All Nature & Outdoor Recreation in Peoria

Peoria Park District’s 740-acre Detweiller Park is a popular multi-use destination for folks who enjoy golfing, soccer, volleyball, hiking, birding, fishing, and boating. Detweiller Drive, which runs through much of the park, features one of the finest, most diverse collections of oaks; and the early spring show of blooming redbuds should not be missed. The fall foliage of the oaks, Read more...

Established in the late 19th century, the 140-acre Bradley Park is the centerpiece of Peoria’s University District. Operated by the Peoria Park District, this large park, located adjacent to Bradley University, traverses a high bluff woodland that grades down into the floodplain of Dry Run Creek. Along with numerous picnic sites, the park also features a beautiful Japanese bridge over Read more...

Graced with attractions and venues for people of all ages and all walks of life, the Peoria RiverFront District has cultural, entertainment, dining, antiquing, residential, historical and recreational activities. It is home to many popular public festivals and fairs, including the Peoria Art Guild’s Fine Arts Fair – one of the top 100 art fairs in the country. With its Read more...

This wild, undeveloped 680-acre park has several narrow, informal paths that lace the site, along with a substantial segment of the better-developed Pimiteoui Trail. The park offers access to Illinois River Bluff Trail, a linear 9-mile walking path through Detweiller Park, Robinson Park and Camp Wokanda. For bird watchers, the most intriguing component of Robinson Park is its 151-acre nature Read more...

Soon to be linked into Downtown Peoria, this hiking/biking rails-to-trails park offers a leisurely day of birding through a surprising array of habitats, from mature forest to secondary scrub, restored prairie and riparian wetlands. Established in 1871 the Rock Island Railroad busily carried freight and passengers between Peoria and Rock Island for over 40 years. By 1915, however, rail volume Read more...

In the heart of Springdale Cemetery, one of central Illinois’ largest and most historic cemeteries, there is a small remnant of native tallgrass oak savanna. This increasingly rare ecological community once dominated the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River in the Peoria area. A dedicated group of volunteers is restoring this degraded savanna, work that involves cutting woody brush, seed collecting Read more...