Author: Cecilia

Franklin Creek State Natural Area
Franklin Creek State Natural Area is in Lee County, Northwest Illinois.  The “…Franklin Creek flows throughout the 882-acre park. Several large natural springs, hardwood forests, bedrock outcroppings and a large variety of flora and fauna comprise a pristine ecosystem.”
Here is their website.   Phone 815-456-2878
Mill Springs Trail 0.3 miles concrete trail to Mill Spring.

Fox Ridge State Park
“Fox Ridge State Park, a 2,064-acre park just south of Charleston in east-central Illinois, is known for its steep, thickly wooded ridges, broad, lush valleys and miles of rugged, scenic hiking trails.”   Here is their website.  Phone 217-345-6416
There are two accessible trails in the east central area: …”one wandering along the edge of a ravine and the other circling a small fishing pond with an accessible fishing pier.”

Chain O’ Lakes State Park
“Chain O’Lakes State Park in NE Illinois is a water-oriented recreation area with outstanding opportunities for boaters, anglers and skiers.”   The park borders three natural lakes – Grass, Marie and Nippersink – and the Fox River that connects the other seven lakes (Bluff, Fox, Pistakee, Channel, Petite, Catherine and Redhead) that make up the Chain. In addition, the park contains a 44-acre lake within its boundaries.”  The park features seven picnic areas and four trail systems.  Here is their website.   Phone  847-587-5512
Pike Marsh North Picnic area has a 1/2 mile accessible loop with a viewing platform.

Beall Woods State Park
Beall Woods State Park is on the banks of the Wabash River in southeastern Illinois.  It preserves “…one of the few remaining tracts of virgin timber east of the Mississippi River. At Beall Woods, visitors can see trees 120 feet tall and more than 3 feet in diameter. Besides hiking, Beall Woods also offers visitors a quiet, relaxing setting for camping, picnicking and fishing. Here is their website.   Phone 618-298-2442  Be sure to call ahead to learn trail conditions.
? Sweet Gum Trail – “”easy” 0.5 mile  trail follows Coffee Creek and features an interesting rock cliff.  The trail is closed periodically due to flooding.
? Schneck Trail – “easy” 1.75-mile trail is accessed from the park’s north side. It is closed periodically due to flooding.
? Tulip Tree Trail 1.1 mile chipped surface may accommodate wheelchairs.  From the visitor center you can pick up guides and a cassette tape for visually impaired hikers.  Here is a description of the trail from Mathprofhiker’s Trail Journal.

“Disabled Outdoor Opportunities” as described in the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources.  This mostly concerns and fishing.

A list, gleaned from the Dept. of Natural Resources by AccessibleNatureTravel.com of state parks and recreation areas that have accessible facilities.

Here is the Department of Natural Resources map dividing the state into five geographic areas.  Click on any one of these and you will find a list of state parks, recreation areas etc. with descriptions of many of the trails.  Better yet, there are links to website for each place where you can find phone numbers to call for information.   Many trails are described as “easy”, but  you would be wise to call first.