Singing Woods

For centuries native people have benefited from the diversity of this rich woodland, today the Peoria area benefits from the preservation of this exceptional 700-acre nature preserve. The abundance of birds suggests the name Singing Woods. The site is large enough to support five different habitats. More than 100 species of birds, 250 different wild flowers, 60 species of trees and shrubs, 10 different ferns, 18 different mammals, 14 reptiles and amphibians, and numerous grasses and sedges have been identified. The area also contains many ancient white oaks with trunk 3 to 4 feet in diameters. A stream flows through Singing Woods that is being monitored annually for water quality by the State of Illinois. It is one of the approximately 350 stations, in the Illinois River basin, gathering data for environmental studies. This creek is consistently one of the cleanest. The tranquility and many panoramic views make this site a gem. The best access is at Tawny Oaks on Singing Woods Road off of Cedar Hills Drive, where there is parking and plans for an interpretive center and trail system.