Snowmobilers catch a break, can ride legally at Indian Hills

The snowmobile trails are again open for play in Gilberts.

Members of the local club, the Snowhunters, have permission to use a strip of land belonging to the Indian Hills Equestrian Center along Tower Hill Road.

The link will not get snowmobile riders into McHenry County, but it connects to trails leading into Elgin, said Mark Woodbury, the club's trail boss.

"We already marked the trails and people can use them again," he said.

"But when they do ride on the center's property, they cannot go on the hills. They have to stay close to the road."

The trail system starts at Waitcus Park along Route 72.

Until last week, riders in Gilberts had nowhere to use their motorized sleds because the owners of the undeveloped Neumann Homes land would not give them permission to use their property this winter. In previous years that permission was granted to the Snowhunters.

No trails had been marked, because the Neumann property was an important link to trails leading to Huntley and throughout McHenry County.

But that didn't stop unknowing riders living in other communities from enjoying this winter's first snowfall.

"Oh, I saw tracks out there," Woodbury said. "I don't know where they were going, but they were there."

Without the marked trails, snowmobilers have no place to legally ride in northern Kane County. Village ordinances prohibit snowmobiles to be driven in parks and along roads.

The 20 members of Snowhunters were planning to use trails in other communities. They are responsible for marking and maintaining the local paths. They also have a big hand in keeping the seasonal sport legal and safe, Gilberts Police Chief Mike Joswick has said.

"The trail through the equestrian center is nice. It's about two miles long and gets us to other trails," Woodbury said. "It comes at just the right time."

For more information about the Snowhunters or the trails, call Woodbury at (847) 428-8131.