State parks in Vermilion County

Vermilion County is home to three state parks:

Kickapoo State Recreation Area

10906 Kickapoo Park Road, Oakwood, 442-4915

Kickapoo Landing: Canoes, kayaks, tubes, bait, ice, firewood and a restaurant. Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 446-8399.

Features: Scuba diving at Inland Sea and Sportsman's Lake; hiking and running, 7.6-mile Out & Back running and hiking trail, rated difficult and designed to meet the demands of experienced outdoor hikers or runners plus a number of shorter and easier hiking trails; six main picnic areas with shelters, tables, outdoor stoves, drinking water and playground equipment; camping, electric and nonelectric; hunting, special regulations and restrictions apply; riding stable with horse rental and guided tour April through October, weather permitting, 446-8575; mountain biking, 12 miles of single-track trails, rated easy to very technical. Winter sports include cross-country skiing, sledding, ice fishing and ice skating.

Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area

6 miles north of Interstate 74 from Oakwood exit

Features: Fishing; hunting, all hunters must register before hunting the area at Kickapoo State Park office or check station; trails, 35 miles of marked horse trails, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling trails and 9 miles of hiking trails (all marked trails are accessible from the parking lot near the office at 2400 N, just off 900 E Road); canoeing, public access to Middle Fork River at Kinney's Ford and Bunker Hill, takeout is at Kickapoo State Park entrance bridge; equestrian camping facilities available; trap range and archery trail at 2400 N Road, near site office, with two ranges; archery trail one-quarter mile west of intersection of 2620 N and 900 E. Loop trail has 20 targets.

Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area

19284 E. 670 North Road, Georgetown, 442-4915.

Directions: This remote area can be reached from Interstate 74 by taking exit 215 south (Illinois 1) to Georgetown. At stoplight, turn east on dead-end road until you come to park approximately 12 miles from Interstate 74.

Features: The 1,104-acre area is host to 12 state endangered or threatened species. Hiking, fishing and hunting are available. No facilities.