Kankakee River State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kankakee River State Park
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Kankakee River State Park Location in Illinois
Location	Kankakee and Will Counties, Illinois, USA
Nearest city	Bourbonnais, Illinois
Area	4,000 acres (1,619 ha)
Established	1938
Governing body	Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Kankakee River State Park is a cool place in Illinois, USA. It's a big park, about 4,000 acres, located mostly in Kankakee and Will Counties. The park started small in 1938 when Ethel Sturges Dummer gave 35 acres of land. Later, a company called Commonwealth Edison donated more land in 1956 and again in 1989, making the park much bigger. Inside the park, you'll find islands like Smith, Hoffman, Langham, and Willow right on the Kankakee River.

Park History

Before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes lived along the Kankakee River valley. In the 1670s and 1680s, the Illini and Miami Indians lived here. By 1685, there were so many Miami people that the river was even called the "River of the Miami."

Later, in the 1700s, the Kickapoo and Mascouten tribes also visited the river valley. By the 1770s, three powerful tribes—the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi nations—controlled the area. Their biggest village was "Rock Village" or "Little Rock Village" near Rock Creek, which is now inside the park. In 1830, this village was the site of the last major meeting of these tribes.

After 1832, the Potawatomi gave up their land along the Kankakee and Illinois rivers to the United States. Most Potawatomi left the area by the end of that decade. However, Chief Shaw-waw-nas-see stayed, and his grave is marked by a large rock along a nature trail in the park.

Early Settlers and Traders

In the 1820s, fur traders like Noel Le Vasseur and Francois Bourbonnais traded with the Potawatomi along the Kankakee and Iroquois rivers. When the Potawatomi left in 1838, Le Vasseur convinced many of his friends from Quebec, Canada, to move to the Bourbonnais area. Because of his efforts, he is known as "the father of Kankakee."

Old Projects and Amusements

In 1847, a company was formed to create water power and a waterway from the Illinois & Michigan Canal. This company, called the Kankakee Company, failed when the Wabash Railroad arrived in the 1880s. At the Chippewa Campground, you can still see hand-cut limestone pillars. These were meant for a railway bridge that was never built because the company ran out of money.

In the 1890s, a big attraction in the area was the Custer Bowery Amusement Park. People from Chicago would come to visit it. By the 1920s, the amusement park was gone, and the river became a popular spot for summer cottages.

Camping at the Park

Kankakee River State Park has great places to camp!

• Potawatomi Campground: This area has 110 campsites with good facilities, including two "Rent-a-Cabins" in a wooded spot.
• Chippewa Campground: This campground offers 105 sites with electricity and other basic facilities.

You can make reservations for all these campgrounds. Every campsite has a picnic table and a grill for cooking. Remember, you can only camp in the official campgrounds.

There's also an Equestrian Campground for people with horses. It's located off Illinois Route 113 and is open from April 1st to October 31st.

Exploring the Trails

The park has many different hiking trails that let you see various parts of nature. Some trails follow the Kankakee River, offering nice spots to sit by the water. Other trails go into the forests or along Rock Creek. Rock Creek is a smaller stream that has carved a gorge with cliffs, which is really cool to see. The trails are very diverse, and it's a good place to look for mushrooms!

The park's trails are on both sides of the river.

• On the north side, you'll find trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.
• On the south side, there are trails for horses and snowmobiles.

A 3-mile trail along Rock Creek lets hikers enjoy the beautiful limestone canyons and a waterfall. A bicycle trail starts at the Davis Creek Area and stretches for 10.5 miles. It follows the river and also has a loop in the western part of the park. When there's 4 inches or more of snow, the park is open for snowmobiling from sunrise to sunset. You'll find signs for the trails, and maps are available at the park office.

Horseback Riding

If you love horses, you can go horseback riding at the park! There's a 12-mile trail just for horses in the wildlife management area along Route 113. This trail is open from April 1st through October 31st.

Fishing Fun

Fishing at Kankakee River State Park is a popular activity. You can fish in the Kankakee River or in Rock Creek, which flows into the Kankakee River. You can catch fish like bass and bluegill all year round. People use different methods like bait fishing, spin fishing, and fly-fishing.

The Illinois DNR also stocks the river with trout twice a year, in the spring and fall. Before the official trout season starts, there's a special "catch-and-release" period where you can fish for trout but have to put them back.

Park Store

There's a concession stand, which is like a small store, at Rock Creek. It's open during certain seasons. You can buy refreshments, ice, camping supplies, firewood, and bait there. It's located in a log cabin building right inside the park's main entrance. You can also get hunting and fishing licenses at the store.

Images for kids

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  Kankakee River with the old bridge piers.