Kickapoo State Recreation Area

About Kickapoo State Recreation Area

The property is easily accessible from Interstate 74 and you can hike, jog, trout fishing, camp, hunt, scuba dive and much more.

If you want to make a less demanding trip into nature, there are also opportunities for camping and picnicking. The lush highland and lowland forests provide ample habitat for birds, wildlife and wild flowers to delight nature lovers, while the nature and walking trails offer a path of inspiration and physical fitness. From 0.2 hectares to 57 hectares in size, 22 miles of hiking trails (22.5 kilometers) offer hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and other activities. Devastated by mines and scarred by wasteland, it now offers you and your family members something to cherish.

Kickapoo owes its lush wooded ridges and slopes to the regenerative power of nature. Over the last 50 years, trees and vegetation have gradually reforested the bare ridge subsoil and the stalled mines and ponds have been gradually cleaned up. Devastated landscapes and marked by wasteland , it now offers you and your family something that you can appreciate as an inspiration for nature lovers.

Apparently, the park was the first in the nation to be built on degraded land and subsidised with public funds. It was largely supported by contributions from residents of the Danville area, but also from the state government.

Hikers, wildflower lovers and nature lovers, whether hikers or wildflower lovers, Kickapoo State Park is a prime area to pursue your passions year-round. The barren mine banks are now covered with a thick layer of grass and grassland, with a variety of plants and animals and a wide range of wildlife.
The cypresses that stand at the edge of the pond contribute to this diversity, and the deep pond is teeming with wild flowers, a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians.

The Middle Fork of the Cinnabar River flows through Kickapoo State Park, a river that federal and state governments call the Scenic River. In spring, the forest blooms with colorful wildflowers, including blue-green, yellow, orange, red, green and white, as well as a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians. There is a wide range of tree species and habitats for a variety of wildlife such as wild boar, coyotes, owls, foxes, deer, elk and wolves. Autumn firestorms are caused by the highland and lowland forests that are found in the eastern part of KickAPoo State Park and the western half of its eastern border.

In the lowlands, birdwatchers can observe kingfishers and woodpeckers scurrying among the stately trees. There are a variety of animal species including white-tailed deer, coyotes, owls, foxes, elks and wolves. The bird checklist available at the park office lists more than 100 species documented in and around the parks. Other species that can be guessed include red, winged, crested grebe, blue, black and white wagtail and black and white quail.

While trees and wildflowers proliferate in Kickapoo State Park, poison ivy is abundant, so nature lovers should be careful. Those who use the paths should learn to recognize and avoid poisonous plants such as ivy at this time of year.

Kickapoo is a small village on the banks of the Mississippi River, between the Arkansas River and the Missouri River. Archaeological excavations prove that the indigenous people of this forest lived here.

The village was lived by Kennekuk, the prophet of KickaPoo, and its surroundings have a long and rich cultural history.

Kennekuk became a religious leader who advocated a changed form of Christianity that incorporated elements of Catholicism and Protestantism. He signed several Indian treaties with the United States, and his staunch advocates of moderation became intermediaries between the local Indians and the European settlers.

The European settlers were attracted by a salt spring known as the Salt Pan, which was discovered in 1819. The well was dug to extract a brine, which was then boiled to extract salt, and one of the original iron and plaster pots can still be seen today in the visitor center of Kicksapoo State Park. At the height of the business, the salt pan produced 120 bushels of salt per week, but has been operated by various operators since 1848.

Early settlers in the area included some of the earliest residents of Kicksapoo State Park, such as William and Mary, and their children and grandchildren. They were buried in a small pioneer cemetery in the main park pavilion near the entrance to the salt mine. Other settlers from the area were buried in the All-Hands Cemetery, located east of the main park pavilions.

Between the 1850s and about 1940, much of Kickapoo State Park was mined and gutted for coal. In fact, the area was considered one of the first areas where mechanisation was used for strip mining.

Half of the pitches have electricity, 2 shower buildings are available for campers and a sanitary landfill is available. Kickapoo has been very good to the campers in terms of cleanliness and sanitation, clean water and toilets.

For primitive campers, there are a limited number of hiking places available and several campsites are reserved for written lists. Campers occupying a pitch with electricity must pay for the availability of electricity, even if the service is not used. Personally, I support the use of electric pitches as a good option for camping in Kickapoo State Park.

Campers must obtain a camping permit before entering a campsite and bring their camping equipment when registering at the camp. The maximum stay is 15 days for a period of 30 days, but campers can camp at any of the campsites for as long as they like.

The park is open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekends, and from 10 am to 5 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm on weekdays except weekends.

Electric motors are allowed only in and around the lakes in the park, and only on the shore of the lake, not in or near the water rim.

If you want to explore the picturesque Middle Fork of the Vermilion River by canoe, canoe rental and shuttle service are available. For those who prefer a less demanding hike, there are a number of short, easy trails that are well marked. Some of these routes are classified as difficult, but are suitable for experienced outdoor hikers and runners who can walk or run along the trails through the abandoned farmland of Kickapoo State Park. Those who are physically fit can move freely between the paths and enjoy the awe - the inspiring nature.

Six picnic areas are available and picnic shelters can be reserved by telephone upon request.

Kickapoo has everything you need for a summer picnic - bring a hot dog or burger, bring water, a picnic blanket, picnic food, snacks and drinks. A concession stand (217 - 354 - 2060) offers refreshments and souvenirs during the summer weekends.

Some of the trails are classified as easy or very technical, others are easy and some are very technical. If you like a challenging ride, try one of the many mountain bike trails in Kickapoo State Park, such as the 1.5-kilometer (1.5-meter) trail from the parking lot to the trailhead.

Enjoy the wooded hills and gorges of the park while taking the 1.5 km (1 meter) path from the parking lot to the hiking trail. Kickapoo is unique in that it is the only state park in the United States where diving is allowed. Divers who register and have a certificate candidate dive without athletes in clear, deep water, from sea to sea.