Arguably one of the most scenic places in the Lakeland, Elk Point has well-maintained trails rolling through open fields and wooded areas, along flat prairieland and into some trickier backcountry sections where a mixture of hilly stretches and open lakes keep every ride interesting. Elk Point is also linked to the Iron Horse Trail, and that means it isn’t unusual for travellers to log 320 kilometres in a day.
Markus Maennchen, treasurer of the Elk Point Trail Riders snowmobile club, said an excellent way to ride in Elk Point is to take the trail to Kehewin Lake, where a new cabin was recently installed.
“There are a few bridges and some interesting terrain,” Maennchen said. “A smaller, older machine might struggle in a few places but there is nothing too hard; just about any age or level of rider can manage on these trails. In our area we have three different cabins for public use. They are stocked with firewood and taken care of.”
Bring the family
There is a main cabin right in town, so users can access all the fuel, food and supplies the community has to offer. Each cabin also has a phone list of members on the wall and members are always on hand to help if anyone needs it. The cabin may end up being a new stop-in for families, which are often spotted picnicking on the lakeshore during a day trip.
“That is the ultimate goal—to get more families out riding,” said Maennchen. “That is when you have the best use of trails and when people take care of things better. We encourage that sort of thing as much as possible.”
And that’s what riding in Elk Point is all about: variety in the terrain and encouraging families to hit the trails. An average day trip would cover about 160 kilometres on well-marked trail systems that connect with the nearby community of St. Paul.
The Elk Point Trail Riders host an annual antique snowmobile show at the end of February that attracts 40 to 50 riders to make a 27-kilometre ride from Elk Point to a cabin and back.
Club members also head out for trail maintenance twice per year at the beginning and end of the season to ensure everything is open and in good shape.
“We ride it so we take care of it,” said Maennchen.
