Moraine Hills State Park, an Illinois State Park near Antioch, Arlington Height, Barrington, Bedford Park, Buffalo Grove

USA

Illinois

Moraine Hills State Park

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State Park Link:
Moraine Hills State Park

Nearby Parks:
Volo Bog State Natural Area
Chain O'Lakes State Park

State Park Contact Information:
	Moraine Hills State Park 1510 S. River Road McHenry, Illinois 60051 Phone: 815-385-1624 Email: dnr.morainehills@illinois.gov	Area Accommodations
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State Park Overview:

From angling to hiking, from viewing rare plants to observing migratory waterfowl, Moraine Hills State Park offers you a recreational bounty. Located in the northeast corner of Illinois, the park is 3 miles south of McHenry. McHenry Dam, on the Fox River, is on the park's western border. Roughly half of the park's 2,200 acres is composed of wetlands and lakes.

Nature of the Area:

Geology:

Moraine Hills derives its name from a geologic formation known as a moraine, which is an accumulation of boulders, stones and other debris deposited by a glacier. As glacial ice melted here following the Wisconsin glaciation period, it left gravel-rich deposits called kames that make up the park's wooded hills and ridges.

Natural Features:

A 48-acre lake near the center of the park was formed when a large portion of ice broke away from the main glacier and melted. Lake Defiance is gradually filling in with peat from its unstable shoreline. The lake is one of the few glacial lakes in Illinois that has remained largely undeveloped, maintaining a near-natural condition.

Pike Marsh, a 115-acre area in the southeast corner of the park, is home to many rare plants. Its outer fen area (a very rare marsh wetland) includes Ohio goldenrod, Kalm's lobelia, dwarf birch, and hoary willow, while cattails and bulrushes grow in its interior. Pike Marsh also supports one of the state's largest known colonies of pitcher plants, which attract, trap, and digest insects.

The 120-acre region known as Leatherleaf Bog is an excellent example of kettle-moraine topography. In geological terms, a kettle is a depression formed when an isolated block of glacial ice melts. The bog consists of a floating mat of sphagnum moss and leatherleaf surrounded by a moat of water. Marsh fern, marsh mari-gold, St. John's wort, and several species of willow put down roots here. Because both Pike Marsh and Leatherleaf Bog are dedicated nature preserves, they are protected by law.

Moraine Hills offers three examples of wetland enhancements. Yellow-head, Black Tern, and Opossum Run marshes are samples of what can be accomplished with a little help from man.

Wildlife:

For a wide spectrum of wildlife, Moraine Hills is home sweet home. Red fox, coyote, white-tailed deer, eastern cottontail, mink, opossum, and racoon inhabit the park, while more than 100 species of birds have been identified here. Great blue herons and green herons feed in the marsh areas in the summer, and the park is heavily used by migratory waterfowl, such as mallards, teal, wood ducks and Canada geese.

Reviews By Park Visitors:

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Great For Families

My husband and I really enjoyed this park for our walks together. I liked the fact that when you go farther back into the park, by the lake, you can walk all the way under Lily Lake Road and over to the McHenry Dam area for more trails.

Written by Lindsay Kleitsch 9-May-2008

A great place to ride a bike

This is a great place to ride a bike or hike. The trails curve around the moraine hills so every hill and low area provides a fresh vista. Lots of wildlife, birds, fox, squirrels, to punctuate the travel. This is a clean, well kept park.

Written by Randy Rigby 5-Oct-2008

Do you have Pasque Flowers at MHSP?

If so, when can I expect them to bloom?

Written by Don Gustafson 3-Apr-2009

Best park around for walking or relaxin

Best kept up park in the area! Great facility, with all the natural beauty in site! This is a favorite spot of my entire family and many friends

Written by Tiffany Hoffers 3-Mar-2010

Trails:

More than 10 miles of trails make Moraine Hills popular for hikers, skiers and cyclists, and provide one of the park's main recreation features. Three trails, surfaced with crushed limestone, wind their way through the park and offer you exceptional scenic and wildlife viewing opportunities. Enjoy the 2-mile Fox River Trail, the 3.2-mile Leatherleaf Bog Trail, and the 3.7-mile Lake Defiance Trail. To keep you on track, trails are color coded and one way. Our fourth trail, the River Road trail is paved, and is 1.7 miles long.

Area Activities

Water Sports

BeachWatch LLC - Loves Park, IL
Olson Beach located by Rock Cut State Park is a 250 yard long swimming beach located in Rock Cut State Park. General admission is $3. Admission for children under 48" is $2. Boat rentals are $5 for half an hour. Concessions and sand volleyball courts are available. Swim Lessons and Junior Life guarding classes are also available. Olson Beach is open noon to 7pm daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day for the summer swim season. So come let BeachWatch LLC host your water activities in Olson Beach at Rock Cut State Park. For more information call 815-978-5560.

Web Site: http://www.beachwatch.net

Picnicking:

If your visit to Moraine Hills includes picnicking, you can choose from tables in shaded or open settings throughout the park's 10 day use areas. Each area offers parking, drinking water, and rustic toilet facilities. Flush toilets are available at the McHenry Dam concession building and at the park office. Pike Marsh, Pine Hills, Whitetail Prairie and the Northern Woods day use areas provide picnic shelters.

Boating:

Private watercraft are not allowed, but rental boats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and electric trolling motors may be used. While trailers are prohibited in the park, private boats may be brought in by car top for use on the river.

Fishing and Hunting:

Fishing

Fishing is available on both Lake Defiance and on the Fox River. Regulations are posted at both sites. To help preserve the natural state of Lake Defiance, and because of the dangerous peat shoreline, bank fishing is prohibited except from designated piers along the boardwalk. The McHenry Dam area provides access to the Fox River, and a fishing pier accessible to disabled visitors is available.

Hunting

Shotgun deer hunting is now available on the 1,400 acres northeast of River Road. Hunting is by permit only. For more information please read the Hunter Fact Sheets .

History of the Area:

Artifacts found on the park property indicate man's presence in the area within 1,000 years of the Wisconsin glacier's retreat. Seasonal habitation of the park area extends back to approximately 4,000 B.C. Native American tribes that occupied or passed through the area include the Potawatomi, Sauk, Fox and possibly the Miami and Winnebago. The Sauk and Fox tribes, originally from what is now Canada, claimed ownership of the land at the time of white settlement.

Horace Long was the first known settler in the park area and occupied a portion on what is now the southeast corner of the park. Part of the stone foundation from his cabin still stands along the main park road.

In 1907, the original McHenry dam was built and a hand operated lock was constructed. The facilities were donated to the people of Illinois in 1924 and construction of a new concrete block dam began in 1934. In the early 1960's, a portion of the park property on the west bank of the Fox River was provided for the locks and managed by the Division of Water Resources.

In 1939, the State of Illinois made the initial land acquisition of 15 acres for the McHenry Dam State Park, located on the east bank of the Fox River. Major acquisition of the Lake Defiance area began in 1971, and construction of park facilities took place in the spring of 1975. The present Moraine Hills opened in October 1976.

Area Accommodations

Business Meetings

Baymont Inn Suites - Dowagiac, MI
The Baymont Inn and Suites of is pleased to provide our guests with exceptional service and quality amenities at an affordable price. With several fine dining restaurants nearby, you won't go hungry! We are minutes away from Historic Downtown Dowagiac, Sister Lakes, and several premier golf courses.
Web Site: http://www.baymontinns.com/hotel/13520

Hotels/Motels

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