Forests & Natural Areas

Forests and natural areas are great locations for year round hiking, nature watching and photography. Many locations have visitor centers with educational displays, well maintained walking paths and offer camp sites, while others provide a more primitive experience with trails and no other amenities. No matter what your preference, take time to get out, stretch your legs and take in the bluffs, prairies, forests, marshes and hills that make up the Illinois landscape.

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Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau Schurmeier Teaching Forest 147 East Reusch Road Elizabeth, IL 61028 815-858-9100 Tapley Woods State Natural Area Located five miles west of Elizabeth on U.S. Highway 20 Elizabeth, IL 61028 815-745-3302 Buehler Preserve 102 Jefferson Street Galena, IL 61036 815-858-9100 Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve 870 South Pilot Knob Road Galena, IL 61036 815-858-9100 Winston Tunnel State Natural Area 2641 South Blackjack Road Galena, IL 61036 815-745-3302 Hanover Bluff Natural Area 8995 South Hanover Hill Road Hanover, IL 61041 815-745-3302 Hanover Bluff Nature Preserve South Whitton Road Hanover, IL 61041 815-745-3302 Iris and Jack Witkowsky State Wildlife Area 4573 South Blackjack Road Hanover, IL 61041 815-745-3302 Rall Woods State Natural Area 11039 South Airhart Road Hanover, IL 61041 815-745-3302 Wapello Land & Water Reserve 9642 Illinois Route 84 South Hanover, IL 61041 815-858-9100 Blackhawk Waterways Convention and Visitors Bureau Prophetstown State Recreation Area Park Avenue and River Drive (Near Route 172 & 78) Prophetstown, IL 61277 815-537-2926 Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge and Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center 7071 Riverview Road Thomson, IL 61285 815-273-2732 Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau Andalusia Slough Public Use Area 2 miles west of Andalusia Andalusia, IL 61232 309-794-4200 Illiniwek Forest Preserve 836 State Avenue Hampton, IL 61256 309-496-2620 Loud Thunder Forest Preserve 19408 Loud Thunder Road Illinois City, IL 61259 309-795-1040 Big River State Forest R.R. 1, Box 118 Keithsburg, IL 61442 309-374-2496 Henderson County State Fish & Wildlife Area R.R. 1, Box 118 Keithsburg, IL 61442 309-374-2496 Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge HC 82, Box 107 Brussels, IL 62013 618-883-2524 Mississippi River State Fish & Wildlife Area 17836 Highway 100 North Grafton, IL 62037 618-376-3303 The Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area 10981 Conservation Road Baldwin, IL 62217 618-785-2555 Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area c/o Randolph County SRA, 4301 South Lake Drive Chester, IL 62233 618-826-2706 Kidd Lake Marsh State Natural Area c/o Randolph County SRA, 4301 South Lake Drive Chester, IL 62233 618.826.2706 Randolph County State Recreation Area 4301 South Lake Drive Chester, IL 62233 618-826-2706 Turkey Bluffs State Fish & Wildlife Area 4301 South Lakeside Drive Chester, IL 62233 618-826-2706 Julius J. Knobeloch Woods Nature Preserve Rentchler Road off of Highway 177 Freeburg, IL 62243 618-462-1181 Peabody River King State Fish & Wildlife Area 8900 Darmstadt Road New Athens, IL 62264 618-785-2555 Rock Springs Park & Nature Center 1428 East 3rd Street O’Fallon, IL 62269 618-624-0139 Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau Shawnee National Forest 50 Highway 145 South Harrisburg, IL 62946 618-253-7114 Union County State Fish & Wildlife Area 2755 Refuge Road Jonesboro, IL 62952 618-833-5175 Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area Just east of Illinois Route 3 Miller City, IL 62962 618-776-5689 Kinkaid Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area 52 Cinder Hill Drive Murphysboro, IL 62966 618-684-2867 Pomona Natural Bridge Illinois 127 Pomona, IL 62975 618-253-7114