Absolutely beautiful and so much fun! We stayed for a few nights and I wish it was longer! We went…read morefishing (we just had to bring our own supplies!) kayaking, hiking around the property and enjoyed the fire pit!! This is seriously such an amazing place to escape from the hustle and bustle of life and the people running it are awesome and so sweet!

Beautiful natural area, nature center is very kid-centered with friendly help, small gift shop,…read morebenches and picnic tables for resting!

Review Visit: September 29th, 2013…read more I remember coming here a few times as a kid on field trips. It was awesome as kid. They taught us about animals, bugs, nature and everything else outdoorsy. Then we got to hike a smaller trail as a group. Maybe this is what caused me to be such an avid outdoors person. Coming back here after about 2 decades was a huge nostalgic trip. Nothing had changed from what I remember as a kid. I'm sure things have been changed and updated since the early 90's, but it still retained that feel and look I remember as kid. The main building has set hours, but I do believe you can hike there before they open, as long as you follow the rule of 'no hiking before sunrise and after sunset'. Don't quote me on that. Inside the building is a small gift shop. There are quite a few learning activity areas to enrich yourself on local foliage and fauna. They hold a lot of events here, so you are surely able to drop in once a week and encounter some fun activity going on. There are plenty of trails to hike. If you want a quick hike, they have short trails. If you desire something challenging, you can hike some tough trails. Just be careful, I know a few people who have wandered off the path and ended up in a business area of Peoria Heights. The last time I was there, they had a 100-mile hike challenge. It was $10-15 to sign up and you record your hiking distances in a book there. Once you reach 100 miles, you get an award of some sort. I think it was a t-shirt and a certificate. Ive been wanting to sign up for it since I learned about it. But life gets busy. :/ Parking is plentiful but be warned; its a popular place, so there is usually a good amount of cars there at all time. But you shouldn't have a problem most of the time finding a parking spot. If you are native to the area and haven't been here, do yourself a favor and check it out. If yo are from out of town, also do yourself a favor and stop by for a quick hike. You won't regret it.

Review Visit: April 1st, 2015…read more s from my apartment. Because even as an adult, who doesn't love to swing. Since I went to so many parks, I don't remember much about this one. I do remember that it was a very basic park. It had a few benches, two swings and a slide. Looking online, it seems there is a small loop hiking trail and a bridge. The nice thing about this park though was its remoteness. It was far enough from the bulk of civilization that you feel at peace and the land was wide and open, so you could feel a nice gentle spring breeze.

As far as parks go, this isn't really overly exciting, but it's a good park nonetheless…read more You might happen onto this park and see a sign that signifies hiking, and you might think "Oh wow, there are trails here!" Well, the trail is really just a loop trail, and it's a really short loop at that, but it does lead to a creek. We visited this park for many years between 2002-2012, and in the later years the park suffered from some vandalism including graffiti. There's playground equipment and a picnic shelter, and you can reserve said shelter through the Washington Park District for private events. Where the playground equipment sits there is a decently sized grassy area where you, your kids or your dogs can run and work off some energy. Not a bad deal for a free visit.

The Constitution Trail is a long trail winding its way through Bloomington, Illinois. This a great…read morearea for walking and riding your bike to enjoy nature. At the west end of the trail is a Japanese garden. This is a great spot to stop and enjoy a peaceful moment. There is parking in a nearby neighborhood. My husband and I enjoyed our time there and recommend the Constitution Trail.

Very peaceful place for a morning walk in the middle of Bloomington-Normal. Very nice tree lined…read moretrail.

Sand Ridge State Forest is a place to clear your mind and enjoy the beauty of our outdoors! The…read moreforest will forever be my drug of choice to escape from reality, even if it's just for a short walk making conversation with myself!

Wow what a golden find in Illinois. I usually don't camp in…read morethis state because it seems like one big cornfield, but now finding this place about an hour from my home might make this an annual thing. So after our last treacherous back country camping trip in Colorado, my friends and I decided it was time for some Glamping close to home for Labor Day weekend. We found this place... A man-made forest (largest one in IL) that has beautiful pines, oaks, fungi and cacti all growing next to each other. The camp sites were clean and well maintained. Plenty of sites and hiking trails. There are fire pits for BBQ or bonfires, picnic tables, trees to hang your hammock, & stores near by for beer runs. There are no showers, but there are plenty of water spigots and bathrooms. The camp rangers were informative and friendly. They came by daily to pick up cash for the sites... which is soooo convenient. They recommend making reservations online but you could probably just show up and find a spot. We had a group of 8 and split 3 connecting sites for the long weekend. The entire weekend we probably only saw 2 other campers.

Beautiful park and very similar to Starved Rock as they are just down the road from each other. We…read moreliked our time here and our son did have fun on the little playground, but it was unfortunately looking very neglected.

Matthiessen State Park is such a gem. The trails take you through gorgeous canyons, lush greenery,…read moreand peaceful streams that make you forget how close you are to the city. The waterfall views are the highlight and absolutely worth the hike in, especially when the sun hits the rocks and everything feels like a hidden escape. The trails are well marked and offer a good mix of easy walks and more adventurous climbs, so there is something for everyone. Even on a busier day you can still find quiet corners to enjoy the sound of the water and the view of the sandstone cliffs. If you enjoy hiking, photography, or just want a beautiful spot to reset in nature, this park is a must visit. Bring good shoes, some water, and be ready to take a ton of photos.

This is a truly goregous state park full of amazing sights to explore and many trails to hike. We…read morehad a great time. The only thing I have to say is its not exactly compatible with strollers or people with disabilities who use motility devices, I barely managed with my walker, however there are SO many flights of stairs up and down that I dont entirely recommend it even with all terrain tires. Also the water was pretty dried up in the waterfall areas so if you want to see that I dont recommend coming in August. Also bring water with you, you will want it! Other than thank enjoy yourself its a beautiful activity to do

Starved Rock State park leaves your rocks starving for more hiking…read more This park had plenty of trails that were well preserved. Easy to walk through. I had no trouble finding parking. There were bathrooms whether portable or the nice one at the visitor center. Excellent vista points. Great options for families or the adventurous hikers.