General Information

Activities/Events

Recreational Opportunities

Conservation Education

Forestry Research

Historic Areas

Wildlife

Prairies/Native Plants

Lakes/Activities

Arboretum

Maple Syrup

Shiitake Mushrooms

Herb Garden

National Scenic River

Wetlands

Fees/Rental Information

Forest Glen Preserve

The Vermilion County Conservation District maintains seven Illinois Nature Preserves within or nearby it's properties. A listing and brief description is found below.

• Duffin Woods: 160 acres; located at the main entrance drive, just into the woods; deep forested ravines, beech/maple forest
• Forest Glen Seep: 8 acres; located at the northeast boundary, accessible via the Group Camp road, take trail down hill from Site 1, cross creek, located on east side; marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, silky dogwood
• Howard's Hollow Seep: 30 acres; located just north to the Gannett Outdoor Education Center via Willow Creek Trail; marsh marigold and skunk cabbage
• Doris L. Westfall Preserve: 40 acres; located on south boundary of park; 100 species of Native prairie grasses and forbs

The Doris Westfall Nature Preserve at Forest Glen Preserve is Illinois' only nature preserve that is a prairie restoration.

Kennekuk County Park

• Windfall Prairie: 32 acres; located on the western boundary, bordering the Middle Fork River; accessible by Lake Mingo Trail, park at Lake Mingo dam, proceed across dam and follow trail until you reach the fenced enclosure; side oats grama, Indian grass, purple coneflower, juniper, prairie dock; prairie is slowly slipping into Middle Fork River
• Horseshoe Bottoms: 51.8 acres located just north of Windfall Prairie, not easily accessible; park at Bethel Road parking lot, north side of Lake Mingo; follow old roadway to Windfall Prairie; connect onto horse trail to Horseshoe Bottoms vicinity; advised to use maps available; bottomland forest
• Fairchild Cemetery: .5 acres; Savanna Cemetery located outside the boundaries of Kennekuk County Park, via Indian Springs Road; located on north side of road approximately two miles after turning off Henning Road; New Jersey tea, tall grasses

For more information on the V.C.C.D. nature preserves, Contact Gary Wilford (Forest Glen Preserve sites) at 217-662-2142 or Mark Pittman (Kennekuk County Park sites) at 217-442-1691 or mpittman@vccd.org  

The prairie in early summer	School children help plant prairie seed in spring.	Doris Westfall, our "Prairie Lady"	Forest Glen Seep is an 11 acre nature preserve located on the north end of the preserve, near the Vermilion River.	Horseshoe Bottoms Nature Preserve at Kennekuk County Park, during winter. Access is difficult.
Skunk Cabbage emerges in late February at Howard's Hollow Seep at Forest Glen Preserve.	Windfall Prairie Nature Preserve at Kennekuk County Park lies adjacent to the Middle Fork River. The river is slowly eroding away at the prairie.	Windfall Prairie	Windfall Prairie