By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times
This fall marks the third season for the Panorama Schools cross country teams to practice and compete on trails on Lake Panorama’s south shore. For many years, the cross country trail was on the west side of the lake near the Panorama West golf course.
Greg Thompson is the Panorama Community Schools head cross country coach for both boys and girls. He says the south shore trail allows easier access to amenities for athletes and spectators, such as bathrooms with plumbing and electricity, concessions and better parking.
The cross country trail uses some of the same sections as the Lake Panorama trail system. The cross country trails begin and end on school property with all bus and spectator parking and bathroom facilities on school property. For the middle school, a distance of 2 miles has been mapped. For the high school, the trail is 3.1 miles. Panorama personnel mow the trails and provide additional maintenance.
The 2025 Panorama Invitational will be Thursday, Sept. 18. Seventeen teams are expected to compete at the invitational. The schools represented are ACGC, Audubon, Atlantic, Carroll, Clarinda, CRB, Exira-EHK, Greene County, Nodaway Valley, Ogden, Panorama, Perry, Red Oak, Roland-Story, Southeast Valley, Van Meter and West Central Valley.
Spectators are encouraged to attend the Sept. 18 cross invitational. Admission is $5.
The schedule has junior high boys running first at 4:30 p.m. with junior high girls at 4:50 p.m. Varsity boys run at 5:10 p.m. and varsity girls at 5:35 p.m. Junior varsity boys will run at 6 p.m. with junior varsity girls at 6:25 p.m. Times are approximate, and the schedule may be adjusted as needed.
Thompson says there are several good viewing points.
“The shore line along the trail or in a boat on the water are nice,” he says. “Another place is along the service road near the disc golf course, which is about the halfway point of the high school races.”
On school grounds, Thompson recommends anywhere near the starting line, along the west side of the outdoor classroom and baseball field, and in the home side bleachers to see race finishes.
Thompson says the cooperation between Panorama Community Schools, Lake Panorama Association and Friends of Lake Panorama has been wonderful.
“This concept of sharing the trail and preparing the trail for competition running and casual hiking came together very quickly,” he says.
Thompson, who lives at Lake Panorama with his wife, encourages use of the south shore trail system for hiking and jogging.
“With this summer’s weather, the trail is greener than it has been in the last three years,” he says. “There are a couple of spots with some ruts, but the maintenance crew of the LPA and Panorama Schools have done some recent work to help fill those in.”