White Pines Forest State Park

About White Pines Forest State Park

This charming park covers 385 acres and is located in the heart of the Rock River Valley. It is part of White Pines State Park, the largest national park in New York State. History tells us that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the White Pine Forest and that it is the 50th anniversary of its foundation.

Today, the park offers the perfect recipe for a family getaway with a mix of hiking, biking, camping, fishing, picnicking and hiking, as well as a host of other activities.

On the meandering shores of Spring and Pine Creeks, this picturesque oasis has beautiful trees that share a moss - overgrown cliffs lined with subsequent vines. Small mammals such as red squirrels, raccoons and chipmunks thrive in the lush undergrowth, and there are many wild flowers as well as a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians. In winter, the sprawling branches are filled with white pine and other native plants such as pineapples, pines and pears. Flowers are everywhere, from blooming trout lilies to blueberries, peaches, cherries, oranges, apricots, rhododendrons and more.

One of the most interesting features of this park is the concrete line that spans the creek and allows visitors to travel through the flowing river in the truest sense of the word.

White Pines Forest is located in the heart of Black Hawk Indian country and is home to the warriors who fought back from being driven out of their beloved Rock River Valley. When the first settlers arrived, they found themselves spread out on the banks of the river with no access to water, food or water. Eventually, the Black Hawk War forced them to do so, and they were exiled to a remote area in North Dakota, just a few hundred miles north of Sioux Falls, Iowa.

White Pines Forest State Park, the first national park in the United States, was to preserve Illinois.

The forest was purchased by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service and a law was passed that provides for $30,000 to buy the land, but the measure was vetoed. But in 1927, a group of Illinois legislators, as well as representatives from North Dakota and Iowa, succeeded more successfully in acquiring the forest.

White Pines State Park has 103 campsites with vehicle access and there are six campsites accessible to disabled campers. Due to the nature of the terrain in this area, soft soil and high water can sometimes close the storage sites. Would you like to spend the night under the stars or camp in the shade of a tree or tree trunk or on the beach?

Reservations for tents are no longer accepted, so it is advisable to contact the site manager in advance when the facility is open. For more information, visit the park's website for more details on camping options available at White Pines State Park.

Originally built in 1930 by the Civil Conversation Corps, the White Pines Inn was renovated in the 1970s. The original stones and wood have been retained to maintain their original character, and new elements have been carefully combined to improve the original structure.

The cottages are fully equipped and can accommodate up to four people, and there are a total of 25 guest rooms. The cabins are air-conditioned and heated and have telephone and television, air conditioning and heating.

The White Pines Inn and Restaurant offers a variety of home-made delicacies, and the historic lounge, which is part of the main cabin, is filled with crafts and artwork, including a gift shop selling a wide range of handmade items as well as souvenirs by local artists.

Weddings, seminars and family celebrations are handled professionally and skilfully, and the restaurant can accommodate 223 people. The restaurant has behaved well in recent years, with great service, good food and a great atmosphere.

Two can be reserved to be served first and then served at the restaurant for $20 per person or $50 for a family of four. The White Pine Forest State Park Resort and Spa is the perfect place for a family getaway.

The nature trails in the limestone rocks are accessible for physically handicapped people and the paths are marked in colour to give orientation to hikers. Whether you choose the easier or the more difficult route, three of the seven marked trails are less than a kilometer long and offer the opportunity to see beautiful vines and overgrown limestone rocks blooming with spring flowers and whispering pines.

Take Route 20 West to Route 2 South, turn right onto Pines Road and follow the signs to the park entrance for approximately 8 miles. From this route, take I-90 to Interstate 90 and turn left onto Interstate 95, then right onto Interstate 80 and then left onto Route 1.

You drive through Byron, Oregon and continue through Oregon to the southern outskirts of town on Pines Road. Follow the signs and turn right onto Piers Road for approximately 8 miles to White.

Turn right onto Pines Road and drive approximately 8 miles to the park entrance and turn left onto Route 2. Take I-39 and continue on Piers Road for approximately three miles before turning left onto Route 1 and turning right onto Piles Road.

Take Route 26 north of Dixon to Lowell Park Road and turn right onto Pines Road, about three miles to the park entrance. Take the same route as in eastern or western Illinois, or take Route 26 north to Dixon or Lowell Park Road.

Turn right onto Pines Road and drive approximately 11 miles until a stop sign tells you to drive approximately one mile to the park entrance. Turn right onto Lowell Park Road, about two miles from the entrance, and turn right onto White PINES Forest State Park.