I love Rock Sorings! The good: It's always well kept. Every time I go there you rarely if ever see trash The staff are always helpful and friendly The observatory is just one of the greatest hangout places ever! (Wish they would turn it into a little coffee area) Path and grounds are always well maintained Rock Springs also has all kinds of extracurricular activities going on that the public can sign up for that's either free or extremely cheap The bad: Unless you get lucky, normally the extracurricular activities are hard to come by. I understand the budget is limited and they can't really afford to go fliering the town. But I wish there was a way for them to communicate the activities better other than Facebook. I wasn't a fan of the cross country skiing, but that didn't reflect my review. I'm just glad they offer stuff like that! Thank you Rock Springs and s read more

Rock Springs Conservation Area - Hiking Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Never been hiking first time but it was fantastic considering I lived on an island all my life! read more

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Great place to visit for walking, running, hiking, biking, fishing, dog walking, and wildlife viewing. Park is very clean and clearly labeled trails and a paved path. Also dog friendly with everything from dog drinking area and waste bags along the trail. Easy to get to and plenty of parking. read more

LOOOVE IT! I was thrilled to find over 1,000 acres of fantastic trails just 10 minutes from the Decatur Hotel and Conference Center. The visitor's center at the park offers maps of the various trails, ranging from .25 miles to 2.25 miles. Even if you get there after the Visitor Center is closed (5pm, weekdays) you'll be fine because everything is well-marked. The trails are all natural dirt (the only paved trail is the bike trail), winding up and down, through forests, past rivers, across prairies, and grasslands. The map was perfect, listing the types of scenery you'd pass on each trail and providing the mileage. The map also notes how long they predict it will take you to hike each trail, which I found to be pretty generous (meaning, I hiked trails in about twenty-five minutes when they predicted an hour.... although I also walk at a quick pace). My point is - don't be daunted by their time predictions. Anyways. As I mentioned, the trails were very well marked at intersections making me comfortable navigating by myself through the woods. Especially since I didn't pass one other person my entire two hours hiking! I saw plenty of wildlife at very close range: three deer, one four foot long snake (don't be scared now), and several hawks. BOTTOM LINE: A gem of an area, just 10 minutes from downtown Decatur. Totally worth the drive. read more

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We love watching the hummingbirds battle over feeder territory in summertime! At least 15 at a time! read more

Rock Springs Conservation Area - Homesteading at Rock Springs - Hiking Near Me - Decatur, Illinois