Beall Woods State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beall Woods State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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 Beall Woods State Park
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Wabash County, Illinois, USA |
| Nearest city | Keensburg, Illinois |
| Area | 635 acres (257 ha) |
| Established | 1966 |
| Governing body | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
Beall Woods State Park is a special place in Illinois. It covers about 635 acres (257 ha) of land. The park is right next to the Wabash River in Wabash County.
A big part of the park, about 329 acres (133 ha), is an amazing old-growth forest. This means the trees there have never been cut down by people. They are very old and have grown naturally for a long time. This forest is called a Natural Area by the state of Illinois.
Most of the trees in this forest are hardwoods. These are strong trees like oaks and maples. Beall Woods State Park is so important that a part of it, the Forest of the Wabash, is a National Natural Landmark. This means it's a nationally recognized natural treasure.
The park was created in 1966. If you visit, you'll find a small campground and a visitor center that opened in 2001. There are also over 6+1⁄4 miles (10.1 km) of hiking trails. Most of these trails go through the beautiful Forest of the Wabash.
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Discover the Forest of the Wabash
The Forest of the Wabash is a truly unique part of Beall Woods State Park. It's home to an incredible variety of trees. Scientists have found 64 different kinds of trees growing here!
What Makes the Trees Special?
Many of the trees in this forest are giants. Foresters have counted more than 300 very old trees. Their trunks are thicker than 30 inches (76 cm) across. Some of these trees are super tall, reaching over 120 feet (37 m) into the sky!
You can see many important trees here. These include the white oak, which is the state tree of Illinois. You'll also find the tuliptree, the state tree of Indiana, just across the river. Other notable trees are the American sycamore and the American Sweetgum. One sweetgum tree in this forest is even known as the "state champion." This means it's the biggest sweetgum tree found in all of Illinois!
How the Forest Was Saved
The land where the Forest of the Wabash grows was first owned by the Beall family in the early 1800s. They kept it as an untouched forest for many years. This was very unusual because almost all other old-growth forests in the Wabash Valley were cut down. People used the wood for building, timber, or even firewood.
In the 1960s, the last private owner, Laura Beall, passed away. There was a big effort to protect the forest from being cut down by a lumber company. In 1965, the State of Illinois stepped in. They took over the Beall farm and forest to make it a public park. This saved the amazing old trees for everyone to enjoy.
A Home for Birds
In 2007, Beall Woods State Park was named an Important Bird Area of Illinois. This means it's a very important place for birds to live, find food, and raise their young. Many different kinds of birds rely on this forest.
