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Recreation
One of three parks owned by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, Lake of the Woods is located 10 miles west of Champaign/Urbana in Mahomet. This park offers several activities such as golfing, biking, fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, and picnicking. There is also a handful of attractions for visitors including the Early American Museum, the six story HI-Tower Bell Carillon, and the Mabery Gelvin Botanical Gardens.
The 1,500 acre Middle Fork River Forest Preserve is located in the northeast corner of Champaign County. Swimming, fishing, hiking, boating, picnicking, and cross-country skiing are among the activities available at Middle Fork. This preserve also offers 130 acres of waterfowl habitat, viewing areas, campgrounds and three scenic ponds. Call (217) 595-5692 for campground information.
Salt Fork River Forest Preserve is located 15 miles southeast of Champaign/Urbana near Homer. There are 798 acres of wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities at Salt Fork River Forest Preserve. Recreation choices include fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching, and picnicking. The preserve has recently added an outdoor recreation and visitors center that overlooks Homer Lake and includes an outdoor amphitheater, interpretive trails, and a new boat dock.
Urbana’s oldest park, Crystal Lake Park, is located in Urbana on Broadway. Its 90 acres include a lake, a 59-acre growth forest, and a nature center. Activities include boating, fishing, horseshoes, hiking, and swimming. The Anita Purves Nature Center is an environmental education facility free to those who wish to learn more about the outdoors. Call (217) 367-1544 for park information and (217) 384-4062 for the Nature Center.
With nearly 1,000 acres of parks, the Champaign and Urbana Park Districts offer a multitude of recreational activities. Their 80 parks provide pools, water slides, playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, fishing, boating, and numerous other activities. Centennial Park in Champaign offers a traditional petting zoo, Prairie Farm. Sheep, horses, goats, chickens and ducks are among the residents you can feed or pet. This is just one of the many possibilities available through the park districts, call the Champaign-Urbana Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 369-6151 for more information.