set of separate trails for snowshoeing and hiking. To learn more about what the course has to offer, visit their website or any of their social media pages.
