Rock River Trail to add Aviation Route component to trail offerings

Taken at Lakeview Campground and Bar on Lake Koshkonong, Sept 2014 by Therese Oldenburg

At the Rock River Trail Initiative committee meeting in Dixon, Illinois on April 28, 2016, Emmons Patzer, a guest speaker from the aviation world, presented the concept of adding an Aviation Route along the Rock River Trail. (Please see Emmons’ Powerpoint presentation below.)

Emmons made the case for offering an Aviation Route to private plane owners. He believes pilots are looking for unique places to stop and visit, and the 8-9 airports located along the Rock River Trail offer great opportunity for pilots to stop and sample that area’s unique offerings.

For pilots, the things that they will want to know in deciding to fly in or not include:

• How can I get a car? Rent a bike? Call a taxi? Find bus service? Get a hotel to pick me up? (In other words, I want to be able to get around once I land my plane and enjoy all the stuff you are telling me is here!)
• How can I get a canoe, kayak, bike, boat, etc. so I can connect with the Rock River Trail and enjoy the core benefit you are offering?

Emmons will be working with the RRTI to establish communications with the aviation world and help “pilot” us as we work to establish this new option for exploring the Rock River. As you can see from the photo of a floatplan taken at Lakeview Campground and Bar on Lake Koshkonong, pilots are already enjoying the Rock River Trail!