For Memorial Day weekend this year, we decided that we wanted to do a closer trip and visit a friend, instead of a hiking trip with multiple parks. We settled on Fox Ridge State Park as our only hiking destination on this trip. Fox Ridge SP is in Charleston, IL, about 3 hours and 15 minutes south of Chicago, or 35 minutes northeast of Effingham, IL.
The original parcel of land that would become the state park was acquired by the state in the late 1930s. The residents of Charleston helped develop it, and the Civilian Conservation corps constructed a residence complex, a laboratory, 4 miles of hiking trails, a brick pavilion, and a dam which created Ridge Lake. This lake is used for research to improve fishing in Illinois.
As we were getting ready to leave for our trip, we found out that ticks had been a problem this season, so we had to be very cautious in our hiking. As much as we enjoy getting outside and exploring, we were unwilling to go down overgrown trails knowing that ticks could be an issue. As a result, we hiked a much shorter distance than we would have liked.
We had intended to hike part of the Riverview Trail, which is 4 miles and relatively flat, and follows along the river. Unfortunately, this was the section that was very overgrown. The mosquitos were absolutely terrible, but the threat of ticks made this trail impossible. After taking some photos from the little river we could see from the trailhead, we met a group of folks who were spending the weekend camping, biking, and hiking the park. They gave us some advice for other spots in the park that would offer less buggy experiences.
Following their advice, we decided to backtrack and do small portions of some other trails, primarily the Acorn Avenue Trail. This trail is more difficult because of changes in elevation. Still, we did what we could. We did the first half mile, which goes down into a little forest valley. It was really pretty, and thankfully not overgrown in the slightest.
Then we headed back to the car and across the road to the trail that headed to the lake. This one was only a tenth of a mile, and ends at the western edge of the water. Because of this, the mosquitos were a tad worse here than they had been on the acorn trail, but not as bad as the riverview trail. Both of the portions we hiked would be quite easy for intermediate or experienced hikers, but may be strenuous or stressful for beginners, and not worth it for people with mobility issues. Still, we had a good time walking around here.
The final area that was recommended to us was a small interpretive trail near the campground. We could tell that this area had been specifically curated, but it was also the most approachable to beginners. The trail goes through a butterfly garden and around a manmade pond that was full of turtles and even a water snake.
After we finished exploring, we headed to Warren James Winery in Mattoon, IL. We were very impressed with both the wine and the food here. Every wine we tried was delicious, with a favorite being the catawba rose. It was a beautiful day, so we ate and drank on their patio, and finished by taking some photos on their own manmade pond.The only issue was that we didn’t realize that the day and time we went was brunch only, with a far more limited menu. We intend to visit again in the future, with the hope of trying their regular food options.
We would categorize Fox Ridge SP as a park best suited for folks who have been hiking for a while. The scenery is pretty, but is easily overshadowed by how bad the mosquitos are in some places. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but beginners may have a more difficult time having fun here. The exception would be the area with the turtle pond, but if you are in Chicago, it probably isn’t worth the drive. However, if we had visited the park in the early spring or early autumn, the issues we had wouldn’t have been so pronounced. We would recommend a visit here, given those caveats.
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