List of protected areas of Illinois


has a variety of protected areas, including 123 state protected areas - state parks, wildlife areas, recreation areas, nature reserves, and state forests. There are also federal and local level protected areas in the state. These levels interact to provide a variety of recreation opportunities and conservation schemes, sometimes in a small area. For instance, Shabbona Lake State Park lies in DeKalb County which has its own forest preserve system, while the City of DeKalb has a park system.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois, Cahokia, is protected as State-owned historic site.

Overview

Illinois has a wide variety of state owned and administered protected areas: state parks, state forests, state recreation areas, state fish and wildlife areas, state natural areas, and one state trail. They are all administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In addition, several of the state historic sites, administered by its Illinois Historic Preservation Division, also include nature reserves.
There is also a national forest, Shawnee National Forest, a national grassland, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and several other sites administered by the National Park Service, including portions of National Trails. There are also National Wildlife Refuges.

Federal protected areas

U.S. Wilderness Areas

There are no national parks in Illinois but the Parks Service operates the federally owned Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois and the Pullman National Monument in Chicago. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is a NPS-affiliated site which is located in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s Portage Woods and Ottawa Trail Woods units. In addition, the NPS partners in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Areas designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention:
State parks are owned by the state and generally administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Park Name County or Counties Area Area Year Established Water BodyRemarks
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State ParkLake1948Lake Michigan-
Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaFulton1947Anderson Lake-
Apple River Canyon State ParkJo Daviess1932Apple River-
Argyle Lake State ParkMcDonough1948Argyle Lake-
Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaRandolph?Baldwin Lake-
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife AreaFulton?Illinois River-
Bartlett Woods Nature PreserveLee1987Big Bureau Creek-
Beall Woods State ParkWabash1966Coffee Creek-
Beaver Dam State ParkMacoupin1947Beaver Dam Lake-
Big River State ForestHenderson1925Mississippi River-
Bohm Woods Nature PreserveMadison?-
Buffalo Rock State Park & Effigy TumuliLaSalleNovember 15, 1928Illinois River-
Cache River State Natural AreaJohnson1970Cache River-
Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife AreaAlexander?-
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaFayette1966Carlyle Lake-
Castle Rock State ParkOgle1921Rock River-
Cave-in-Rock State ParkHardin1929Ohio River-
Chain O'Lakes State ParkMcHenry1945Bluff Lake, Catherine Lake, Channel Lake, Fox Lake, Fox River, Grass Lake, Marie Lake, Nippersink Lake, Petite Lake, Pistakee Lake, Redhead Lake, Turner Lake-
Channahon State ParkWill1932DuPage River, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River-
Clinton Lake State Recreation AreaDeWitt1978Clinton Lake, Salt Creek, Old Creek-
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaMontgomery1966Coffeen Lake, Shoal Creek-
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife AreaCrawford?Huston Creek-
Delabar State ParkHenderson1960Mississippi River-
Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife AreaWill1948Kankakee River, Milliken Lake-
Dixon Springs State ParkPope1946Wabash River-
Donnelley/Depue State ParkPutnam1982Lake DePue, Spring Lake, Coleman Lake, Illinois River-
Double T State Fish and Wildlife AreaFulton2001Double T Lake-
Eagle Creek State Recreation AreaShelbyMay, 1963Lake Shelbyville, Eagle Creek-
Edward R. Madigan State Fish and Wildlife AreaLogan1971Salt Creek-
Eldon Hazlet State Recreation AreaClinton?Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville-
Ferne Clyffe State ParkJohnson1949Ferne Clyffe Lake-
Fort Massac State ParkMassac1908Ohio River-
Fox Ridge State ParkColes1930sRidge Lake, Embarras River-
Frank Holten State Recreation AreaSt. Clair1964Whispering Willow Lake, Grand Marais Lake-
Franklin Creek State Natural AreaLee1982Franklin Creek-
Fults Hill Prairie State Natural AreaMonroe1970Kidd Lake-
Gebhard Woods State ParkGrundy1934Nettle Creek-
Giant City State ParkJackson, Union1927Little Grassy Lake, Indian Creek-
Golconda Marina State Recreation AreaPope?Ohio River-
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural AreaGrundy1969Goose Lake, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River, Illinois River-
Green River State Wildlife AreaLee1940Green River-
Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife AreaHamilton1962Dolan Lake-
Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural AreaVermilion??-
Hazel & Bill Rutherford Wildlife Prairie State ParkPeoria2000Deep Lake, Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake-
Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaGrundy?Heidecke Lake-
Hennepin Canal Parkway State ParkBureau, Lee, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry1970Hennepin Canal linear park -
Hidden Springs State ForestShelby1960Richland Creek, Possum Creek-
Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaAlexander?Horseshoe Lake-
Horseshoe Lake State ParkMadison?Horseshoe Lake-
Illini State ParkLaSalle1934Illinois River-
Illinois Caverns State Natural AreaMonroe1985-9.6 km of the park are passages underground.-
Iroquois County State Wildlife AreaIroquois1944-Occupies the edge of the former Glacial Lake Watseka.-
James "Pate" Philip State ParkDuPage, Kane1991Brewester Creek-
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife AreaCassJune, 1993Gridley Lake, Prairie Lake, Drake Lake-
Johnson-Sauk Trail State ParkHenry?Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake-
Jubilee College State ParkPeoria1933--
Kankakee River State ParkKankakee, Will1938Kankakee River-
Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife AreaSt. Clair, Monroe, Randolph?Kaskaskia River, Baldwin Lake-
Kickapoo State Recreation AreaVermilion1939Middle Fork-
Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaJackson1968Kinkaid Lake, Johnson Creek, Reed Creek-
Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife AreaDeKalb2002Kishwaukee River-
Lake Le-Aqua-Na State ParkStephenson1948Lake Le-Aqua-Na-
Lake Murphysboro State ParkJackson1948Lake Murphysboro-
LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaLaSalle?LaSalle Lake-
Lewis and Clark State Historic SiteMadison2002-
Lincoln Trail Homestead State MemorialMacon1957Sangamon River-
Lincoln Trail State ParkClark1958Lincoln Trail Lake-
Lowden State ParkOgle1945Rock River-
Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife AreaTazewell1970Mackinaw River-
Marshall State Fish & Wildlife AreaMarshall1925Illinois River-
Matthiessen State ParkLaSalle1943Deer Park Lake, Vermilion River-
Mautino State Fish and Wildlife AreaBureau?15 lakes-
Mazonia/Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife AreaGrundy1981Braidwood Lake-
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaMassac1949Mermet Lake-
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife AreaVermilion1986Middle Fork-
Mississippi Palisades State ParkCarroll1973Mississippi River, Apple River-
Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife AreaJersey, Calhoun?Stump Lake, Fuller Lake-
Moraine Hills State ParkMcHenry1939Lake Defiance, Fox River-
Moraine View State Recreation AreaMcLean1959Dawson Lake, Salt Creek-
Morrison-Rockwood State ParkWhiteside1971Rock Creek, Lake Carlton-
Nauvoo State ParkHancock?Mississippi River, Lake Horton-
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaJasper1979Newton Lake, Sand Creek, Laws Creek-
North Point MarinaLake?Lake Michigan-
Peabody River State Fish and Wildlife AreaRandolph?20 lakes-
Pere Marquette State ParkJersey1931Mississippi River, Illinois River-
Piney Creek Ravine State Natural AreaJackson, Randolph1972Piney Creek-
Prophetstown State Recreation AreaWhiteside1947Coon Creek, Rock River-
Pyramid State Recreation AreaPerry1968Super Lake-
Ramsey Lake State Recreation AreaFayette?Ramsey Lake, Ramsey Creek-
Randolph County State Recreation AreaRandolph1958Randolph County Lake-
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife AreaPike1970Illinois River-
Red Hills State ParkLawrence1953Muddy Creek-
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaFranklin, Jefferson?Rend Lake-
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaFulton1945Rice Lake-
Rock Cut State ParkWinnebago1957Pierce Lake, Olson Lake-
Rock Island Trail State ParkStark, Peoria1989- public rail trail.
Saline County State Fish and Wildlife AreaSaline1959Glen O. Jones Lake-
Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaWayne1959Sam Dale Lake-
Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife AreaJasper1960-
Sand Ridge State ForestMason1939--
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife AreaCass, Schuyler, Mason1948-
Sangchris Lake State Recreation AreaChristian, Sangamon1964Sangchris Lake-
Shabbona Lake State ParkDeKalb1978Shabbona Lake-
Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife AreaMoultrie?Kaskaskia River, West Okaw River-
Sielbeck Forest Natural AreaJohnson1998-
Siloam Springs State ParkAdams, Brown1940-
Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife AreaKendall1969Fox River, Loon Lake, Beaver Lake, Silver Springs-
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife AreaKnox1987Snakeden Hollow Lake-
South Shore State ParkClinton?Carlyle Lake-
Spitler Woods State Natural AreaMacon1937Squirrel Creek-
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife AreaTazewell1950Spring Lake-
Starved Rock State ParkLaSalle1911Illinois River-
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaMarion1959-
Ten Mile Creek State Fish & Wildlife AreaHamilton, Jefferson1988Ten Mile Creek-
Trail of Tears State ForestUnion1929Mississippi River, Clear Creek-
Tunnel Hill State TrailJohnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson- Trail.
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife AreaRandolph?-
Union County State Fish and Wildlife AreaUnion1940s-
Volo Bog State Natural AreaLake1970Volo Bog-
Walnut Point State ParkDouglas1968-
Washington County State Recreation AreaWashington1959-
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation AreaFranklin, Jefferson1975Rend Lake, Big Muddy River-
Weinberg-King State ParkSchuyler1968?-
Weldon Springs State Recreation AreaDeWitt1948Salt Creek-
White Pines Forest State ParkOgle1927Pine Creek, Spring CreekSouthernmost stand of virgin, native white pine trees in the state of Illinois.-
William G. Stratton State ParkGrundy
William W. Powers State Recreation AreaCook1947Wolf Lake-
Wolf Creek State ParkShelby1968Lake Shelbyville, Wolf Creek-
Woodford State Fish and Wildlife AreaWoodfordIllinois River, Upper Peoria Lake-

Historic preservation

Around 50 usually smaller sites concerning historic structures are owned by the state and administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division, some of which may have a nature preservation component, including the Cahokia World Heritage Site and Lincoln's New Salem.

Local level parks

A variety of county and town protected areas exist in Illinois, including city park districts and county-wide Forest Preserve Districts. One of the largest systems is the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which includes Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden as well as of open land, or 11 percent of Cook County’s land area.