He had fun with balls and a frisbee, making a simple wood bow and arrow set, and at night wandering around with a big torch, looking for raccoons (which we never saw). At night we made a campfire, which really does make for a special atmosphere. The weather was hot, but the shade and breeze made it bearable.

The park’s campground is pleasant, although quite basic---a circular one-way loop with secluded sites on both sides, each one well-treed, with grass, picnic table, outdoor grill and pole with lantern hook, and electricity outlet. There’s a simple ablution block at the end, a couple of pumping taps, and a nicely maintained playground in the center of the loop. Most people have RVs or caravans pulled by big pick-up trucks so they need the power hook-up, but I was happy to have it too, for the electric frying pan to make breakfast!! Our new 3-person tent and gas lantern both worked well.

On the edge of the campground my grandson discovered a tiny baby wild rabbit, which imprinted on him and crawled on his shoe, and let him touch it. He got quite attached to it, and wanted to bring it home to take care of it. We discovered that the nest had been destroyed by the grass mower and at least one of the babies had been killed. The mother was nowhere to be seen, so this little furry creature was very vulnerable. But, it seemed better not to mess with nature’s order of things, and remove the baby, which would most likely die in our care anyway.


Park Information

It’s off IL 16, on IL 130, 7 mi south of Charleston.  There’s a Walmart just past the junction of 16 and 130, or a Save-a-Lot on 16 just before 139, both useful for supplies. Charleston has many fast food places too.

It’s open all year. No alcohol. Dogs allowed. People bring bikes.

We were in site #6—a very nice one (last time #12). $15 per night camping, plus $5 reservation fee.

The campground host is an older guy who lives in a trailer on the edge of the campsite---he drives a small motorized cart, collects payment for days not covered by deposit, and sells ice and firewood.

The main office has a mini ‘museum’ with information about the park, including several fox pelts, so there must be foxes around still.

 
Fox Ridge SP. Camping in August

Some people (may) think that central Illinois is just flat farmland, acres and acres of corn and beans. Well, those people would be surprised at Fox Ridge State Park near Charleston (home of EIU). Of course the corn and beans are there---lots of them---but there’s also a small forest area on a glacial moraine with a river that has steep bluffs and ravines. The forest is totally unexpected and very different to the adjoining farmland. Local people value the park and want to protect its natural beauty and use it as an educational resource.

We took our then-9-year-old grandson camping there, and he loved pottering around outside and getting away from everyday life.

The forest has a number of very nice walks ---thick, leafy, and green, along paths, sometimes with gravel or wood chips, sometimes just bare ground, strewn with bits of branches. Be careful where you walk as some of those branches may be snakes!  The 6-mile meandering trail system is the natural focus of the park, with 9 separate marked trails. The trails wander past bluffs and ravines in the forest, next to small streams but wooden bridges make it easily negotiable. One of the trails (River View) is along the very scenic Embarras River (pronounced “ Ambraw”). Fishing and canoeing are also possible. The setting is undeveloped and you really feel like you’re “alone in nature”.

We had a number of “adventures” and sightings on our walk, which was great for all of us. We saw lots of birds, with different songs that we didn’t recognize---a soothing sound. We also saw many frogs, most very tiny and so well camouflaged that you need good eyes to spot them, and many big, furry caterpillars. My grandson had fun trying out a real compass, figuring out which way was north and which direction we were headed. We climbed up to Eagles Nest, a trail with hundreds of wooden steps that take you up the bluff and into the trees. With the breeze in your hair, you feel like you’re in the top of the trees, just like an eagle.

At a number of points along River View trail you can climb down the banks to the river‘s edge, with a stony ‘beach’ when the water level is low---a lovely place for a picnic, or for fossil stone-hunting. Walking back from the river I spied a snake on the path, a real one---small and black. It was not very obvious, so my husband and grandson had stepped over it (luckily). We all walked back the rest of the way looking down at our shoes! My grandson’s verdict: “It was scary, but cool!”

A few moments after the snake-sighting, a huge cracking sound, like a hundred whips, broke the forest peace, followed by crashing and snapping, as an enormous tree came down about 50 yards ahead of us on the path, dragging another one with it. We watched in awe, glad to see nature at work, but more glad that we were not at that point at that moment---another lucky escape! It completely blocked the path, so we had to step over and around downed, smashed branches. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about nature and natural phenomena.

Seeing deer, turkey and other creatures in the lush foliage makes the trip both restful and exciting. It’s a nice weekend get-away and, while you’re there, visit the Lincoln Log Cabin site too.


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