National and State Parks - Recreational Areas
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Illinois Beach State Park
State Park Information
State Park Overview
A full range of recreation opportunities complement the expansive shoreline of Illinois Beach State Park. Interested in jogging and bicycling? The trails are waiting! Or, is physical fitness your current pursuit? Whether youre an active outdoor enthusiast or just interested in a quiet walk along some of the Midwests most scenic beaches, this is the place for you!
Stretching leisurely for six and a half miles along the sandy shore of Lake Michigan in northern Illinois, Illinois Beach State Park encompasses the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state.
Illinois Beach is a unique and captivating natural resource for all to enjoy. It was created by the titanic forces of glacial advance and retreat and the steady winds that breathed across expansive Lake Michigan. The park has dunes and swales with sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation.
The 4,160-acre park, consisting of two separate areas, offers ample opportunities for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping and just appreciating nature.
More than 650 species of plants have been recorded in the dunes area alone, including dozens of types of colorful wildflowers. Prickly pear cactus thrives in large colonies in the dry areas and
the wet prairies are carpeted with a wide variety of grasses and sedges. Large expanses of marsh in the swales support dense stands of cattail, bluejoint grass, prairie cordgrass, reed grass, big bluestem and sedges.
The sandy ridges are crowned by black oak forests with an open, savanna-like appearance and
several kinds of fragrant pines, introduced here a century ago -lso prosper in the southern area.
Just north of these pines is the Dead River which actually is a stream that is blocked by sandbars much of the year forming an elongated pond. When the water finally rises high enough, it breaks through the sandbar and drains the surrounding marshes. The abundance of aquatic plants and fish flourishing in this changing environment belie its name.
Camping
Trails
Hiking
From guided nature hikes to individual treks, Illinois Beach provides excellent hiking opportunities. The southern part of the park features 5 miles of trails, including a 2.2-mile loop trail with a graveled surface. In the north, Camp Logan Trail is a 1.8-mile multi-use loop that cross-country skiers also can use. Cross-country skiing is not allowed in the nature preserve.
Bike Trail
Connects the south unit with the north unit and the Zion Bike Trail.
Picnicking
Swimming
Fishing and Hunting
History of the Area
Long recognized for its complex geological structure, unique flora and spectacular beauty, the Lake Michigan dunes area originally was, in the 1700s, part of the "Three Fires" of the Algonquin Nation the Potawatomi, Chippewa and
Ottawa. Prior to then the area had been occupied by the Miami.
In the late 1600s French explorers first visited the area as part of their survey of what was then known as the Northwest Territory. By the time Illinois became a state in 1818, the area was full of transient hunters and trappers. In 1836 - treaty was made with the local Native Americans, who were moved westward and
the area became part of Lake County.
During the Civil War what is now the northern unit of the park became Camp Logan - Union prisoner of war camp. This installation went on to serve as an Army basic training center through World Wars I and II (when it provided ideal conditions for practicing tank maneuvers) and
, in the late 1940s, was turned over to the Illinois National Guard.
Preservation efforts were considered as early as 1888, when Robert Douglas - Waukegan nurseryman and
Jens Jensen - famous landscape architect, discussed making it a regional park. With industry advancing from the south, sand mining ravaging the dunes and
parts of the surrounding countryside succumbing to pasture and homesteads, legislative efforts to save the area finally began in the 1920s.
In 1948, the state finally acquired the first parcels of what is now Illinois Beach State Park. In 1950, the Illinois Dunes Preservation Society was established to protect the natural qualities of the area and
through its efforts and the efforts of the Department of Conservation the area south of Beach Road was dedicated in 1964 as the first Illinois nature preserve. The northern unit, from the Commonwealth Edison power plant to the Wisconsin border, was acquired between 1971 and 1982.
More Info
DNR
Parks & Recreation Publications Research/Surveys State Museums Search DNR Illinois [IL Search Tips] Illinois BeachState Park Illinois Beach State Park Lake Front Zion, IL 60099 847.662.4828
...inois Beach State Park
Illinois Beach State Park, Lake Michigan (Lake County, Illinois) We are not responsible for errors or omissions.When boating, regardless of water depth, wear a
Southern Unit of Illinois Beach State Park, the Northern Unit ?
Nature Preserve (2000)Lake County, IN Illinois Beach State ParkLake County Illinois Beach State Park, North UnitLake
Lake County, IN Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve (2000)Lake County, IN Illinois Beach State ParkLake County Illinois Beach State Park, North UnitLake County Indian Boundary Prairies
...inois Beach State Park Hawk Watch Description The Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch is located in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park -lso known as Camp Logan . The count site
Auto Resources ABC7 Legal Center ABC7 Health Center Illinois Beach State Park brush fire By Phil Schwarz April 28, 2003 (Beach
large brushfire at Illinois Beach State Park where hundreds of
...inois Beach State Park Project Project Manager Ms. Felicia Kirksey Introduction Description Status Authorization Project
web site for the Illinois Beach State Park Project. The project was
...inois Beach State Park, Waukegan Directions The extreme northeastern part of Illinois Trail Information Miles of sand dune and prairie trails makes this nature preserve fronting Lake
Nature Programs
From the South are I-294 north to Rt 173 east (approx 8 miles) to Sheridan Road. Make a right on Sheridan Road to Wadsworth Road, make a left and you will be in the park.
From the North are I-94 South to Rt. 173, east on Rt.173 to Sheridan Road, right on Sheridan Road to Wadsworth Road and make a left on Wadsworth into the Park.
Illinois Beach State Park