From the confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers in the Metro East region, to the rugged bluffs of the Shawnee National Forest, to the hidden outdoor gems nestled throughout pockets of Chicago, Illinois is teeming with beautiful outdoor spaces. While Sierra Club volunteers, members, and staff fight every day to protect these wild spaces in Illinois, it’s important to take the time to explore and enjoy these spaces as well. On June 11, Sierra Club Illinois is celebrating National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event that encourages outdoor recreation in your community. In celebration of National Get Outdoors Day, volunteers and staff at Sierra Club Illinois shared their favorite places to get outdoors in Illinois in hopes of inspiring others to explore our home state. Which destination will you check out first?
Winnebago County Forest Preserves in Winnebago County
Submitted by Steven Hall
The Winnebago County Forest Preserves encompasses 11,500 acres of woods, wetlands, rivers, prairies, and ponds in Winnebago County. Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Steven Hall says the Forest Preserves include great trails with helpful maps, interesting wildlife, and canoeing and kayaking opportunities along Winnebago County’s four rivers.
Photo Credit: Steven Hall
Independence Grove in Libertyville
Submitted by Ryan Dolan
Independence Grove is centered around a 115-acre lake in the Lake County Forest Preserves, and offers a wide variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation, nature education, and picturesque sight-seeing. Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Ryan Dolan says that the common areas are “highly accessible” and “great for hosting events and hanging out.”
Blackwell Forest in Warrenville
Submitted by Connie Sue Schmidt
The Blackwell Forest in Warrenville features limestone hiking trails, observation decks for bird-watchers, and a quarry lake. Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Connie Sue Schmidt says, “I love this spot because I can get to it by bike ride in 10 minutes or so, or can bring my paddle board to enjoy paddle boarding on the deep quarry lake.”
Photo Credit: Connie Sue Schmidt
Veterans Acres Park in Crystal Lake
Submitted by Emily Cyr
“Veterans Acres Park is one of the biggest parks in my hometown, and was perfect for any outdoorsy thing you wanted to do,” says Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Emily Cyr. “It has a pond that’s home to some of the largest turtles I have ever seen, which is my favorite thing to visit when I come to Crystal Lake. It’s also home to some steep hills, which make it the best place to go sledding in the winter.” Veterans Acres Park is one of the “crown jewels” of the Crystal Lake Park District, and boasts a variety of outdoor recreation areas.
Kickapoo State Park and the Middle Fork River in Vermillion County
Submitted by Alice Englebretsen
Kickapoo State Park is a lesson in just transition and transformation. While it was once a surface mining operation, the recreational area’s 2,842 acres are now an “outdoor playground” for all Illinoisans. The State Park includes deep-water ponds, forested uplands that provide habitat for birds, wildlife, and wildflowers, and nature and running trails for recreational use. Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Alice Englebretsen says the park is home to “the only National Scenic River in Illinois, and is a great place to kayak, canoe, hike, and bike.”
Palmisano Park in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago
Submitted by Caroline Wooten
Palmisano Park is located in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, and has a long industrial history—it was a quarry, and then a landfill. “I’m so glad it is now a green space that can be enjoyed by the community,” Sierra Club Illinois staff member Caroline Wooten says. “I want to live in a world where everyone can access green space a short distance from their front door.”
Photo Credit: Caroline Wooten
Lincoln Memorial Gardens in Springfield
Submitted by Scott Allen
The Lincoln Memorial Gardens in Springfield “represent the landscape Abraham Lincoln would have known growing up in the Midwest.” This 100-acre site features trails, footbridges, a pond, and dozens of wooden benches inscribed with quotes from Abraham Lincoln. “It’s a nice spot around Springfield Lake that hasn’t been ruined by the Dallman coal plants,” quips Sierra Club volunteer Scott Allen.
Illinois Beach State Park in Zion
Submitted by Christy Brooks
The Illinois Beach State Park is “a hidden gem of Northern Illinois, just steps away from a beach-front resort,” says Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Christy Brooks. “My mom and I always look forward to a long weekend there to enjoy its rocky Lake Michigan beach, sandy dunes, and nature trails. The Illinois Beach State Park stretches 6.5 miles along the shores of Lake Michigan in northern Illinois.
Photo Credit: Christy Brooks
Montrose Beach on Chicago’s North Side
Submitted by Christine Williamson
Montrose Beach is located near the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. The beach is the “wildest and largest in the city [of Chicago] and provides a home for wildlife year round,” says Sierra Club Illinois volunteer Christine Williamson. “The north coast of Lake Michigan is literally an avian highway in the sky that birds follow twice a year. I lead a lot of beginning birdwatchers on trips to Montrose, and it takes almost no time at all before people get hooked and begin to care about birds and other wildlife.”