IL topography (Peoria, Rock Island: food, association, bike)

[Tex?Il?]

Awesome thread Steve.

Are you familiar with the Palos Forest Preserves? The Cap Sauers/Swallow Cliff Woods area? (Where they had those tobbagon slides). Those are some great hiking trails. I can post some, but I just don't have the pictures right now.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Awesome thread Steve.

Are you familiar with the Palos Forest Preserves? The Cap Sauers/Swallow Cliff Woods area? (Where they had those tobbagon slides). Those are some great hiking trails. I can post some, but I just don't have the pictures right now.

Thanks man. No, Im not familiar with Palos Forest Preserve, nor the other preserve that had the toboggan run. If you have pics that would be great. Thanks.

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by linicx

Central Illinois comprises five counties: Peoria, Fulton, Tazewell, Mason and Woodward. If the traveler should want to spend a day in Illinois and avoid the flat, dull, boring farmland the whiners complain about give them some good Wisconsin cheese to go with the whine and suggest they travel on IL 29 from 1-80 to Springfield. o

There are no "nine degree hills" in central Illinois but there are a few that will make a believer out of every 'Doubting Thomas" when ice and snow are on the ground. Farmington Road, Sterling Avenue, Western Avenue, Lower Grand View Drive, Forest Park Drive, Detweiller Drive and Fondulac Drive. The topography is a mix of hills, bluffs, water, folliage, farms and prairie.

There are three ways to view the Illinois River Valley from the bluffs: The lookout tower in Peoria Heights, Grandview Drive in Peoria Heights and Fondulac Drive in East Peoria. The next national Everglades is well underway in Mason and Fulton Counties. When finished 14,000 acres will be open to the public; about half is open now. There are many state parks in central Illinois where folks who like camping, boating, fishing, walking, hiking, biking, horse trails, hunting and exploring. There is also two marinas. and a private yacht club that has a variety of reciprical agreement with other sailing clubs. The state parks offer everything from a wild life animal experience, and a fish hatchery, to a Native American museum and archaelogical dig. Travelers can take a river cruise on a steam driven paddle wheel boat or gamble at a river casino. The three big parks in Peoria are several thousand acres each. They offer zoo, botanica, bandshell, summer theater and many other activities. However, one of the nicest smaller parks is Mineral Springs Park in Pekin. It has a rose garden, fountains in the lagoon, miniature golf, walking path, picnic area, kids fishin' derby and paddle boats in the summer. Pekin is also home to the famous Medallion Hunt held the week before the Marigold Parade.. .

Or you could get out and walk/run the bluffs. I promise you won't call central IL/Peoria area flat again.

Farmdale Resevoir, East Peoria: 900 acres, 15+ miles of trails

McNaughton Park, Pekin: 1,000 acres, 10 miles of trails.

Robinson Park, Peoria, 700 acres (?), 8 miles of trails

Forest Park, Peoria, 300 acres, 8 miles of trails

Detweiller Park, Peoria, 6 miles of trails

Singing Woods, Peoria, 800 acres

Jubliee State Park, Kickapoo, 3,200 acres, lots of miles of trails

Indy Park, Marquette Hts. 6 miles of trails

Dirksen Park, Pekin, 6 miles of trails

Black Partridge Park, Metamora, 800 acres, trails in progress

Sand Ridge State Forest, Manito, 7,000 acres, 40+ miles of trails (not hilly, but cool sand prairie, cacti, hognose snakes, etc.

Comlara Park, Hudson, 12+ miles of trails

Those are the highlights.

[susancruzs]

Great thread, Steve-O, love the photos! Illinois isn't really flat as a pancake, at least not in some parts! Illinois does have alot of great parks, places to hike, etc., I will say that much! Good job!

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

Great thread, Steve-O, love the photos! Illinois isn't really flat as a pancake, at least not in some parts!

Right. Only 95% of Illinois is flat and featureless.

[susancruzs]

Hardly featureless but surely beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

[cubssoxfan]

runninfiend,
Any of the park trails you listed available for mountain bikes or appropriate for road bikes?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

Right. Only 95% of Illinois is flat and featureless.

Kind of like some peoples' personalities.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

runninfiend,
Any of the park trails you listed available for mountain bikes or appropriate for road bikes?

I cant speak for the parks he listed, but you might want to check out Castle Rock State Park and see if you can bike those trails. We hiked them in summer and couldnt help but think of how awesome they would be for some nice, fast mountain biking.

[sapphire-rose]

Love the pix Steve-O Thanks for posting them. My first move to IL was to Sheridan, a cute little town and the folk that lived there were really kind and friendly. Then moved to Ottawa. Loved IL while I was there, wouldn't mind living there again. I found it to be a beautiful place.