A fisherman tries to catch some fish. | Greysen Johnson/Unsplash
A fisherman tries to catch some fish. | Greysen Johnson/Unsplash
More than 24 miles of trails have been cleared for off-highway vehicles (OHV) at the Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area, according to state Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg).
Fowler updated his constituents on the project, which included culvert installation, maintenance projects, and design work, in a July 22 Facebook post.
"The excavation has begun for the buildings that will be located on the Sahara Woods OHV site,” he said in the post. “This is exciting news for this project as it puts us one step closer to having the OHV site up and running."
Fowler was elected to the Illinois Senate in 2017. According to the Illinois Senate website, his legislative experience includes serving on the Agriculture and Commerce and Economic Development committees.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Sahara Woods is about five miles West of Harrisburg. The area consists of about 4,000 acres and includes land once used for strip mining. In July 2011, the site was opened for public fishing in its roughly 270 acres of fishable water. Two boat ramps can be used to access the 98-acre Sahara Lake and a 15-acre strip cut.
There is a 10 horsepower or less motor restriction on Sahara Lake and only electric motors can be used in all the strip cuts, according to the IDNR. Canoes and kayaks can also be used. Hunting and fishing during their designated seasons are allowed in the Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area.
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