Eldon Hazlet State Park

About Eldon Hazlet State Park

The largest man-made lake in Illinois appears to be located in the Eldon-Hazlet State Recreation Area, which is home to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Eldon State Park. The site is located on the west side of Eldons Lake, south of Hazelton, Illinois. It was leased by the Department of Natural Resources from the US Army Corps of Engineers, which built the 26,000-acre lake.

Eldon - Hazlet was the brainchild of the Kaskaskia Valley Association, an organization that sponsored the construction of two in Illinois. Named after the Carlyle lawyers who organized it, it was named after John Eldon, the founder of Illinois "first national park, Eldons State Park.

Eldon - Hazlet has a rich wildlife and more than 800,000 visitors come to the park each year to explore the 9-mile hiking trails and participate in sailboat regattas that take place almost every summer weekend. No matter what kind of recreation you choose, Carlyle Lake will probably offer it, but Eldon Hazlets has some of the richest wildlife.

Throughout the park, clusters, nesting structures and birdboxes have been erected and trees, shrubs, grasses and other native plants such as trees and bushes have been planted to provide additional protection and food for the wildlife.

Local wildlife is also benefiting from the park's efforts to restore natural habitats such as prairies and wetlands. On the office's website, you can visit the Hazlet State Park website for more information about the park's activities and the surrounding area.

More than 200,000 waterfowl stop and can be observed throughout the park, and some of them also stop at Hazlet State Park. The water birds that are also frequently seen in the parks include the blue heron, the little owl, the black-nosed reindeer and the blue jay. Numerous species of wild flowers bloom in summer, including blueberries, red berries, blue-eyed peas, yellow bellies and blueberry blossoms. Animals that can be seen include songbirds, including blue birds, as well as birds of prey such as ducks, geese, turkeys, ducks and other birds.

Twenty lakeside cottages are available for rent in the park, and each cottage is located on the shores of Carlyle Lake. Each cottage offers spectacular lake views and accommodates up to six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen and a dining area.

The 780 square meter unit features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchenette and dining area, as well as cable TV, bed linen and cookware. The kitchenettes are equipped with hob, oven, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, sink and other appliances.

Twelve free boat berths are available to homeowners upon request. For more information on rates and availability, call the parking office at (888) 662-5555 or the parking lot at the entrance to Hazlet State Park at (866) 661-4500.

Although this area is not reservable, it is very large and can accommodate hundreds of campers and is a popular destination for scouts and church groups. When camping at Hazlet State Park, please behave at your campsite and at all campsites.

Youth groups can plan nature walks and interpretation programs by calling the interpreters on the website or by sending an e-mail to the Park Office at (717) 888-476-5555.

Due to its central location facing the lake, the park is a great place to start a boat and because of the storage room there is no public swimming pool. The swimming pool is open from 10 am to 4 pm. M. daily and is ideal for families with small children.

All three boat ramps are free of charge for the public and are open daily from 10 am to 4 pm and on weekends from 5 pm to 7 pm.

The Allen Branch Day Use Area is the only boat mooring in the park, open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Apache Day Operations Area has a small boat ramp that is suitable for anglers and hunters. Peppenhorst has an open all-day use area with smaller gravel ramps and offers a variety of activities such as picnics, fishing, hiking, camping and hiking.

The lake consists of the surrounding area with a variety of lakes, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.

At the southern end of the park is a 40-acre marina deep in the bay that hosted the 1994 United States Olympic sailing competition. Regional and national regattas are held here, and since 1994 the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic S-Sailing teams and other national and international teams have been operating their boats on land-based marinas (i.e. boats stored on land). The marina is leased by the Carlyle Sails Association (CSA) to the parks it operates as a member concession.

In addition to the boat-launch privileges, the payment of a fee entitles non-members to use and use other facilities in the port. You can launch a boat there for free, but you may not use it for any purpose other than launching and launching.

The port complex has three electric hoists that can lift sailboats up to 2,000 pounds, ranging from 16 to 18 feet, from the water to the harbor walls. Parking for boats and other vehicles as well as parking in the harbour are also included. Parking privileges are granted to members of the harbour and only overnight places may be allocated as long as there are still free parking spaces. Non-members staying in the park for several days may also receive these privileges and pay an entrance fee.

There are eight picnic areas in the park, located near the lake, and five of these have electricity - equipped shelters that can be reserved by post or in person. Tables and barbecues are available in each picnic area, and a number of picnic tables and chairs are available for members and non-members.

There are no fees for reserving accommodation, and the largest is large enough for two adults and two children under 18.

The 3-mile Cherokee Trail has three separate loops that lead through old oak and hickory forests over gentle terrain and offer beautiful lake views. The Pawnee Trail is a one-mile loop that runs from Carlyle Lake to the highest point, and the 3.5-mile Cherokee Trail is criss-crossed with a mix of forests, grasslands, rocky terrain, steep climbs and descents.

The Cherokee and Pawnee Trails lead to a restored cemetery with headstones from the 1830s. The Kaskaskian Trail is a 2 1 / 2 mile loop that starts at the park office and leads through a mix of old oak and hickory forests over gentle terrain and steep climbs and descents. A 1.5 km Illinois Trail leads from Philadelphia Fish Pond near the campground along the east side of Carlyle Lake.

The trail is closed during the pheasant season from Wednesday to Sunday, but is open in the spring and summer months from June to October. The road was closed for the Wednesday and Sunday season and open from July to September.

During the summer months and weekends, campers and visitors are offered hiking, interpreting programs and recreational activities. Full-day and seasonal interpreters are available to provide year-round training programmes for schools and youth groups. Please contact the website for an interpreter for more information on the interpreting services and training opportunities of the park.