Great place to kayak especially in the morning or evening. Trails have varying difficulty with none…read moreof them being too difficult. Camping area is nice as well.

While a smaller camp site, it is still pretty nice. We stayed in the Pines, which as the name…read moreindicates, was covered in beautiful pine trees which made you feel like you were walking through a Roman colonnade. Now, I'm not very "hardcore" when it comes to camping, and this trip marked my first real tent camping trip since I was in third grade (roughly 19 years ago!), so this review is more written from the point of view of "that chick" who screams and panics at the site of any and all insects. Yes, I'm not proud to admit it, but I have to be real. For my fellow entomophobics, let's have a heart to heart. Okay, so there are bugs. Come on! It's camping. BUT, it wasn't nearly as scary or terrible as I had expected. Can I get an "amen!" I even posted some photos of the ever scary bathroom situation, just so you can see it is not like walking into a spider's web. Really...overall, it wasn't too "buggy." Now, here are some other notes about the site that will help you decide if this place is for you: Site 1 = Camp Host; This is where you pay for your camp site, which as I recall was pretty reasonably priced at about $10. Big bummer! The concession stand is closed until further notice, so give up your dreams of canoeing and ping pong. This change happened the week of our reservation, and it was very disappointing. So, if getting on that pretty lake is important to you, definitely check out their website to verify if the concession stand has been re-opened or not. Since we were tent camping, I can't speak to whether or not there were water hook-ups for RVs. If not, there is a fill station as you enter, so you should be fine. Off the beaten path, there is a historic red barn which you can tour (1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays, May - Oct, 1-4), a nearby water park, and a playground for kids. Overall, we had a very pleasant trip, and we would definitely consider going back. Until next time, sleep tight, and don't let the weird-insects-that-appear-at-night bite!

We returned to the Illiniwek again this year because we enjoyed the location, sites, and views…read more They only have electric and water, but no sewer. However, there is a dump station. Also, you can only stay two weeks per month. In September you can stay three weeks. We are in the area for the months of June and July. Even without a sewer hookup we'd stay the entire time, if there wasn't a time limit on it.

Staying here was my first camping experience since moving to the Quad Cities, and we had a great…read moretime! We camped with four adults and three preschool aged children and there was plenty for all of us to do. We stayed along the river at a tent site, and had plenty of space. The campgrounds were clean and quiet, and only $16 for the night. With little ones, it was especially great that there are clean, stocked restrooms. We really enjoyed being on the river at our site, but also the easy walk along the bike trail that connects to other parks. Overall, I highly recommend this site for easy, nearby camping.

This was a really nice park. We camped here for 2 nights the first weekend in May. Weather ranged…read morefrom lows in the 40s to highs in the sixties. The campgrounds all have a table, grill, and electricity. There are pit toilets w/potable water w/in an easy walk of every camp-site. They were clean and did not smell. There is one shower facility w/flush toilets and showers for the entire campground. Also clean and well maintained. Privacy at each campsite varied widely from some which were well wooded and could only see a couple of neighbors to those near the playground which were very open. We could hear a train going by nearby at night but it wasn't too loud. There is a lake, a restaurant where you can purchase firewood or rent paddleboats, and a few decent hiking trails. This was a nice park and we would happily camp here again.

A group of us went camping here this past weekend and I thought it was a nice place! It is a pretty…read morequick drive from Chicago, about 2 and a half hours with the usual 290 nightmarish traffic situation. We left at like 9AM on a Saturday and it was like rush hour, wtf. The campsites are spread out fairly well so you aren't too close to your neighbors. We stayed in the 1-25 ring. We had 4 couples and we each rented a campsite, but I almost think you could share a campsite with 4 people total too and it wouldn't be too tight. The lake (Carlton) is gorgeous and they have a little restaurant right on it that was cute and a great location. You can rent canoes, sailboats, paddleboats, etc on the lake. There are a lot of hiking trails as well. The gnats were a little out of control and I don't know if there is anything better at keeping them away, but bugspray didn't really work. They are just kinda irritating. I'd recommend bringing grill grates if you have them to put over the grill because some of them are kinda dirty. Also, they do allow alcohol, which is one of the reasons we picked it, I mean, camping without beer? No way! The bathrooms aren't too bad for camping and they also have a place to shower, we didn't go as we were only there for one night, but they do have showers. It seemed to be well maintained and patrolled. The forest ranger guy came by a few times and he was nice. If you are looking for a quick weekend getaway, this is a great spot to get out of the city for some fresh, pollution free air!

A beautiful 200 acre park located on the north side of Clinton on the bluffs overlooking the…read moreMississippi River. You can picnic,hike or cross country ski in this treasured asset of Clinton. There is a historic lodge which we did not visit and a castle turret open for stair climbs and fantastic views of the Mississippi . Lots of play areas, restrooms, pavilions and trails makes this park a fun way to spend a day.

Nice park, love climbing the old tower and the great views. A lot of play areas, restrooms,…read morepavilions, and trails. Needs a little better maintenance and some tree trimming to improve the views.

At Crow Creek Park for my oldest daughter's cross country meet. This park has every sport you can…read morethink of! It is pretty big and parking is plentiful but it gets crowded based on the current events. Easy on/off from 53rd and you can grab Portillos down the street after as an added bonus! (Perfect for this Iowa implant from Chicago:) ) Go West CC!

Great place near central Bettendorf (along Devils Glen Road) to take a leisurely scenic walk. Very…read morespacious, great for kite flying. Nice wide, paved trails as well that surround a former rock quarry. Diverse activities include a cool skate park, several baseball diamonds, very popular floor hockey, swings & slides for the youngsters, and a couple fenced dog parks to run both large and small dogs. Nice picnic area as well! Bettendorf parks are monitored by volunteer Park Ambassadors who help maintain a secure and enjoyable experience.

This review is for the kids area at veterans memorial park…read more The play area is well laid out and maintained. The ground doesn't have mulch, but a nice padded floor. There are 6 swings, multiple slides and 3 benches for parents to sit and watch over their children.

This is a great park for a variety of ages. There are two areas 1}Toddlers 2}Kindergarten and Up…read more I am reviewing the toddler section since I have twin 1.5 year old girls. The toddler section was very nice and safe. The canopy on a portion of it to shield from the sun. The slides seemed appropriate as far as safety. I liked the squishy type ground for this play area. Its a welcomed change from rocks or wood chips. The fencing around the playground is also nice. And more then one park bench inside the fence was appreciated.

What a beautiful park!…read more During a quick trip to Iowa we kept our activities limited to outdoor activities and carry out eats. I pulled up the Yelp app to find a park to explore and voila, there was Vander Veer Botanical Park. It was a toasty 93 degree day so we were quickly drawn to the plentiful shaded spaces found throughout this large park. In addition to a botanical garden (which we didn't visit specifically), they also have a rose garden, small pond with a fountain, long shaded promenade, and plentiful paved paths for walking. We strolled through the rose garden and then were naturally drawn to the long shaded walkway that leads up to a large and entertaining fountain at the end. This park has so many lovely uses for varying audiences and interests. Highly recommend giving it a visit if you find yourself in the Quad Cities!

It the most fun me and my kid add I love how handicap accessible it was in the summerread more

We hiked at both the main park and the Ralph Martin Conservation Area (off of Loud Thunder Road)…read more The latter is 240 acres of conservation land, with wide mowed paths (a few long uphills); the Conservation Area might be a good place to hike if you like very peaceful walks but I would recommend visiting the main park first especially if you have limited time). At the Conservation Area we found only one small deserted parking lot and walked about half a mile in and back, never encountering a soul but traipsing through various fields and wooded areas....bring some sort of bug repellent! So.....the main park is where you probably want to be...this covers a huge area, has a beautiful scenic lake, boating ramps, playgrounds, a horse arena, camp sites and of course, plenty of hiking trails, many difficult to navigate and easy to get lost on... The Sac Fox South Trail goes through a meadow (the South Prairie Restoration I think) which is filled during the summer with an abundance of wild bergamot. But this trail is very long...make sure to have a map and water with you and allow plenty of time....

Not sure why al the bad reviews but they were from a few years ago. Staying at the new Deer Haven…read morecampground, they have full hookups, just opened for this season. Quiet ,clean, friendly staff at Park office. Lake George is beautiful. The only thing lacking is some trees around campsites, but showers and flush toilets are clean.

Pretty place, alot of paths to explore. Its quiet, quaint. The cave, in which this place is named…read moreafter is closed for the bats. So it should just be named Starr. Kinda the only reason I went was to see the caves. Theres alot of litter as well. I didnt get to see inside the building, but the rock climbing literally has boards nailed to it so its closed I guess. No mask requirements but I mean the only thing you can do it walk through paths, everythings out of order or closed. They have benches everywhere so you can enjoy the view of the many closed sites. If you want a workout rather then an experience, here's your wet dream.

Fun place to keep going to! A definite recommendation for…read morethose who like to get out of the house. Don't forget your camera and mosquito repellent.

Trail biked - I started at the east end in Bureau. The parking lot there has bathrooms and…read moretrashcans, and plenty of parking. I biked east to just north of I80 and back. Bike used - Specialized Sirrus hybrid. Bike style requirements - hybrid to mountain bike mostly. Fat tires will thrive back here. Road bikes will not survive many portions of this trail. I was leery to ride my hybrid in some sections near Tiskilwa because of the mid-sized gravel in spots. Other areas between I80 and Wyanet require grassy biking and non-descript trail riding. The trail composition varies between dirt and minced limestone mostly. There are some portions of asphalt, although those covered by limestone. Some areas are nicer than others. It's more favorable if the trail is mowed, as the trail rut can be swallowed by tall reeds of grass. There are area's where you're biking through short bursts of just grass. My hybrid held up like a champ, but there were spots where I was leery. This is a path where you'll need to keep both hands on the grips. The trail follows a series of water canals that serve as nice scenery. Every so often you'll come across a lock, which are numbered, giving you an idea of how many away you are from your starting point. Bridges span the locks every so often. A river also carves the trail in many areas, offering some nice views. As for wildlife, I spotted several turtles in canals and one trailside (almost accidentally biked over him). I also saw a pair of deer and a ton of colorful birds (red, yellow, blue, orange, black, white, gray, brown). The Orioles were a rare treat. A pair of eagles sat atop dead tree's west of Wyanet. Benches and amenities are seldom. Bridges span the lock areas which offer nice water drains to view and areas to sit on the edge for a break. During my two hour ride I saw a dozen other bikers, and this was on a 75 degree, cloudless Saturday in mid-June. Suffice it to say, there aren't many folks out here unless you count the occasional fisherman. Other nuances, the trail offers a nice split of shade and sun, but more on the sunny side. I saw one parking lot with trail signs in my stretch. Cheers.

The Hennepin Canal was constructed in 1892, the first boat went through in 1907, and the canal…read moreclosed to boat traffic in 1951. Today the Hennepin Canal serves as a state park. On travels between Wisconsin and central Illinois, we often stop and stretch our legs on the portion near Bureau Junction. There is a bench, restrooms (only open seasonally) and the sound of the water rushing under the bridge is relaxing. The trails have seen better days but are conducive to activities such as picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and snowmobiling. People often fish in the canal as well.