Illinois: 49 state parks, 23 fish & wildlife areas, 15 recreation areas, 12 natural areas, 4 state forests and 3 state trails

Camping, trails, fees and current alerts are on each park’s page. See these parks on a map

All 106 parks

Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State ParkIllinois' only surviving beach-ridge shoreline runs 6.5 miles along Lake Michigan here, with dunes, swales…
Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA 1,134-acre floodplain lake fed by Illinois River overflow, ringed by bottomland silver maple, cottonwood…
Apple River Canyon State ParkLimestone bluffs, spring-fed streams and deep ravines cut by the Apple River fill this 1,907-acre park in…
Argyle Lake State ParkA 93-acre lake for boating and fishing sits at the centre of 1,700 wooded acres, with five miles of rugged…
Banner Marsh State Fish & Wildlife AreaMore than 200 clear water bodies behind an Illinois River levee hold largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern…
Beall Woods State ParkOne of the few remaining tracts of virgin timber east of the Mississippi stands on the Wabash River here…
Beaver Dam State ParkOak-hickory woodland surrounds the lake that gave this 750-acre Macoupin County park its name, dammed by a…
Big River State ForestA 2,900-acre remnant of the prairie-woodland border that once covered much of Illinois, including a pine…
Buffalo Rock State ParkA bluff that was once an island in the Illinois River gives this 298-acre park a sweeping view over the water…
Cache River State Natural AreaBald cypress with buttressed bases over 40 feet around — some more than 1,000 years old — stand in 18,047…
Castle Rock State ParkA sandstone bluff above the Rock River gives this Ogle County park its name, with ravines and northern plant…
Cave-in-Rock State ParkA 55-foot-wide cave, cut from limestone by water over thousands of years, opens in the bluffs above the Ohio…
Chain O' Lakes State ParkThe park borders Grass, Marie and Nippersink lakes and the Fox River that links the rest of the Chain…
Channahon State ParkThe official trailhead of the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail, where the DuPage, Des Plaines and…
Clinton Lake State Recreation AreaA 4,900-acre lake draws anglers after crappie, catfish, bass and walleye, with boat launches, a fishing pier…
Coffeen Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA cooling lake for the Coffeen power station, filled by 1966 behind a 75-foot earthen dam and opened to the…
Delabar State ParkEighty-nine acres of oak, birch and hickory on the Mississippi River, a mile and a half north of Oquawka…
Des Plaines State Fish & Wildlife AreaFarmland and woodland, prairie and swamp, still water and shoreline across more than 5,000 acres — roughly…
Dixon Springs State ParkThe park sits on a block of 315-million-year-old sandstone dropped 500 feet along a Pope County fault…
Eagle Creek State ParkFacing Wolf Creek across Lake Shelbyville, the site shares 11,100 acres of water and 250 miles of shoreline…
Edward R. Madigan State ParkA quiet 974 acres along Salt Creek south of Lincoln, wooded with oak, walnut, ash and hackberry — including…
Eldon Hazlet State Recreation AreaOne of the largest campgrounds in the Illinois park system sits on the western shore of Carlyle Lake, the…
Fall Creek Scenic Overlook State Natural AreaA small, high-quality forested tract overlooking the Mississippi River valley, originally built as a rest…
Ferne Clyffe State ParkFerns, unusual plant communities and striking rock formations have made this 2,470-acre Johnson County park a…
Fort Defiance State ParkCairo Point is the southernmost tip of Illinois and, at 279 feet, its lowest ground, where the Ohio and…
Fort Massac State ParkIllinois' first state park, preserved since 1908, looks out over the Ohio River from the state's southern tip…
Fox Ridge State ParkSteep wooded ridges and broad valleys along the bluffs of the Embarras River make 2,064 acres that look…
Frank Holten State ParkWithin sight of the Gateway Arch, this 1,080-acre East St. Louis park pairs the 18-hole Grand Marais golf…
Franklin Creek State Natural AreaLarge natural springs, bedrock outcrops and hardwood forest line Franklin Creek through 882 acres, including…
Fults Hill Prairie State Natural AreaThe largest complex of high-quality loess hill prairies in Illinois rises above the Mississippi floodplain…
Gebhard Woods State ParkThirty acres in Morris between the I&M Canal and Nettle Creek, shaded by old walnut, oak, ash, maple and…
Giant City State ParkThe 'Giant City Streets' are huge sandstone bluffs formed 12,000 years ago, and the nature trail through them…
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural AreaThe largest prairie remnant left in Illinois, 2,537 acres of the grassland that once covered nearly 60…
Green River State Wildlife AreaA 2,565-acre wildlife restoration area where swampy sloughs cover nearly a third of the ground and the rest…
Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife AreaDolan Lake is the draw here: 75 acres behind a 1962 earthen dam, three miles of shoreline and water 18 feet…
Harry 'Babe' Woodyard State Natural AreaWooded ground with upland prairie openings and a rocky creek running through the draw that splits the site…
Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaMore than 1,300 acres of prime fishing water, built in 1978 as a cooling lake and leased to the state ever…
Henderson County Conservation AreaGladstone Lake covers 27 acres with a mile and a half of shoreline and water 25 feet deep, on ground the…
Hennepin Canal State TrailA 104.5-mile linear park across five counties, on a canal built between 1892 and 1907 — the first American…
Hidden Springs State ForestRoughly 1,200 acres near Clarksburg, named for seven springs early settlers drank from; Rocky Spring and…
Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area (Alexander County)Bald cypress, tupelo gum, swamp cottonwood and wild lotus give this 10,200-acre site the feel of the Deep…
Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County)A natural oxbow left behind when the Mississippi cut a new channel, now averaging just three feet deep across…
Illini State ParkRustic Civilian Conservation Corps buildings and riverside picnic areas make this 510-acre park south of the…
Illinois Caverns State Natural AreaMonroe County has more caves than any other Illinois county, and this is the one that was worked commercially…
Illinois and Michigan Canal State TrailThe canal that opened the first water route from the east coast to the Gulf, completed in 1848 and running 96…
Iroquois County State Wildlife AreaMarshland, sand ridges and dunes in a glacial outwash plain, first bought in 1944 to protect Illinois'…
James "Pate" Philip State ParkFarmland and grazing ground returned to prairie, marsh and young woodland on Chicago's far western edge, with…
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife AreaOne of Illinois' largest public access areas at 16,550 acres — mature forest, grassland, farmland and rare…
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation AreaA glacial moraine gives this 1,365-acre Henry County park its rolling hills, astride a trail that once ran…
Jubilee College State ParkRolling ground and the meandering Jubilee Creek fill 3,200 acres between Kickapoo and Brimfield, deeply…
Kankakee River State ParkThe park wraps both banks of the Kankakee River for 11 miles across roughly 4,000 acres, on a river listed on…
Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife AreaOne of the largest state-managed sites in Illinois, more than 20,000 acres following the Kaskaskia River from…
Kickapoo State Recreation AreaTwenty-two deep-water ponds left by turn-of-the-century strip mining now hold 221 acres of clear water across…
Kidd Lake State Natural AreaThick stands of bulrush, cattail and smartweed fill this floodplain marsh, with willows on the drier ground…
Kinkaid Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA 2,750-acre lake built in 1968 north of Murphysboro, held between sandstone bluffs and oak-hickory hills…
Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation AreaA 40-acre lake anchors 715 acres six miles south of the Wisconsin line, with multi-use trails and separate…
Lake Murphysboro State ParkRolling wooded hills surround the star-shaped lake at the centre of this 1,022-acre Jackson County park. A…
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park & MemorialEighty-two acres on the Sangamon River marking where the Lincoln family built their first Illinois home in…
Lincoln Trail State ParkNamed for the route the Lincoln family took from Indiana to Illinois in 1831, the park holds an American…
Lowden State ParkA 50-foot concrete statue of a Native American figure, sculpted by Lorado Taft, stands on the bluffs above…
Marshall State Fish & Wildlife AreaNearly ten miles of Illinois River backwaters, bottomland and bluff across roughly 6,000 acres, half of it…
Matthiessen State ParkCanyons, streams, prairie and forest meet four miles south of Utica, and the rock formations make it a park…
Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife AreaGrass, forest and cropland across 2,700 acres, named for the Middle Fork branch of the Vermilion River that…
Mississippi Palisades State ParkPalisades are the steep cliffs above a river, and 2,500 acres of them stand near where the Apple meets the…
Moraine Hills State Park & McHenry Dam State ParkAbout half of these 2,200 acres are wetland and lake, including 48-acre Lake Defiance — one of the few…
Moraine View State ParkThe Bloomington Moraine, one of the four largest in Illinois, rolls through this 1,687-acre park around a…
Morrison-Rockwood State ParkLake Carlton, a stream-fed reservoir built in 1969 behind a 38-foot dam, is the focus of 1,164 acres north of…
Nauvoo State ParkA 148-acre park on the Mississippi at the edge of historic Nauvoo, with a 13-acre lake and a mile of…
North Point Marina State Recreation AreaThe largest marina on the Great Lakes, with 1,500 floating slips from 30 to 60 feet, built in 1989 midway…
Pere Marquette State ParkBluff-top overlooks above the Illinois River and its backwaters, with about 230 bird species recorded and…
Piney Creek Ravine State Natural AreaOne of only two places in Illinois where short-leaf pines grow naturally, on 198 acres bought in 1972 for its…
Prophetstown State ParkFifty-three acres on the south bank of the Rock River, on the site of a Native American village and named for…
Pyramid State Recreation AreaAt 19,701 acres this is the largest site IDNR manages, forested hills dotted with lakes and ponds on…
Ramsey Lake State Recreation AreaRolling hills and timbered shoreline around Ramsey Lake, on ground once known as the Old Fox Chase Grounds…
Randolph County State Recreation AreaA 65-acre lake finished in 1961 sits in 1,101 acres of southern Illinois hill country, five miles northeast…
Red Hills State ParkThe highest point between St. Louis and Cincinnati is here, above 967 acres of wooded hills, deep ravines and…
Rice Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA Fulton County backwater wetland used by thousands of ducks and geese each migration, with bald eagles…
Rock Cut State ParkTwo lakes — 162-acre Pierce and 50-acre Olson — sit in 3,254 acres of rolling plain in Winnebago County…
Rock Island Trail State ParkTwenty-six miles of old railbed from Alta to Toulon, in a tree-canopied corridor only 50 to 100 feet wide. An…
Sahara Woods State Recreation AreaReclaimed strip-mine land west of Harrisburg, roughly 4,000 acres holding about 270 acres of fishable water…
Saline County State Fish & Wildlife AreaSprings and wells here once supplied brine to one of the region's salt works, which gave the county its name…
Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA 194-acre lake with five miles of shoreline trail is the highlight of 1,302 gently rolling, wooded acres in…
Sam Parr State Fish & Wildlife AreaA 183-acre lake in 1,180 acres northeast of Newton, on ground Jasper County residents campaigned for decades…
Sand Ridge State ForestThe largest of Illinois' state forests, 7,550 acres of oak-hickory woodland, pine plantation and genuine sand…
Sangchris Lake State ParkSangchris Lake, a cooling lake built in 1964, gives this 3,000-acre park 120 miles of shoreline for bass…
Shabbona Lake State Recreation AreaA 318-acre man-made fishing lake in 1,550 acres of rolling prairie, meadow, upland and bottomland woods, plus…
Sielbeck Forest State Natural AreaMagnificent oaks and ancient cypress stand in bottomland hardwood forest and forested swamp, saved when The…
Siloam Springs State ParkWooded gullies and scenic crests alive with wild roses and black-eyed Susans surround a lake in 3,323 acres…
Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife AreaA pool of clear bubbling water that never freezes, bordered by watercress beds, gives the site its name. The…
Spitler Woods State Natural AreaTwo hundred acres in Mt. Zion holding one of the largest stands of old-growth woods in central Illinois, much…
Spring Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaA long, narrow lake formed by an Illinois River meander runs 8.5 miles along the base of the east bluff…
Starved Rock State ParkEighteen canyons of moss-laden St. Peter sandstone, cut by glacial meltwater more than 14,000 years ago, and…
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaA large lake with 18 miles of shoreline sits in 3,103 acres of oak and hickory, with swimming off sandy Rocky…
Trail of Tears State ForestJust over 5,000 acres in the Ozark Hills, among the most rugged landscapes in Illinois, with narrow rocky…
Tunnel Hill State TrailForty-five miles of old Chicago and Eastern Illinois railbed from Harrisburg to Karnak, past the tunnel and…
Volo Bog State Natural AreaThe only open-water quaking bog in Illinois, formed in a glacial kettlehole and the southernmost in North…
Walnut Point State ParkWoods, water and wildlife across 671 acres northeast of Charleston, with two winding tree-lined drives that…
Washington County State Recreation AreaWashington County Lake covers 248 acres with a 13-mile shoreline, four miles south of Nashville. More than…
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation AreaThe park overlooks Rend Lake, a 19,000-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir known for white and black crappie in…
Weinberg-King State Fish & Wildlife AreaRolling hills and a meandering creek across 772 acres in Schuyler County, including a four-acre pond. Most of…
Weldon Springs State ParkA 550-acre park southeast of Clinton with one of the fullest year-round programmes in the system — fishing…
White Pines Forest State ParkConcrete fords let you drive through Spring and Pine creeks, past moss-covered cliffs strung with vines, in…
William G. Stratton State ParkFour public launch ramps in Morris put boats straight onto the Illinois River, with a separate jet-ski launch…
William W. Powers State Recreation AreaWolf Lake on Chicago's far southeast side, at the Indiana line, holds largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye…
Wolf Creek State ParkFacing Eagle Creek across Lake Shelbyville, the park shares 11,100 acres of water and 250 miles of shoreline…
Woodford State Fish & Wildlife AreaA 2,900-acre site along the Illinois River, 2,462 acres of it water, where artesian wells keep the man-made…

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Illinois: 49 state parks, 23 fish & wildlife areas, 15 recreation areas, 12 natural areas, 4 state forests and 3 state trails

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