Mud Lake is located at the northern end of the corridor, north of Auten Road and between Redwood and Primrose Roads. Most of the land to the north is private property, while to the south is Elbel Park Golf Course, owned by the City of South Bend and managed by South Bend Venues Parks and Arts. Elbel Park, at 313 acres, is currently the largest park property owned by the City of South Bend, and provides the best access to Mud Lake. Given its size, Mud Lake itself is primarily managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which oversees water rights and public access in the state.
At 165 acres, Mud Lake is one of the largest areas of wetland in the corridor. Consisting of a heterogeneous mix of habitats, including submergent marsh, floating islands, and emergent shrub marsh, this remnant ecosystem supports many important native plants and animals. The plant communities of its upland forest and lakeshore support much of the area’s several hundred native plant species, nine of which are endangered or threatened. These varied habitats also provide food and shelter for some of the 140 species of birds documented so far in eBird. Notable birds encountered near Mud Lake include sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) and Canada geese (Branta canadensis) that nest in the wetland and often stroll across the fairways. Also, great blue herons (Ardea Herodias) and green herons (Butorides virescens) hunt along the lake shores, as do bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus). Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentine) and muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) move in and out of the lake, where there are white water-lilies (Nymphaea odorata), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and spatterdock (Nuphar advena). Cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) and green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) along with bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) can also be heard, especially after sunset. Other animals include white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and woodchucks (Marmota monax). No surprise that in addition to golf, Elbel Park provides many opportunities for visitors to observe and photograph plants and wildlife, along with other options for recreation.
Elbel Park is open to the public year round but is easiest to access when golf is not in play from late fall through early spring. The entrance to parking is on Auten Road. Facilities, including restrooms and food, are available at the golf pro shop during business hours. For more information, contact Elbel Park Golf Course (574-271-9180).
