Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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Silver Springs
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 Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Kendall County, Illinois, USA |
| Nearest city | Yorkville, Illinois, Plano, Illinois, Millbrook, Illinois |
| Area | 1,350 acres (550 ha) |
| Established | 1969 |
| Governing body | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area is a cool state park in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. It covers a huge area of 1,350 acres (550 ha)! The park opened in the late 1960s. It gets its name from a special natural spring found inside its borders.
The park has two human-made lakes. The Fox River also flows through the northern part of the park. Silver Springs is a great place for many outdoor activities. You can go fishing, hunting, boating, and hiking here. The park also has areas where native prairie plants are being brought back. There's even a fun sledding hill and a seven-mile (11 km) trail for horseback riding. In the prairie areas, you can see beautiful plants like lead plant and purple coneflower.
Contents
Where is Silver Springs Park?
The Fox River divides Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area. The northern part of the park is close to the famous Farnsworth House. This house was designed by a well-known architect named Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
One of the main ways to get into the park is by crossing a bridge. This bridge takes Fox River Drive (also called Ben Street in Plano) over the river. It then connects to Fox Road, which runs right past the park entrance.
A Look Back: Park History
People have lived near the Fox River valley for a very long time. There is proof that indigenous people lived here about 10,000 to 14,000 years ago. This was near the end of the last Ice Age.
The state of Illinois bought the first 1,250 acres (510 ha) of land for Silver Springs in 1969. The park officially opened in January of that year. It is located in Kendall County, about five miles (8 km) west of Yorkville. Since 1969, another 100 acres (40 ha) has been added to the park.
Silver Springs was one of five new state parks that opened in northern Illinois between 1969 and 1971. During this time, over 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) were added to the Illinois state park system. Silver Springs was opened to help reduce crowds at other nearby state parks. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) wanted to give the Chicago area more state park options.
When the state bought the land, there were nine old wells that used water from the Galena–Platteville Aquifer. By 1973, a new, modern well was drilled. It went down 120 feet (37 m) deep! This new well is near the park entrance and provides water for the park. The other nine wells were still used after the new one was built.
Bringing Back the Prairie
A special project to bring back the prairie started at Silver Springs in 1980. It began on 30 acres (12 ha) of land. Then, in 1991, another 15 acres (6.1 ha) was added to the project.
In 2002, the IDNR started another prairie restoration on the north side of the Fox River. They removed many invasive species from the area. These included trees like basswood, ash, and maple. They also removed honeysuckle, which is a non-native plant that had grown too much. These actions helped native trees like burr and black oak, and shagbark hickory to grow better.
Water Fun at Silver Springs
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area has 1,350 acres (550 ha) of land and four different bodies of water. These include two human-made lakes, the Fox River, and the famous Silver Springs itself.
Loon Lake is the bigger of the two lakes. It covers 21 acres (8.5 ha) and has 0.9 miles (1.4 km) of shoreline. Loon Lake is 20 feet (6.1 m) deep at its deepest point. On average, it is about 11.8 feet (3.6 m) deep. Loon Lake was created in 1960 by digging out a low-lying area. Its water level stays steady thanks to a small 20-acre (8.1 ha) watershed and groundwater. In 1996, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said the water quality at Loon Lake was "good."
Beaver Lake is north of Loon Lake and is smaller. It covers 4.5 acres (1.8 ha). It has almost a half mile (800 m) of shoreline. Beaver Lake is 14 feet (4.3 m) deep at its deepest point, with an average depth of 8 feet (2.4 m).
The park's name comes from the natural spring located on a trail at the south end of the park. The spring looks like silver because of how the sunlight shines on its surface. Even in winter, the bubbling spring never freezes! You can often see plants poking through the snow around the watercress-lined pool during the coldest months. The Fox River flows for three miles through the park's north end. Silver Springs empties into the Fox River.
Plants and Animals of the Park
The park's 45-acre (18 ha) prairie restoration areas are home to many plants that grew in Illinois before European settlers arrived. The plants change with the seasons, but you might see: lead plant, purple coneflower, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, black-eyed susan, tall coreopsis, compass plant, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, New Jersey tea, big bluestem, switch grass, and Indian grass.
Along the park's four-mile (6 km) trail, you'll find many different kinds of trees. There are six types of oak trees, three types of ash trees, and others like basswood, cottonwood, pawpaw, Kentucky coffeetree, and hackberry.
Fish in the Waters
The Fox River at Silver Springs has many kinds of freshwater fish. These include bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, bullhead, carp, muskie, and northern pike.
Loon and Beaver Lakes get their fish from stocking by people. Fish like channel catfish, bass, bluegill, and crappie are added to both lakes.
Other Wildlife
Besides its prairies and water, Silver Springs also has deciduous forests and wetlands. These areas are home to many mammals, birds, and insects. Some birds you might see are osprey, great horned owl, eastern screech owl, and long-eared owl. You might even spot a bald eagle further up the Fox River! Reptiles and amphibians live in the park too, but they are harder to find.
Fun Things to Do
Hunting and fishing are two of the main activities at the park when they are in season. During the fall and winter, over 1,300 acres (530 ha) are open for hunting. Pheasant hunting is very popular here, with a special program run by the park. You can also hunt for dove and squirrel, and do bow hunting for deer, but there are some rules.
The park has areas for trap shooting and archery. You need to bring your own equipment, and there are rules for these activities too.
For people who love to fish, Loon Lake is stocked with rainbow trout in the spring and fall. There's also a small half-acre pond east of the lake. This pond is stocked every year for kids during the National Hunting and Fishing Days, which Silver Springs celebrates with special events. You can fish in the Fox River from the bank or from a boat. There are no motor limits for boats, and the park has a boat launch. Just be careful, as the Fox River is shallow near the park.
Trails and Winter Fun
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area has trails for hiking and horseback riding. A short, half-mile (800 m) trail leads to Silver Springs near the park's east entrance. A longer, four-mile (6.4 km) trail follows the Fox River through the park's wooded areas. The horseback riding trail is in the wildlife management area and is seven miles (11 km) long. There's also a one-mile (1.6 km) path through the prairie restoration area.
In the winter, many of the park's trails are open for cross-country skiing. A four-mile (6 km) trail is open for snowmobiling if the weather allows. When the ice is thick enough, the lakes are open for ice skating and ice fishing. Sledding is another favorite activity! Toboggan Hill is located inside the park's east entrance.
