Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Clinton State Lake Recreation Area

    3.7 (15 reviews)

    Clinton State Lake Recreation Area Photos

    More like Clinton State Lake Recreation Area

    Recommended Reviews - Clinton State Lake Recreation Area

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Where the beach and the grass meet
    Denise B.

    Clinton Lake is truly an undiscovered beachfront. It's a modest but cute lake with a, well, modest but cute beachfront way out in the middle of nowhere in Central Illinois. No, it it not associated with the Great Lakes- rather, it's a teeny little independent lake in DeWitt. I was the guest of a couple of friends whose karate team came up here for practice, which is how I learned of its existence. While no Lake Michigan, I still thought this was a cute little place to go. The beach was nice and quiet, even though it was a hot day in the middle of the summer, and the sand had a nice, firm consistency, making it good for walking on and sand castles. The water was still, making it swimmable, and not too chilly for the Midwest. There's also a large grassy area, which makes for a nice place to picnic without having to eat sand. Just make sure you follow the rules of the park - AND PAY THE $1 ENTRANCE FEE TO THE REALLY BORED LOOKING 16-YEAR-OLD GUY IN THE FRONT! My friend and I didn't know about the fee, and we almost got written up by some cranky small-town park ranger with an attitude. It would've been pretty funny if she hadn't terrified us earlier with her yelling at a group member who'd snuck in his dog, followed by a near-strip-search of our coolers for alcohol (which we didn't bring). Seriously, don't these people have better things to do with their time?

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of T D.
    0
    8
    0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Denise B.
    81
    763
    163

    17 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Frank F.
    16
    38
    17

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shelby D.
    153
    11
    0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roni S.
    117
    86
    55

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Camp host didn't enforce quiet hours or no alcohol policy in our loop, resulting in a sleepless night next to a large group of partiers.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Clinton State Lake Recreation Area

    Review Highlights - Clinton State Lake Recreation Area

    Remember this is a state park and like most state parks in our experience they do not offer laundry facilities.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

    4.8(5 reviews)
    20.9 mi

    I have never hiked at a prairie before and I am so glad that I chose this place for my exercise…read more Very well maintained park with lots of trails. The wildflowers alone will bring me back to this beautiful place.

    The Buffalo Trace Prairie is a system of trails that are on the far western edge of the Lake of the…read moreWoods Forest Preserve. To be sure, there is much more to Lake of the Woods than just Buffalo Trace. The easiest entrance is located just north of Exit #172 off I-74 in Mahomet, on the left across from the botanical garden and before you get to the Early American Museum. Can't miss it. The trails run all through this medium-sized forest preserve and are perfect for jogging, biking, or dog walking. There is one major asphalt trail that runs E-W and several smaller trails that are really just places that they mow the prairie down every week or so. The asphalt trail is a little more than a mile long, and connects to a trail that is 5 mi in total. The intertwined grass trails are much longer all told, but since there are so many, you can customize as long or short of a walk as you want. The terrain is rolling hills, and the biome(s) are a pleasant transition from prairie to woods. None of the trails that I was on were at all challenging or in disrepair. I would suggest that if you intend to take the grass trails, take a good long look at the map before you leave the trail head, or bring one along. Thankfully, there are not really that many people making use of this park, which is cool. If you make use of the trail map, the trail in the far south of this park (by the highway) actually dead-ends and does not connect back to the parking lot, as is indicated on the map. Not a big deal, just a lil back-tracking. I needed the exercise.

    Photos
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

    See all

    Salt Fork River Preserve - view from the dock, Salt Fork Center

    Salt Fork River Preserve

    4.3(3 reviews)
    43.1 mi

    We visited the Salt Fork River preserve for an outdoor wedding, and then popped next door to the…read moreSalt Fork Center for the reception. The preserve itself is lovely and looks well-managed. The Salt Fork Center is an aging A-frame building, and the A/C was NOT working. After being crowded inside a few hours, guests began to figure out that the exterior temperature had come down enough that it felt slightly cooler outside. Putting aside the A/C problem, this place offered an easy-to-access water-and-woods escape from Champaign-Urbana, just 15 to 20 minutes away.

    I feel like I left a beautiful fairy land that should not exist in this world…read more The lake here blends beautifully with the smooth grass that surrounds it. The way the sun hits this lake is comparable only to pictures that I have seen in story books of lands far away or that have only existed in our imaginations. When the sunsets over it colors are displayed on this iridescent canvas that have no name. The trees are simply gorgeous with amazing diversity in variety. They supply ample shade for picnicers and families enoying the peace and beauty here. There are many ancient trees that appear to be hundreds of years old deep in the woods. Homer Lake as the people who live near here call it also bosts many amenities such as a look out tower, various trails, play grounds, and a very educational nature center. I left here feeling at peace. What a beautiful place!

    Clinton State Lake Recreation Area - fishing - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...