List of protected areas of Illinois facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Map of Protected Areas of Illinois
Each dot is linked to the corresponding article:

Parks;

Forests;

Recreation Areas;

Fish and Wildlife Areas;

Natural Areas;

National Historic Sites and Trails

Illinois is home to many special places that are protected for everyone to enjoy! These include over 123 state-protected areas, many federal areas, and hundreds of local parks. Some spots in Illinois are even important enough to be recognized around the world. All these different protected areas work together to offer lots of fun activities and help save nature. For example, DeKalb County has a large forest preserve system and a big state park (Shabbona Lake State Park). The city of DeKalb also has its own park system.

Illinois' State Protected Areas
Federally Protected Areas in Illinois
Internationally Recognized Protected Areas
- World Heritage Sites
- Wetlands of International Importance
Local Parks and Preserves
Images for kids

Illinois' State Protected Areas

Illinois has many different types of protected areas owned by the state. These include state parks, state forests, state recreation areas, state fish and wildlife areas, and state natural areas. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages most of these places. There are also state historic sites, which are looked after by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division.

What are State Historic Sites?

State historic sites protect important historical and cultural places. Sometimes, they also help preserve nature. Good examples are Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Lincoln's New Salem.

Exploring Illinois State Parks

State parks are special places owned by the state and usually managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. These parks are chosen because they have amazing scenery and natural features. They offer many fun activities for people to enjoy!

Park Name	County	Size (acres)	Size (km²)	Opened	Water Bodies	Notes
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park	Lake	4,160	16.8	1948	Lake Michigan
Apple River Canyon State Park	Jo Daviess	297	1.20	1932	Apple River
Argyle Lake State Park	McDonough	1,700	6.9	1948	Argyle Lake
Beaver Dam State Park	Macoupin	750	3.0	1947	Beaver Dam Lake
Castle Rock State Park	Ogle	2,000	8.1	1921	Rock River
Cave-in-Rock State Park	Hardin	204	0.83	1929	Ohio River
Chain O'Lakes State Park	McHenry	1,700	6.9	1945	Many lakes and the Fox River
Channahon State Park	Will	20.5	0.083	1932	DuPage River, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River
Dixon Springs State Park	Pope	801	3.24	1946	Wabash River
Ferne Clyffe State Park	Johnson	2,430	9.8	1949	Ferne Clyffe Lake
Fort Massac State Park	Massac	1,450	5.9	1908	Ohio River
Fox Ridge State Park	Coles	2,064	8.35	1930s	Ridge Lake, Embarras River
Gebhard Woods State Park	Grundy	30	0.12	1934	Nettle Creek
Giant City State Park	Jackson, Union	1,100	4.5	1927	Little Grassy Lake, Indian Creek
Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park	Bureau, Lee, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry	60,314	244.08	1970	Hennepin Canal	A long, narrow park (about 104.5 miles)
Horseshoe Lake State Park	Madison	2,960	12.0	?	Horseshoe Lake
Illini State Park	LaSalle	510	2.1	1934	Illinois River
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park	Henry	1,365	5.52	?	Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake
Jubilee College State Park	Peoria	3,200	13	1933	Jubilee Creek
Kankakee River State Park	Kankakee, Will	4,000	16	1938	Kankakee River
Lake Murphysboro State Park	Jackson	1,022	4.14	1948	Lake Murphysboro
Lincoln Trail State Park	Clark	1,023	4.14	1958	Lincoln Trail Lake
Lowden State Park	Ogle	207	0.84	1945	Rock River
Matthiessen State Park	LaSalle	1,700	6.9	1943	Deer Park Lake, Vermilion River
Mississippi Palisades State Park	Carroll	2,500	10	1973	Mississippi River, Apple River
Moraine Hills State Park	McHenry	2,200	8.9	1939	Lake Defiance, Fox River
Morrison-Rockwood State Park	Whiteside	1,164	4.71	1971	Rock Creek, Lake Carlton
Nauvoo State Park	Hancock	148	0.60	?	Mississippi River, Lake Horton
Pere Marquette State Park	Jersey	8,050	32.6	1931	Mississippi River, Illinois River
Red Hills State Park	Lawrence	967	3.91	1953	Muddy Creek
Rock Cut State Park	Winnebago	3,092	12.51	1957	Pierce Lake, Olson Lake
Rock Island Trail State Park	Stark, Peoria			1989	None	A 26-mile public rail trail.
Shabbona Lake State Park	DeKalb	1,550	6.3	1978	Shabbona Lake
Starved Rock State Park	LaSalle	2,630	10.6	1911	Illinois River

State Fish and Wildlife Areas: Protecting Animals and Nature

These areas are mainly set aside to protect fish and wildlife. They also allow activities like hunting, fishing, trapping, and observing animals.

Area Name	County	Size (acres)	Size (km²)	Opened	Water Bodies	Notes
Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area	Fulton	2,247	9.09	1947	Anderson Lake
Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area	Randolph	2,018	8.17	?	Baldwin Lake
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area	Fulton	4,363	17.66	1980s	Illinois River
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Fayette	37,000	150	1966	Carlyle Lake
Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area	Will	5,000	20	1948	Kankakee River, Milliken Lake
Green River State Wildlife Area	Lee	2,565	10.38	1940	Green River
Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area	Alexander	10,200	41	?	Horseshoe Lake
Iroquois County State Wildlife Area	Iroquois	2,480	10.0	1944	None	This area is on the edge of what used to be Glacial Lake Watseka.
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area	Cass	16,550	67.0	June 1993	Gridley Lake, Prairie Lake, Drake Lake
Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area	St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph	20,000	81	?	Kaskaskia River, Baldwin Lake
Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Jackson	11,750	47.6	1968	Kinkaid Lake, Johnson Creek, Reed Creek
Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife Area	DeKalb	570	2.3	2002	Kishwaukee River
Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area	Marshall	6,000	24	1925	Illinois River
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Massac	2,630	10.6	1949	Mermet Lake
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area	Vermilion	2,700	11	1986	Middle Fork
Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area	Jersey, Calhoun	24,386	98.69	?	Stump Lake, Fuller Lake
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Jasper	1,775	7.18	1979	Newton Lake, Sand Creek, Laws Creek
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Franklin, Jefferson	38,900	157	?	Rend Lake
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Fulton	5,660	22.9	1945	Rice Lake
Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area	Saline	1,270	5.1	1959	Glen O. Jones Lake
Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area	Wayne	1,302	5.27	1959	Sam Dale Lake
Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area	Jasper	1,180	4.8	1960
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area	Cass, Schuyler, Mason	10,360	41.9	1948
Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area	Moultrie	6,200	25	?	Kaskaskia River, West Okaw River
Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife Area	Kendall	1,350	5.5	1969	Fox River, Loon Lake, Beaver Lake, Silver Springs
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area	Knox	2,500	10	1987	Snakeden Hollow Lake
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area	Tazewell	2,032	8.22	1950	Spring Lake
Ten Mile Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area	Hamilton, Jefferson	6,000	24	1988	Ten Mile Creek
Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area	Union	6,202	25.10	1940s
Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area	Woodford	2,900	12		Illinois River, Upper Peoria Lake

State Recreation Areas: Fun for Everyone

These areas are designed for many types of outdoor fun and relaxation.

Area Name	County	Size (acres)	Size (km²)	Opened	Water Bodies
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area	DeWitt	9,300	38	1978	Clinton Lake, Salt Creek, Old Creek
Eagle Creek State Recreation Area	Shelby	11,100	45	May 1963	Lake Shelbyville, Eagle Creek
Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area	Clinton	3,000	12	?	Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville
Frank Holten State Recreation Area	St. Clair	1,080	4.4	1964	Whispering Willow Lake, Grand Marais Lake
Kickapoo State Recreation Area	Vermilion	2,842	11.50	1939	Middle Fork
Moraine View State Recreation Area	McLean	1,687	6.83	1959	Dawson Lake, Salt Creek
Pyramid State Recreation Area	Perry	19,701	79.73	1968	Super Lake
Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area	Fayette	1,980	8.0	?	Ramsey Lake, Ramsey Creek
Randolph County State Recreation Area	Randolph	1,101	4.46	1958	Randolph County Lake
Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area	Christian, Sangamon	3,022	12.23	1964	Sangchris Lake
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area	Marion	3,103	12.56	1959
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area	Franklin, Jefferson	3,300	13	1975	Rend Lake, Big Muddy River
Weldon Springs State Recreation Area	DeWitt	550	2.2	1948	Salt Creek

State Natural Areas: Preserving Illinois' Wild Side

These areas are protected because they still have their original natural look, or they have special plants, animals, geology, or historical features.

Area Name	County	Size (acres)	Size (km²)	Opened	Water Bodies	Notes
Cache River State Natural Area	Johnson	14,314	57.93	1970	Cache River
Franklin Creek State Natural Area	Lee	882	3.57	1982	Franklin Creek
Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area	Monroe	997	4.03	1970	Kidd Lake
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area	Grundy	2,537	10.27	1969	Goose Lake, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River, Illinois River
Illinois Caverns State Natural Area	Monroe	120	0.49	1985	None	This park has 9.6 km (about 6 miles) of underground passages!
Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area	Jackson, Randolph	198	0.80	1972	Piney Creek
Volo Bog State Natural Area	Lake	1,150	4.7	1970	Volo Bog

Other State Protected Areas

Illinois also has state forests and trails for people to enjoy.

Area Name	County	Size (acres)	Size (km²)	Opened	Water Bodies	Notes
Big River State Forest	Henderson	2,900	12	1925	Mississippi River
Hidden Springs State Forest	Shelby	1,200	4.9	1960	Richland Creek, Possum Creek
Sand Ridge State Forest	Mason	7,200	29	1939	None
Trail of Tears State Forest	Union	5,114	20.70	1929	Mississippi River, Clear Creek
Tunnel Hill State Trail	Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson				None	This is a 45-mile long trail.
Wildlife Prairie Park	Peoria	1,700	6.9	2000	Deep Lake, Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake

Federally Protected Areas in Illinois

The United States government also protects many areas in Illinois. These include a national forest, a national grassland, and several sites managed by the National Park Service. There are also special places called National Wildlife Refuges.

National Forests and Grasslands

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie - This is a huge grassland, about 25,000 acres.
Shawnee National Forest - A very large forest, covering about 500,000 acres.

U.S. Wilderness Areas: Wild and Untouched

These are truly wild places within the Shawnee National Forest. They are managed to stay as natural as possible.

Bald Knob Wilderness
Bay Creek Wilderness
Burden Falls Wilderness
Clear Springs Wilderness
Garden of the Gods Wilderness
Lusk Creek Wilderness
Panther Den Wilderness
Crab Orchard Wilderness is inside the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Areas: Helping Wildlife Thrive

These refuges are important for protecting different kinds of wildlife.

Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge - About 43,500 acres, including the 4,050-acre Crab Orchard Wilderness.
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge
Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge
Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (parts are in Illinois)
Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge
Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (parts are in Illinois)

National Park Service Sites: Preserving History

The National Park Service looks after important historical sites in Illinois:

Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield.
Pullman National Historical Park in Chicago.
New Philadelphia National Historic Site in Pike County.
The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is connected to the National Park Service and is located in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Managing Waterways

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages large lakes and waterways that are also used for recreation.

Carlyle Lake - A big lake with 26,000 acres of water and 11,000 acres of public land.
Illinois Waterway
Lake Shelbyville - A large lake (11,100 acres) with 23,000 acres of land around it.
Rend Lake - This lake has 18,900 acres of water and 20,000 acres of land.

Internationally Recognized Protected Areas

Some places in Illinois are so special that they are recognized around the world!

World Heritage Sites

One UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois is Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. This ancient site is protected as a state historic site. Also, two buildings in Illinois designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright are World Heritage Sites: Unity Temple and the Robie House. These are protected by local and federal groups.

Wetlands of International Importance

Illinois also has five wetland areas that are recognized as important wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. These wetlands are crucial for many plants and animals.

Cache River-Cypress Creek Wetlands (includes Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge)
Chiwaukee Prairie Illinois Beach Lake Plain (shared with Wisconsin)
The Emiquon Complex (includes Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge)
Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge
The Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands (shared with Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin)

Local Parks and Preserves

Many counties and towns in Illinois have their own protected areas. These include city park districts and county-wide Forest Preserve or Conservation Districts. Even private groups own some protected lands.

One of the biggest local systems is the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. It includes places like Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden, plus 70,000 acres of open land! That's about 11.6% of all the land in Cook County. In Illinois, counties can create these land-holding districts if voters approve. While not all 102 counties have done this, here are some that have:

Boone County Conservation District - 4,000 acres
Byron Forest Preserve District - 1,708 acres
Champaign County Forest Preserve District - 4,000 acres
Forest Preserve District of Cook County - 70,000 acres
DeKalb County Forest Preserve - 4,000 acres
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County - 26,000 acres
Forest Preserve District of Kane County - 20,000 acres
Forest Preserves of the Kankakee River Valley - 465 acres
Kendall County Forest Preserve District - 2,663 acres
Lake County Forest Preserve - 31,000 acres
Macon County Conservation District - 3,490 acres
McHenry County Conservation District - 24,000 acres
Putnam Country Conservation District - 1,100 acres
Rock Island Forest Preserve District - 2,529 acres
Vermilion County Conservation District - 6,600 acres
Forest Preserve District of Will County - 21,966 acres
Winnebago County Forest Preserve District - 11,500 acres

Images for kids

Beall Woods State Park.jpg

Beall Woods State Park
Buffalo Rock State Park and Effigy Tumuli.jpg

Buffalo Rock State Park & Effigy Tumuli
Delabar State Park.jpg

Delabar State Park
Donnelley Depue State Park.jpg

Donnelley/Depue State Park
James Pate Philip State Park.jpg

James "Pate" Philip State Park
Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park.jpg

Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park
Siloam Springs State Park.jpg

Siloam Springs State Park
South Shore State Park.jpg

South Shore State Park
Walnut Point State Park.jpg

Walnut Point State Park
Weinberg-King State Park.jpg

Weinberg-King State Park
Wolf Creek State Park.jpg

Wolf Creek State Park
Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area.jpg

Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area.jpg

Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area
Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area
Edward R. Madigan State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Edward R. Madigan State Fish and Wildlife Area
Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area.jpg

Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area.jpg

LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area
Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area
Mazonia Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Mazonia/Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area
Peabody River State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Peabody River State Fish and Wildlife Area
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area.jpg

Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area.jpg

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area
Golconda Marina State Recreation Area.jpg

Golconda Marina State Recreation Area
Prophetstown State Recreation Area.jpg

Prophetstown State Recreation Area
Prairie Ridge State Natural Area.jpg

Prairie Ridge State Natural Area
Sielbeck Forest Natural Area.jpg

Sielbeck Forest Natural Area
Spitler Woods State Natural Area.jpg

Spitler Woods State Natural Area
Bohm Woods Nature Preserve.jpg

Bohm Woods Nature Preserve
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site.jpg

Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
North Point Marina.jpg

North Point Marina

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List of protected areas of Illinois Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.