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.

we stayed in a caboose for our anniversary...what a treat!!…read more everyone was soooo friendly and welcoming and that was before we got to the park!! haha!! the next day we visited the park and trails. we had a private feeding with Patrick(who was so awesome!)...unforgettable...if you have the chance, DO IT! so worth it!! we feed bears, wolves, and cougars...drove in the fields with the buffalo....WHAT?!?! who gets to do that?!? Patrick is so knowledgeable about the park and animals. everyone at the park with staff and volunteers were so great. we had a great chat with the volunteer in the old school house. that was such a treat. my favorite was Mr. B the badger...he was so rad! we will be back to explore more...two days weren't enough... thank you Prairie Park for the memorable weekend!!

We went to the park about 10 years ago and found it quite interesting. This time we found it overly…read morecommercialized and very rundown. Many of the enclosures were not maintained and many of them animals looked as though they needed attention by both park workers and medical intervention. It is very obvious that the park is not AZA accredited.

Great break as we drive along 155. Cute nature center for children and short hiking trail so they…read morefelt like they were out in the woods away from everyone

Sugar Grove Nature Center is a wonderful little gem in central Illinois. This is an area dedicated…read moreto teaching children and their families about the natural wildlife and vegetation native to the region. There are several miles of well kept trails, a learning center, and a children's play area. The play area is especially unique in that it encourages kids to get dirty, dig, and play in the creek. Also, there are events held all year round, many are free and most are very cheap when they are not. We visit regularly and love it.

Love banner marsh. Always looking for reasons to come down here. It's a peaceful little piece of…read moreMidwestern swampy paradise

Banner Marsh Fish and Wildlife area offers outdoor activities for all types of outdoorsmen. I…read moreenjoy fishing at Banner Marsh, either from the bank or from my boat. Nearly every major species of game fish in Illinois is available here, with it being a great place to catch Largemouth Bass and Panfish. There are many different lakes available to fish in, and after 15 years of coming here I still don't think I have fished them all. Not only is it a good place for fishing and duck hunting, it is a great place to see native wildlife. I constantly see turtles, foxes, and different kinds of water birds including several swans that hang out on one of the main lakes. The only thing that would make this place better would be if they allowed camping. The biggest downside to Banner Marsh is that during the summer bank fishing can be difficult due to the plant life growing in the water. I really enjoy Banner Marsh and feel that everyone interested in the outdoors should make the trip to check it out.

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.

It's nice to swim. There food is alright . Had a pleasnt swim and time to rest and eat the slides…read morepretty fun .the water always really blue and smells like chlorine. It's really not bad unless it's crowed but I mean it's a public place where it's pretty clean . Staff usually always nice and just really pleasant as well .

Friday all you can eat fish fry, steak dinners, hot wing and chicken dinner Fridays, rental of the…read more8 acre facility is wonderful. This is a great place to rent out too.

Dozer Park is a decent baseball field. We've been here a few times now over the past 10 years and…read moreeach time we enjoyed the game. Perks include a lot of seating to choose from and 360 degree access to walk around the entire field. Regular seats, upper level boxes, lawn seating and an outfield table area offer several ways to see the game. Beyond the outfield is a children's bounce house area with other activities for the little guys. About the only setback here are the concessions. Many stands were 'closed' on a Saturday night and many food items weren't available at the stands that were open. Or as one attendant told me..'we ain't got none'..when I asked for a pretzel. Uh, okay. There are very few food and drink choices even when attendance is at its highest. That aside, parking right next to the field is a nice perk and some of the nearby streets have opened new restaurants.

I LOVE THIS STADIUM!…read more I am especially a fan of the dancing corns! Lots of grass space and the last time we were here, there were a couple of families with dogs, so this looks like a dog friendly park (or at least the grassy part). There isn't a bad seat in the house and everyone seems pretty friendly. Plenty of promos during the game and lots of firework nights. I haven't had a chance to try the food, but people around me have, and it seems to be typical baseball stadium fare.