Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife Area
You’ll have to chase your energetic border collie up the rugged hills at Silver Springs Fish & Wildlife Area. There are sections for skiers, so you can definitely get a good leg workout in here. Photo by Jordan Goebig.
We stumbled upon Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife Area in Yorkville, Ill., when I was looking for more mileage after a camp and hike at Shabbona Lake. Starved Rock State Park is on the way home for us, and so beautiful, but it’s always packed. This area was really gorgeous and had very few people hiking, even on a lovely Saturday afternoon.
Trail Conditions
4 - 7 miles of hiking and equestrian trails (hikers can use)
We were surprised at the ups and downs of this dirt path that meanders through mostly wooded areas around and near the river. You can definitely get your heart rate up here.
The trails were in great shape and well maintained. However, the trail map was not incredibly useful, and once you are on the trail system you will find it’s not well-marked. Twice, we bumped into people who asked if we knew where we were going! We did not, but it’s not a big enough park to get lost in. The good thing is that even though it only boasts a 4 mile hike trail, you honestly can get more hiking in with all of the cross sections, twists, turns, etc.
Things We Loved
It’s not a place people typically think of for hiking, like Shabbona Lake, it’s known for it’s fishing. Depending on the time of day and trail system, you can get a lot of time to yourself out there.
Really beautiful old trees (and very little prairie!) filled with foliage and wild mushrooms.
Since it has a lot of cut-throughs, it’s a nice trail system for adventurous families - we even encountered a small group doing a scavenger hunt on the trail - so fun!
Things to Know
There is a gun range nearby, and you can hear it if people are using it. There was about 20 minutes of our hike where we grumbled about the noise. Also, be mindful of hunting season in Illinois once you get there!
There isn’t any on-site camping available, but there was a picnic area with a vaulted restroom in the parking area. There are other places to camp nearby though.
Be open-minded about wondering. It’s a shorter trail system and hard to get lost. Enjoy it for what it is and don’t let the lack of signage frustrate you.
This park is known for it’s fishing. There were a lot of folks out fishing on the lakes - so if you have a passion for walks and boats…this would be a lovely destination.
You’re on the far, far outskirts of the western Chicago suburbs, so there are plenty of places to eat, visit, drink within about 20 minutes if you need to unplug from nature for awhile after your hike.
Visit the Park Website before you go!
There was not a trail map easily accessible online (just hunting maps), but there is a trail map located at the main parking area.