While some of us enjoy the cold and snow, most can’t wait for the first signs of spring. The sun shines brighter, the air is warmer, flowers and trees start to bloom, and the frozen ice and snow start to melt, feeding rivers and waterfalls. It’s a great time of year to get outside, enjoy the fresh air at one of the many beautiful Illinois parks, and look for clues that spring has arrived! Here are a few parks around the state that showcase the beauty of the spring season each year.
- Allerton Park, Monticello
Allerton Park and Retreat Center/Facebook Allerton Park was originally built as a private residence for Robert Allerton in 1900. Today, visitors can enjoy 1,500 acres filled with gardens, meadow, prairie, and hiking trails, and even take a tour of the mansion. In early spring, a walk along a woodland path may show you carpets of flowers, a welcome sight after a long winter! Admission to Allerton Park is free but donations are accepted.
- Phillips Park Zoo Sunken Garden, Aurora
Phillips Park Zoo/Facebook Visit Sunken Garden at Phillips Park where springtime brings a garden of over 10,000 tulips blooming in a rainbow of colors.
- Morton Arboretum, Lisle
Marilou D/TripAdvisor Nothing comes close to seeing the beauty of trees blooming on the grounds of Morton Arboretum. Explore some of the 16 miles of hiking trails and 9 miles of paved roads to view the gorgeous buds and flowering trees.
- Mount Saint Mary Park, St. Charles
St. Charles Park District/Facebook Mount Saint Mary Park sits along the Fox River and has plenty to offer. This spring, take a stroll through this gorgeous park and marvel at tulips, daffodils, and other flowers in bloom. From May to September, an outdoor exhibit of bronze sculptures will also be on display.
- Reed-Turner Woodland Preserve, Long Grove
Long Grove Park District/Facebook Enjoy a walk in nature and look for the first signs of early spring at Reed-Turned Woodland Preserve. You may be able to find some colorful wildflowers, like these Wild Geranium, growing after the snowmelt - what a lovely sight!
- Moraine Hills State Park
Moraine Hills State Park/Facebook Although the breathtaking Moraine Hills State Park is full of natural beauty year-round, springtime will show off fields of wildflowers which will make this your favorite time of year to visit.
- Ferne Clyffe State Park, Goreville
Holly Vironda/AllTrails When the ice and snow melt in the spring, streams, rivers, and waterfalls begin to flow again. You can see one such waterfall along the Big Rocky Hollow Trail at Ferne Clyffe State Park. The out-and-back trail is easily accessible at a distance of 0.7 miles, and it’s an enjoyable one to hike along in the spring.
Which Illinois parks will you visit once spring has sprung?
Allerton Park and Retreat Center/Facebook
Allerton Park was originally built as a private residence for Robert Allerton in 1900. Today, visitors can enjoy 1,500 acres filled with gardens, meadow, prairie, and hiking trails, and even take a tour of the mansion. In early spring, a walk along a woodland path may show you carpets of flowers, a welcome sight after a long winter! Admission to Allerton Park is free but donations are accepted.
Phillips Park Zoo/Facebook
Visit Sunken Garden at Phillips Park where springtime brings a garden of over 10,000 tulips blooming in a rainbow of colors.
Marilou D/TripAdvisor
Nothing comes close to seeing the beauty of trees blooming on the grounds of Morton Arboretum. Explore some of the 16 miles of hiking trails and 9 miles of paved roads to view the gorgeous buds and flowering trees.
St. Charles Park District/Facebook
Mount Saint Mary Park sits along the Fox River and has plenty to offer. This spring, take a stroll through this gorgeous park and marvel at tulips, daffodils, and other flowers in bloom. From May to September, an outdoor exhibit of bronze sculptures will also be on display.
Long Grove Park District/Facebook
Enjoy a walk in nature and look for the first signs of early spring at Reed-Turned Woodland Preserve. You may be able to find some colorful wildflowers, like these Wild Geranium, growing after the snowmelt - what a lovely sight!
Moraine Hills State Park/Facebook
Although the breathtaking Moraine Hills State Park is full of natural beauty year-round, springtime will show off fields of wildflowers which will make this your favorite time of year to visit.
Holly Vironda/AllTrails
When the ice and snow melt in the spring, streams, rivers, and waterfalls begin to flow again. You can see one such waterfall along the Big Rocky Hollow Trail at Ferne Clyffe State Park. The out-and-back trail is easily accessible at a distance of 0.7 miles, and it’s an enjoyable one to hike along in the spring.
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Address: 515 Old Timber Rd, Monticello, IL 61856, USAAddress: 235 Giant City Rd, Makanda, IL 62958, USAAddress: 4100 Lincoln Ave, Lisle, IL 60532, USAAddress: State Rte 31 & Prairie St, St. Charles, IL 60174, USAAddress: 3849 Old McHenry Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047, USAAddress: 1510 S River Rd, McHenry, IL 60051, USAAddress: Goreville Road, Goreville Rd, Goreville, IL 62939, USA
