Most of the readers of this blog are probably aware of the Prairie Corridor on the Haines Branch. This is a trail through tall grass prairie along the Haines Branch of Salt Creek that will extend from Pioneers Park to the Spring Creek Audubon Center south of Denton, and over to Conestoga Lake. Many of us are patiently (or not) waiting for the project to come to fruition. Here is a way to help make it inch a little closer, and to enjoy it in the meantime.
On Sunday, May 21 you have an opportunity to support the Prairie Corridor Trail by participating in any or all of the second annual Prairie to Prairie 2023. This is a Run-Bike-Run event consisting of a 5k run at Pioneers Park Nature Center followed by a 15 mile gravel ride, ending with a 5k run at Spring Creek Prairie. Participants can do all three legs or as part of a 2 or 3 person team. The route features the area near the future trail. There is no same day registration and the race begins at 8:30 A.M. Riders have to be off the gravel by 11:00. A post-race celebration will take place at Spring Creek Prairie.
A gravel road in the vicinity of the prairie.
From Prairie Corridor.org “Lincoln enjoys a rich legacy of linear parks, trails and greenways with over 157 miles of trails in the Lincoln area. Many trails are along waterways or former railroads, and several trails make important connections between Lincoln and rural areas of the county. There is remarkable community support for our trails, as demonstrated by the tremendous contributions of the Great Plains Trails Network and the Nebraska Trails Foundation. The Prairie Corridor trail will be part of this interconnected network of recreational and commuter trails for the Lincoln area. The approximately 10 mile trail will meander along the Haines Branch of Salt Creek through the Prairie Corridor, beginning in Pioneers Park, extending southwest to loop through the Village of Denton, and ultimately connecting with the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center on the south end of the Corridor. From the Pioneers Park Nature Center, it will be about a 20-mile round-trip ride down to the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center. An additional 1½ segment will take riders west to the Conestoga Lake State Recreation Area. On the east end, the Prairie Corridor trail will connect to the City’s trail network via the Bison Trail.”