Thursday, March 1, 2012

Ski Al Sabo


Al Sabo Land Preserve is one of my favorite places to cross-country ski in Kalamazoo. It offers over 8 miles of trails through pine plantations, open fields, and hardwood forest. The trails offer enough variety,including some hills, to keep up interest. The preserve surrounds Portage Creek and the Atwater Millpond. Like the Fred McLinden Nature Trails, Al Sabo protects part of Kalamazoo's water supply, so a handful of industrial-sized pumps are found among the trees.

My most recent visit to Al Sabo was Sunday morning (before the warm weather made the snow too sticky.) By Sunday, Friday's snow had been pretty trampled by runners, snowshoers, dog-walkers, and even a snow bike. There had been plenty of skiers as well, but it was rare to ski in existing tracks.


There's no sign for the parking lot (which can be fairly rutted) but it is immediately next to the entrance for the Rota-Kiwan Scout Camp, which is marked.


Al Sabo Nature Preserve
6276 Texas Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-9702

See:
black & white trail map or color trail map provided by Texas Township Parks

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