Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, IL - North Fork Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:

Clinton Lake SRA - Illinois Department of Natural Resources

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.18862, -88.84501

North Fork Boat & Trail Access Parking

TRAIL MAP: 

None online.

HIKE DISTANCE:  9.6 miles (not 11 miles like the signs say)

THE HIKE: 

This hike was not my original plan but that one was a washout so I had to look for a hike that did not have storms forecast on the way back from MO to NJ.  I happened across this site and the description sounded just like what I was looking for.  It did not disappoint!

To access the trail, walk back out of the parking lot and the trail is directly across the street.

After driving through miles and miles of typical central Illinois pancake flat farmland, this hike immediately starts with an uphill climb.

It's a series of steep downhill, foot bridge crossing then steep uphill.  Even though the total elevation gain isn't all that much, it's quite the workout.

I did not count how many bridges there were but I would guess at minimum a couple dozen.

Clinton Lake views all along.

There are mile markers every mile but they are a little off - it's more an estimate.

Although the sign at the beginning says the trail is not maintained, it must be because it is in great shape and clear throughout.  There are old white blazes but you don't really need them.

Wood Duck

I think this has porcupine written all over it.  It's composite, not real wood.  Must be very yummy.

I noticed several huge old growth trees throughout.

At the far northern end, the trail turns left on the road.

Crossing a bridge that says "Swisher Hill 1898 De Witt Co."

Directly after the bridge ...

... the trail continues to the left.

There were lots of white egrets in the lake.

Nearing the end, the trail crossed the power cut twice with the parking lot visible in the distance.

Coming out at another parking lot then ...

... left on the road crossing Clinton Lake back to the parking lot.

Clinton Lake

There were tons of these gulls flying over the lake - inland gulls?  Yes, they appear to be Franklin's Gulls that according to All About Birds "Migrates mostly through the continent’s center, utilizing agricultural fields, marshes, reservoirs, and many other habitats."

Then on to the motel in Toledo, OH.

A record 22 different birds identified with the Merlin Bird ID Sound App - never this many on one hike before!

• Blue Jay
• Tufted Titmouse
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Northern Cardinal
• House Wren
• Eastern Towhee
• Downy Woodpecker
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Northern Parula 
• Black-capped Chickadee
• White-throated Sparrow
• Nashville Warbler
• Palm Warbler
• Common Yellowthroat
• Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
• American Crow
• White-Breasted Nuthatch
• American Goldfinch
• Pine Siskin
• Carolina Wren
• Canada Goose

Wildflowers were abundant all along this trail:

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