Pere Marquette
State Park |
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Pere Marquette is Illinois' largest state park
and is famous for the beauty of its fall colors and as a home for bald
eagles in the winter. The park offers its visitors diverse recreational
and educational opportunities that encompass the past, present and future.
The new Visitors Center provides displays that cover the region’s
history and the types of environments the visitor can encounter as well as
housing informative interpretative programs. The park has 10 hiking trails
that traverse a variety of terrains and horseback riding is offered during
the warmer months. The park has year round electric and basic campgrounds.
The Lodge consists of both new facilities as well as those constructed by
the Civilian Conservation Corps. All this and more makes Pere Marquette
State Park a great place to explore! |
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Horseshoe
Lake
State Park
3321 Highway
111
Granite City
618-931-0270 |
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This 2,960 acre park
is centered around an oxbow lake with bird watching, nature trails, camping,
fishing, hunting and other recreational activities. |
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Two
Rivers National
Wildlife Refuge
West of the Brussels Ferry
on County Road 1 |
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The
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge consists of
a variety of habitats and is a major migration corridor
for waterfowl, bald eagles and other birds. The refuge is closed mid-October to
mid-December, but the office/visitor center is open weekdays and some weekends
during that period. |
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Riverlands
Environmental
Demonstration Area
Off MO-367 just before
the Clark Bridge |
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The Corps of Engineers manages this 1200 acre
wetland area that is located across Mississippi River from downtown
Alton near the Clark Bridge. The Riverlands Environmental
Demonstration attempts to recreate the bottomland wet prairie and
marshes that existed prior to the arrival of European settlers and
offers open space, walking trails, fresh air, and spectacular views.
The area offers visitors the opportunity to view large numbers of
resident and migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as other
wildlife that live in the wetlands. The area is noted for bald
eagles in the winter and the American Pelican in the spring and fall. |
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The Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail
The
Vadalabene Trail is approximately 20 miles of level paved trail that
parallels the Great River Road and the center portion of the Meeting
of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. The trail is named after Sam M.
Vadalabene, an Illinois State Senator and proponent of the trail and
begins in Alton, travels through the river towns of Elsah and
Grafton, and ends at Pere Marquette State Park. Riders, walkers, and
joggers will see prairie wildflowers along the trail as well as
flowering trees during the spring. Brilliant reds, yellows and
oranges compliment the scenery in the fall. For those willing to
brave the elements in the winter months should be able to see Bald
Eagles soaring over the river and bluffs, or floating down the river
on chunks of ice. |
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Olin Nature Preserve
S. Levis Lane
Godfrey, IL
618-467-2254 |
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Although Illinois still is known as the "Prairie State," less than
0.01% of Illinois' original 21 million acres of prairie remains. One
area that is being preserved is the nearly 300-acre tract Olin
Nature Preserve, one of the largest privately owned nature preserves
in the state. The preserve harbors 374 native plant species and
provides habitat to nearly 150 species of birds at different times
of the year. Marked trails give the visitor splendid views of the
Mississippi River from the hill prairie, and a view of the
Mississippi flood plain. |
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McCully
Heritage Project
Off of Route 100
South of Kampsville
618-653-4687 |
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Located about 1 mile south of the Kampsville Free Ferry off of the Great
River Road, the Project consists of 940 acres encompassing woodlands,
prairie, wetlands, and agricultural land. With over 15 miles of hiking
trails traveling through this diverse terrain, the area is truly a hiker’s
delight. Facilities include handicapped-accessible restrooms, a pavilion,
picnic facilities, ample parking, two fishing ponds, a restored wetland with
a boardwalk, and prairie plots. The Project is perfect for picnicking, bird
watching, nature photography and turtle watching. |
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Mississippi
River State
Fish & Wildlife Area |
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15
wildlife management areas and 11 public access areas in 3 counties,
spanning more than 24,000 acres, and scattered along 75 miles along the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers. |
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Gordon
Moore Park
Route 140
(College Avenue)
Alton
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This 702 acre park located on the east side of Alton has a rose
garden, an oriental garden, a handicapped accessible nature trail
and fishing ponds. The park also contains the 27 acre tall-grass
Heartland Prairie where visitors can find prairie wildflowers
blooming from late March through early October. |
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