All Nature & Outdoor Recreation in Illinois

Coal Miners Park is a sensory delight, offering spectacular views over the Illinois River with a variety of trees, fishing ponds, beauty and serenity. The park is located on East St. Paul Street, just blocks from the downtown shopping district. The Park was created from a coal mine slag pile reclamation from the #1 Mine. Read more...

Situated on the immaculate waters of the Sankoty Aquifer, Sankoty Lakes is home to some of the cleanest, clearest water on earth. This world-class wilderness retreat offers outdoor recreation, education and relaxation experiences like no other, including unique Midwestern trout and fly fishing experiences. From camping at our beautiful RV park and private glamping tents to our unique beachfront and Read more...

Giant Goose Ranch is one of the most unique family vacation destinations in the Midwest. It is a hybrid property somewhere between a campground, a sportsman’s club, a vacation resort, a working ranch, and a private recreational farm. By combining all the best attributes of each type of property, along with the creativity and conservation of the Herman Brothers, we Read more...

Renovated in 2012, Santa Fe Park is a three and a half acre park located in the heart of one of Chillicothe’s most historic neighborhoods. This park is packed with features and train themed décor. A list of offerings at Santa Fe Park include: 1/4 mile walking path, splash pad, pavilion, sledding hill, restroom facility, sandlot baseball diamond, thirty foot Read more...

Forty acres of wooded river bluff property that was purchased in cooperation with local philanthropist Joe and Sis Boyer, the Chillicothe Park District has committed to the restoration of Coal Hollow Park to pre-European settlement conditions. The goal is to provide a park with walking trails that will introduce people to the flora and fauna that once occupied the Illinois Read more...

This great camping spot is located right on the Illinois River at the North end of Riverfront Park, next to the Havana Nature Center and directly across the street from the Havana public swimming pool. The Havana Riverfront Campground features twelve camping sites situated among mature shade trees, with water and electricity provided; a dump station is nearby. One free Read more...

The Bike Share is a partnership between Graham Health System and the Canton Park District. You can rent a bike at three locations in Canton: Wallace Park, Lakeland Park, and Graham Medical Group. Download the App “Movatic” on your cell phone and you are all set to use the Bike Share Program! Read more...

Once a private duck-hunting club, the 2,247-acre Anderson Lake and adjacent 230-acre Carlson Lake were purchased by the state in 1947 and put under the auspices of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. These lakes are floodplain lakes, receiving overflow from the nearby Illinois River during flood periods. The complex is known for its waterfowl population, primarily Mallard and Wood Read more...

An officially designated “Important Birding Area” (IBA), and purchased in the 1980’s by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, this 4,363-acre complex of freshwater marshes, shallow lakes, and deepwater habitat, boasts over 100 individual bodies of water which offer some of Illinois’ most sought after fishing. During hunting seasons Banner Marsh is a very popular place with Illinois outdoorsmen. Diverse Read more...

Fishermen are in their glory in the Illinois Valley. Northern pike, walleye, sauger and smallmouth bass are among numerous varieties of fish that frequent the Illinois River. Popular among area fishing enthusiasts, Barto Landing offers some of the best year round fishing in Illinois and a free public deep-lagoon launch site on the Illinois River. For tournament reservation information contact Read more...

Bennett’s Terraqueous Gardens is a high-quality seep that lies at the base of deeply dissected bluffs and hills bordering the east side of the Illinois River. The seep community is usually saturated by groundwater that emanates at or near the base of a hill comprised of glacial till. Narrow spring runs flow in rivulets through the seep. Characteristic herbaceous plants Read more...

Located on Central Illinois’ legendary Spoon River, the little community of Bernadotte is the site of the only dam on the river, a small and quaint structure which was constructed in 1830 for local grain mill use. The dam was revamped during World War II to create a water supply to the military’s nearby Camp Ellis. Read more...

Big Creek Park features a pool with a capacity to hold 400 bathers, a water slide, pool side furniture with umbrella’s and a concession stand. Other features of this park include a recreation center for teens and seniors, frisbee golf course, dog park, skate park, walking/biking paths, playgrounds, pavilion, lighted tennis court, basketball hoops and a baseball diamond. Read more...

So named because (legend has it) the area once served as a “blind canyon” where Indians ran buffalo for capture, this 298-acre park has long been a natural favorite. Much of Buffalo Rock State Park is set high atop sandstone bluff carved by the young Illinois River just after the end of the Pleistocene epoch. Two park trails, the River Read more...

Camp Wokanda, acquired from W.D. Boyce Council of the Boy Scouts of America, offers a beautiful 316-acre woodland setting, including a lake for fishing. The camp, with dining hall, sleeping cabins, program buildings and tent camping, offers a variety of naturalist tours, environmental education, and rental options to groups interested in a secluded, close-to-nature gathering. Located just 20 minutes from Read more...

Located just east of Canton, the 250-acre Canton Lake’s lovely, wooded, 13-mile shoreline has a public campground and boat launch, as well as private residences. Open April 15-October 15, the campground offers full-hookup sites and a restroom/shower facility. A nice sandy beach is conveniently located near the campground. Peoria area fishermen will tell you that Canton Lake’s fish are the Read more...

Acquired in 1970 by the LaSalle County Conservation District, the 333-acre Catlin Park (open May-October) is a mix of bluff land oak-hickory forest, chinquapin oak savanna, maple-basswood dominated steep ravines, and tallgrass prairie habitats. Cottonwood, sycamore, and hackberry dominate the bottomland forests. Ash, basswood, and black cherry dot the landscape. These trees produce a cornucopia of nuts and fruits; provide Read more...

Owned and operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, this 4,480-acre site contains elements of several habitats: Oak-hickory forest, riparian forest, floodplain shrub, marsh, and open lake. Note the prairie plant display garden at the refuge headquarters. Although known primarily for its waterfowl, Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge also attracts numerous other bird groups into its forests, marshes, and lakes. Read more...

To promote predictable navigation of the Illinois River, the United States and State of Illinois in the 1870s and 1880s constructed locks and dams at Henry, Copperas Creek, LaGrange, and Kampsville. The Copperas Creek Lock and Dam were completed in 1876. The dam raised the river five feet from Copperas Creek, near Banner, to Henry, Illinois, nearly 60 miles north. Read more...