Kankakee River State Park

About Kankakee River State Park

Kankakee River State Park offers a proud heritage to the Indians who have treasured this land for centuries. The park offers unsurpassed leisure activities, as well as numerous opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing and other activities.

The park's popularity centers on the naturally channeled Kankakee River, which is listed on the Federal Clean Streams Register. The park is surrounded by Interstates 55 and 57, which provide easy access. The Kanka River State Park covers 2.6 million hectares and extends on both sides of the Kanksakees River. It is documented by several prehistoric sites as well as a number of historical sites and buildings.

The park is located in a region that was used by the Indians of Illinois and Miami for over 2000 years, from the mid-15th century to the early 20th century. In 1685, the Miami was transformed into the Kankakee River, which was named "Miami River" after the city of Miami in Illinois.

The Kickapoo and Mascouten also lived in the region from 1679 to the 1760s, and the Potawatomi Indians hunted along the Kankakee River from about the 18th century. Until 1770, the area was ruled by the Blackfoot Indians, a group of Indians from the western part of the state of Illinois. The Potaws, or "Potaw atomi" Indians, hunted on the pecan river in the 1670s.

In the 1830s, the last Great Indian Council was home to a large village called Kankakee River State Park or "Indian Village on the Pekan River." In 1830 it was the site of a significant settlement for the Blackfoot Indians and a center of trade and commerce.

The Potawatomi ceded their land in Kankakee, Illinois, to the United States after the Black Hawk War of 1832. Most of the Potomos left the area, except Chief Shaw - waw - nas - lake, whose grave is marked by a boulder on the nature trail at Rock Creek.

Other fur traders, including Hubbard, Chabare and Bourbonnais, traded with the Potawatomi along the Kankakee and the Iroquois rivers in the 1820s. When they left the area in 1838, Le Vasseur persuaded a number of his fellow French to emigrate from Quebec to the Bourbon district. The log cabins of the village of Rockville remind me of what my father and I called the "fathers" of KANKKEe during our settlement efforts.

In 1847, the Kankakee and Iroquois Navigation Company, later known as the Kankakese Company, was chartered to build what is now Warner Bridge Road. The company failed after the Wabash Railroad came through, and the question of where to build the railway bridge began after the financiers ran out of money. When William Baker and other Euro-Americans started farming on Lake Kanka, construction of the limestone columns on the bridge began in 1848.

The most important industry in the area in the 1890s was Custer's Bowery Amusement Park, which often attracted crowds from Chicago. The park disappeared in 1920, but the river became a popular place for summer houses and became more accessible to holidaymakers in 1928 when a concrete road was built on both sides of the river. Right at the main entrance to the park is Smith Cemetery, where the remains of several family members lie, most of whom died of yellow fever at the turn of the century.

In 1938 Ethel Sturges Dummer of Chicago donated 35 hectares of land to the park, and Commonwealth Edison transferred 1,715 hectares to the state in 1956. In 1989, the company was additionally subsidized, so that it now covers a total of 4,000 hectares and is home to more than 2,500 people.

Visit the log cabins and concession stands located right at the main entrance to the park, just outside the entrance gate to Kankakee River State Park in the northern part of the city.

Potawatomi Campground Class A has 110 pitches and two cabins, which can be rented in a wooded area. Chippewa campsite with its electric and C-class facilities has 150 pitches, reservations are accepted. A convenient location and reasonable rates make Kankakee River State Park one of the state's most popular campsites.

All campsites have quiet times from 10 pm to 7 am, traffic is allowed at all times, but the park closes at 10 pm and closes at 7 pm for all vehicles.

You must be at least 18 years old to rent a campsite and be able to set up a camp at the time of issuing your permit.

For this area a camping permit is required, which can be obtained at the park office or from the park staff in a state vehicle. Davis Creek Campground is one of the most popular campgrounds in Kankakee River State Park. Camping is only allowed on this campsite and is shared with picnic tables and barbecues.

Take a canoe and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but the shallow water and rocks in the river are a problem for canoeists. Bring your canoe and kayak to Kankakee River State Park Campground at Davis Creek Campgrounds.

All three accommodations can be reserved by calling the parking office to obtain a reservation form; the accommodations are available on a first - come - first basis. Visit the picnic area in the park for a light lunch or a big get-together; there are playgrounds in several locations. Set up shelters in the parks in pleasant surroundings or visit picnic areas in each park, either for light lunches or for larger gatherings.

Groups of 25 or more people will receive a free permit to visit the park for at least two weeks, with a maximum of two days in each park and no more than three days in a row.

A network of paths stretches for kilometres on both sides of the river, with a total of over 1,000 kilometres of paths and trails.

A 3 km route along Rock Creek lets hikers enjoy the beauty of limestone canyons and foaming waterfalls. A bike path starts at Davis Creek Area and stretches for 10.5 miles, and a 2-mile path runs along the north side of the river. On the south side, there are horse and snowmobile trails, as well as a 12 km equestrian trail in the wildlife management area along Route 113, open from April 1 to October 31. The main hiking system of the park, the Kankakee River State Park Trail, is 1.2 km from the park entrance and cycle paths, while there is a horse and snowmobile trail on both south sides.

Take a guided hike with a park interpreter or learn more about the Kankakee River State Park Trail and the signposts along the trail; maps are available at the park office. The park is open for snowmobiles from sunrise to sunset, as long as there is a snow cover of 4 inches or more.

Programs are free, but reservations should be made at the park office to get a schedule of programs and events. Programs are available at the Kankakee River State Park Visitor Center, the Visitor Center and the South Side Parking Lot.

The park is located about 7 miles west of Rte. Turn right onto Armour Rd and proceed to the third set of traffic lights on Rt. 102, turn right onto Armour Road and turn left on the road to the west and then left onto Parkstraße.

The park is located about 10 miles east of Wilmington on Rte. Turn left eastbound on Strip Mine Rd and follow the road until you reach a small town called Wilmington. In Wilmington, turn right onto Water Street and follow this road to reach the park and turn left onto Strip Mine Rd.

Take 55 South on Interstate 55 and turn left onto Warner Bridge Rd and walk approximately 20 miles to Warner Bridge Rd. Turn left on Warner Bridges Rd, then right on Strip Mine Rd into the park.

Follow this road for about 10 miles to Rte. The park office is located on the west side of the park at the intersection of Warner Bridge Rd and Strip Mine Rd.