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| State Park Overview: |
 | From cross-country skiing in the winter to a lazy picnic in the summer, from a fishing trip in the spring to exploring fields of wildflowers amidst the fall colors of the giant oaks, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park truly is a park for all seasons.
Located on a glacial moraine that forms the beautiful, rolling hills of Henry County in north-central Illinois, the park sits astride a trail that led Native Americans from Lake Michigan to the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock rivers.
Located off Illinois Route 78, Johnson-Sauk Trail is 6 miles south of Interstate 80 and 5 miles north of Kewanee. Originally known as the Henry County Conservation Area, a local newspaper invited the public to suggest names when the conservation area was going to be changed to a state park. Two names were popular with the public. One would name the park after State Senator Frank P. Johnson, a tireless worker on behalf of the park, while the second suggested Sauk Trail as a fitting name, for the Indian tribes most associated with the park when Europeans began settling the area.
The two most popular choices were combined to form the park's official name. Today, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park features 1,365 acres of recreation opportunities. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park features a varied terrain, with rolling hills covered with a mix of hardwoods and pines in the south half of the park, and a flatter landscape with wildlife plantings and grasslands making up the northern half of the park.
The park's centerpiece is a 58-acre lake that offers both fishing and boating, as well as nearly two and a half miles of shoreline to explore.
The lake was one of a series of lakes considered for Illinois in 1944. After studying a number of sites, 369 acres of land known as Whiting's Woods were purchased. Actual construction of the lake didn't begin until 1949, and was halted soon after when engineers encountered unfavorable soil conditions. Work didn't get underway again until the summer of 1955, after advanced methods of dam construction were developed.
The park also has Sauk Trail Pond, a scenic 3-acre pond near the park's round barn, that provides fishing opportunities in a more restful setting.
From spring through fall, visitors will find a wide array of both woodland and prairie wildflowers, including bluebells, Dutchman's breeches, trillium, prairie anemone, yarrow, field daisies, vervain and goldenrod.
While fewer than 1,000 natural areas exist in Illinois, one of them is located in Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park. The area contains a population of skunk cabbage, an early bloomer that sometimes blossoms in the snow -- rare for this part of the state.
White-tailed deer, raccoons, squirrel, opossum and rabbits are among the myriad wildlife found in the park, while birders have ample opportunities to catch sight of chickadees, nuthatches, goldfinches and hundreds of other avian visitors. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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long time favorite place
have been a fan of this park for 45-years. used to have to drive through the corn to get to the lake. cafe and showers are a nice touch. plan on trying out new camper 1 -st week of may.
Written by greg lundy
22-Apr-2008
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GREAT!!!
Great park, beautiful surroundings, friendly rangers, highly recommeded for the family or group of friends. The cows next to the Prophets site can make a lot of noise and be a disturbance but overall great time!!
Written by The Unit
14-May-2008
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Clean and Tidy
Clean, quiet park, great for families! The campground could use a little expansion as it fills up quickly. Lake is good for kayaking, but where did the swans go?
Written by Happy Camper
11-Jun-2008
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| Camping: |
| The Chief Keokuk Campground features 71 pads with electrical hook-ups for trailers (Class A camping), plus 25 tent sites (Class C camping). There is a shower building on site. A sanitary dump station is near the camping area. In addition, "Blackhawk" area on Lakeshore Loop Road is available for youth group camping. |
| Trails: |
| Johnson-Sauk Trail has 10 to 15 miles of trails, ranging from 1/4 mile to 1 1/2 miles in length, from easy to moderate and taking hikers along the lake or through land ranging from rolling prairie to pine plantations and bottomland hardwood forests, so even the pickiest of hikers should find a trail to his or her liking. If added miles are desired, the trails have been designed to connect so you can link one to another. |
| Picnicking: |
| The park features 10 picnic areas--mostly around the lake--with tables and cooking stoves. Two of the picnic areas have shelters. |
| Boating: |
| Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake's boat launch is adjacent to the Marina near the dam. Boats also are available for rent at the Marina, May - Sept. Only electric trolling motors are permitted on the lake. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing:
The 58-acre lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and features excellent populations of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and bullhead. Numerous fish cribs and attractors have been put into the lake to enhance fishing. In addition, muskie and northern pike have been added to the lake in recent years, providing visitors with an exciting, new fishing opportunity. Fishing is permitted by boat (electric trolling motor only) or from fishing piers and along the shoreline.
Hunting:
Times have changed since market hunters poured into the area to take advantage of the wildlife hunting opportunities. Game populations might not be as large as they were a century ago, but hunting still is a popular activity at the park. Johnson-Sauk Trail is one of the Department of Natural Resources popular controlled hunting sites, with pheasant being released daily during the statewide hunting season (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). A fee is charged. The park also allows hunters to pursue deer with a bow and arrow, plus dove and squirrel with shotgun only. Spring Turkey hunting is by permit only. |
| History of the Area: |
| Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park is located in a part of Illinois that was a vast shallow sea millions of years ago. Two glaciers covered this part of Illinois, the last being the Wisconsinian Glacier, which shaped the land as we know it today.
The state park is located on the southern edge of what once was the Great Willow Swamp, a marsh area covering the low-lying areas between the Mississippi, Rock and Green rivers, and is believed to have contained one of the most concentrated and varied wildlife populations in the central part of North America.
Attracting large numbers of both market and sport hunters, the area was considered a sportsman's paradise. The marsh eventually was drained for agricultural purposes.
The abundance of wild game and fur-bearing animals was what attracted Indians -- the area's first inhabitants -- to this part of Illinois. Although mound-building tribes were the first Native Americans to settle this part of the state, tribes of Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Kaskaskia, Peoria and Piankashaw Indians later established villages here.
Winnebago Indians are known to have used the Sauk Trail and to have camped at or near the state park regularly. The Sauk tribe moved from Wisconsin to the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi rivers and joined the Fox Indians to form a confederation. These tribes sent hunting parties to this part of the marsh frequently.
French trappers and traders were the first Europeans to pass through this area. The land encompassing Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park was part of the Great Northwest Territory claimed by France. Following the French and Indian War, the land was ceded to Great Britain in 1765, becoming part of the colony of Virginia. The land later was part of the Northwest Territory and Illinois Territory before Illinois gained statehood. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| Hotels/Motels | |  | Carroll County Tourism - Carroll County, IL
You will feel right at home when you reach Carroll County, our corner of beautiful Northwest Illinois. The magnificent Mississippi River and outdoor spaces will refresh your spirit and touch our soul.
Web Site: http://www.gocarrollcounty.com |
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| Related Links: |
| Ryan's Round Barn - ... the silo The Ryan barn in Annawan Twp., Henry County, IL is located at the Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park between Kewannee and Annawan off Route 78. It was constructed by Dr. Laurence Ryan for his ... | | Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park - DNR ... Fishing Playgrounds Hiking Ryan's Round Barn UPDATE: A drawing for the trapping permit at Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park will be held on Oct. 10th at 9:00 p.m. at the site office. Participants ... | | Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park - ... Deere Planetarium - John Logan Museum - John Wood Community College - Johnson Park - Johnson - Sauk Trail State Park - Joliet, Illinois - Day Trip - Joliet Iron Works Historic Site - Joliet, Louis ... | | Kewanee, IL, USA - Recreation - ... are interwoven by the mile-long pleasure drive through the course and adjacent park land. Johnson Sauk Trail State Park RR3, Kewanee Ph (309) 853-5589 A 51 acre lake that promotes fishing, hunting ... | | Kewanee, IL, USA - History - ... Illinois General Assembly by the late Frank Preston Johnson of Kewanee, for whom Johnson Sauk Trail State Park is named. Johnson was a former Redpath manager and was a Star Courier columnist for ... | | Snowmobiling - Where to go in the Midwest - Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa / Midwest Events / C - Community and Business information for the northern Illinois area ... PO Box 272 / Morris, IL 60450 / (815) 942-0796 Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park / Miles:10 / Henry County Snowmobilers may use designated ... |
| Area Attractions: |
| Ryan's Round Barn:
One of the most unique features of Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park is the large, round barn built in 1910 and located near the park entrance. One of the largest round barns in the country, the architectural marvel stands more than 80 feet high and is 85 feet in diameter.The barn has a full-size16-foot wide silo inside. Round barns originally were built by religious groups because they "left no corners in which the devil could hide." Today, the barn is available to be toured every other Saturday afternoon, May through October by Friends of Johnson's Park Foundation. For more information and barn tour schedule, contact the park office. |
| Directions: |
| Johnson Sauk Trail State Park is located in west central Henry County. The park entrance is located on the eastern side of IL Rt. 78 just five miles north of Kewanee or six miles south of I-80 (Exit 33) and Annawan. The entrance is well marked and easy to find. |
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| Area Activities |
| Tourism | | | Carroll County Tourism - Carroll County, IL
You will feel right at home when you reach Carroll County, our corner of beautiful Northwest Illinois. The magnificent Mississippi River and outdoor spaces will refresh your spirit and touch our soul.
Web Site: http://www.gocarrollcounty.com |
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