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Click
on maps for larger versions and directions to
trails.
(*) means there are no established trails on this
route
Walking
/ Hiking / Nature Trails
| Atchison
Creek* |
|
 Atchison
Creek provides habitat for forest interior
bird species, aquatic mammals, furbearers,
as well as broad mudflats for wading birds
and shorebirds. Shorebird watching near
the mouth of the creek is rewarding
Best times: Aug. - Oct.
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Blackberry
Nature Trail |
|
 A
leisurely 3/4 mi. wood chipped trail through
a fine example of an oak-hickory woodland.
Good place to see fox and gray squirrel,
Eastern chipmunk and wildflowers, such as
jack-in-the-pulpit and white trillium.
Best Time: year round
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Casey
Fork Horse Trail |
|
 The
horse trail that runs from Silo to East
Casey Fork passes through an extensive bottomland
forest and is easy to walk. A noteworthy
feature on this trail is a large great blue
heron rookery.
Best Time: early spring
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Green
Heron Pond Trail |
|
 Available
to campers in the South Marcum Recreation
Area, This short 1/2 mi. woodchipped trail
goes through a loblolly pine forest. Be
on the lookout for nesting green-backed
herons and Southern flying squirrels at
night.
Best Time: April - Oct.
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Green
Tree Reservoir |
|
 Located
at the newly created Gun Creek Wetland Complex,
this flooded woodland can be explored by
walking on the raised levee. Look for wood
duck, parula warbler and gray tree frog.
Best time: Spring
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Rend
Lake Hiking Trail |
|
Hike
this 1.5 mile paved trail. Begin in the
South Sandusky campground or the South Sandusky
Day Use Area. No Bicycle traffic allowed.
Foot traffic only.
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| Ryder's
Bottom* |
|
 For
the SERIOUS wildlife watcher! No ameneties
- just hundreds of acres of mature old growth
hardwood and scarlet tanager, yellow-billed
cuckoo, Kentucky warbler, and maybe an Eastern
bobcat or two.
Best Time: Spring and Early Summer
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Ward
Branch* |
|
 If
you like the challenge of identifying shorebirds,
this is the place for you. The buff-breasted
sandpiper is sure bet in fall. Also short-billed
dowitcher, least sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs
and marbled godwit.
Best Time: spring and fall shorebirds
migration, Aug. - Oct
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Wayne
Fitzgerrell State Park |
| Wayne
Fitzgerrell State Park offers a 1 mile hiking
trail near the south picnic area. |
Observation
Stands
| Gun
Creek Wetland / South |
|
 Levee
impounds wetlands habitat for dabbling ducks,
dowitchers, godwits, yellowlegs, great egrets,
ring-billed gulls and muskrat. Wildlife
viewing platform and unmarked levee trail;
bring spotting scope.
Best times: spring, fall duck and
shorebird migration
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Spillway
Overlook |
|
 Overlooks
the main dam spillway. In winter observer
can see thousands of ring-billed gulls,
golden-eyes and sometimes canvasbacks; be
on the watch for rare gulls. pomarine jaeger
seen here. During the breeding season this
is a good place to see cliff and barn swallows,
which nest under the bridge, and purple
martins.
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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| Waterfowl
Refuge Observation Stand |
|
 Located
on the north edge of the refuge, observers
can see some of the 175,000 Canada geese
that winter here. Refuge provides food and
loafing area for the geese and bald eagle.
Best Time: mid-winter
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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Horseback
Riding
|
Casey
Fork Horse Trail
The horse trail that runs from Silo to East
Casey Fork passes through an extensive bottomland
forest and is easy to walk. A noteworthy
feature on this trail is a large great blue
heron rookery.
Best Time: early spring
Click
Map for Directions and Larger Image
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|
Wayne
Fitzgerrell State Park
This park offers a 9-mile bridle trail and
is open to all equestrians most of the year.
Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 6 pm, from
May 15th to September 15th. From Sept. 15
to April 15, the trails are closed due to
hunting seasons and designated field trials.
For more information, contact:
Wayne Fitzgerrell Rancho Bandera
11094 Ranger Road
Whittington, Illinois 62897
(618) 629-2260 or (618) 496-5569
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