Where in Illinois can you go running or hiking, canoeing, fishing for trout, camping, hunting or scuba diving -- all against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty? Kickapoo State Recreation Area near Danville in Vermilion County - easily accessible via I-74.

Once a turn-of-the-century surface mining operation, Kickapoo State Recreation Area's 2,842 acres now provide an outdoor playground with something to appeal to every member of the family. Twenty two deep-water ponds, ranging in size from 0.2 to 57 acres, provide a total of 221 acres of water for boaters, canoeists and anglers. Lushly forested uplands and bottomlands along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is habitat for birds, wildlife and wildflowers, while nature trails and running trails provide pathways to inspiration and physical fitness.

Kickapoo also features two major campgrounds for tent or trailer camping, with online reservations available at www.reserveamerica.com.  Six day use areas provide facilities for picnics, with shelter reservations also available at www.reserveamerica.com.

Kickapoo owes its crystal clear ponds and luxuriantly forested ridges and hillsides to the regenerative powers of nature.  During the past 50 years, trees and vegetation have reclaimed the former mined land. The state's 1939 purchase of 1,290 acres of mined lands from United Electric Coal Co. was largely underwritten with contributions collected from Danville area residents.​​​​​

Kickapoo State Recreation Area

The Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area is located 6 miles north of the Interstate 74 exit at Oakwood in Vermilion County. The area consists of 2,700 acres of grass, forest and cropland, and provides excellent wildlife habitat. The area is bounded on the east by Kennekuk Cove County Park and on the south by Illinois Power Company's Vermilion Station. The site received its name from the Middle Fork branch of the Vermilion River which flows between Kennekuk Cove County Park and Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area. The Middle Fork River passes out of the Middle Fork Wildlife Area into Kickapoo State Recreation Area about 10 miles downstream. At Kickapoo you can enjoy family camping, picnicking, fishing, boating, mountain biking and rent a horse for a short trail ride.


State Parks Tagged With: Oakwood