Search Results

< Back J. Norman Jensen 14400 S. Bluff, Rockton, IL 61072 The 112.5 acres of land along the Rock River west of Rockton provide scenic river vistas as well as important prairie wetlands and natural areas. Offering about a mile of frontage on the river, Jensen Forest Preserve is a popular fishing location and offers many opportunities to view the scenic Rock River. The loop hiking path traverses through a mix of prairie and forest landscape. It includes about ten acres of remnant dry gravel prairie which is home to several rare plants. Enjoy a hike along the winding grass trail through the restored oak savanna. Bring your binoculars for your visit to Jensen’s forests and wetland that harbor many species of migratory birds, ducks and other waterfowl. This preserve is a favorite roosting area for bald eagles and osprey that fish along the river. Acres: 112.5 Access Road: Yes Restrooms: Yes Drinking Water: No Picnic Tables: Yes Shelterhouses: No Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 1.1 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Donated Land: No Natural Areas: Yes All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

< Back Indian Hill 7061 Kishwaukee Road, Rockford, IL 61109 49.5-acre Indian Hill Forest Preserve is a favorite for an easy yet engaging hike through some of Winnebago County’s most picturesque woodlands. This forest preserve offers an alluring little shady woodland trail just long enough to stretch your legs and relax your mind. The 1.70 mile trail starts off with a few hills some twists and turns, but is primarily flat and wide. On your hike you will discover a handful of mature oak trees, so beautiful and statuesque they ask you to stop and stare. There is a quick loop off the trail that goes to a high bluff overlooking dense forest and floodplain about fifty feet down, and a bench for you to sit and enjoy this unique view of the Rock River. The rest of the trail walks through walnut tree plantation, and a tall white pine forest that allows the sun to peek in through the skinny pine needles. Acres: 49.5 Access Road: Yes Restrooms: Yes Drinking Water: Yes Picnic Tables: Yes Shelterhouses: No Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 1.70 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Special Facilities: Conservation Area Donated Land: Yes Natural Areas: No All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

< Back Blackhawk Springs 5360 Mulford Road & 5801 Perryville Rd, Cherry Valley, IL 61016 One of Winnebago County’s largest forest preserves, this 629.9-acre tract is heavily wooded, and provides a wealth of fishing and hiking activities. Blackhawk Springs has 7.5 miles of easy to moderate hiking trails, and a 2.3-mile scenic, paved recreation path. Walking the trails here will lead you to an exploration of flower-filled prairies, cool shady woodlands, the glistening Kishwaukee River, and a lovely little bubbling natural spring. The beautiful and healthy Kishwaukee River makes this preserve a favorite destination in summer. Whether you want to enjoy the flowing stream as you hike, bike, jog or push a stroller on the paved path, or sit on the shady bank and fish, this is an ideal spot to enjoy rippling waters. And don’t forget to visit in the winter when the paved trail is cleared of snow offering a nice opportunity for walkers and joggers to enjoy the outdoors year-round. Seasonal Highlights: Woodland wildflowers are a spring treat in the mature woods on the east side of the preserve. May is the best time to see trilliums, jack-in-the-pulpits, may apples, and other shade-loving early blooms. Blackhawk Springs is an excellent site for birdwatching, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Look for Osprey and Bald Eagles fishing in the river. Acres: 629.9 Access Road: Yes Restrooms: Yes Drinking Water: Yes Picnic Tables: Yes Shelterhouses: 1 Indian Springs: 300 max. people, 25 tables, 150 seats, Electricity, No vehicle access, 30 more tables in the area for a total of 300 people. Playground Equipment: Yes Ball Fields: Yes Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 7.5 Paved Trail:2.3 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Special Facilities: Paved Recreation Trail Donated Land: No Natural Areas: Yes All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act provides the public with access to public records to promote government transparency and accountability. Freedom of Information Act Requests The Illinois Freedom of Information Act provides the public with access to public records to promote government transparency and accountability. The principle mandate of the act provides that upon submission of a written request, each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or copying any requested records that are subject to disclosure under the act. Not all records are subject to disclosure. The act provides a number of exemptions. The Act does not require the District to create new records or to answer questions other than through the production of records. The act is not intended to be used to violate individual privacy, nor for the purpose of furthering a commercial enterprise, or to disrupt the duly undertaken work of any public body independent of the fulfillment of any of the rights of the people to access to information (5 ILCS 140/1). The Act provides that a request for public records within a category not be “unduly burdensome” to the public body. Under subsection 3(f), a public body need not comply with a request if compliance “would be unduly burdensome,” there “is no way to narrow the request and the burden of the public body outweighs the public interest in the information.” The public body must generally respond to the request within five (5) working days (5 ILCS 140/3) following the date the request is received, except in the instance when the request is for commercial purposes. The five (5) day count begins the day after the receipt of the FOIA request by the District. Certain exceptions allow an additional five (5) days. Fees and costs may apply to reproducing or certifying public records. If a fee is due, you will be contacted about the cost, which must be paid prior to receiving the records. Filing a FOIA Request All FOIA requests must be in writing and should contain a detailed description of the desired records. Requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act, response letters and responsive documents are themselves public records. FOIA requests may be filed electronically by completing a Public Records Examination Request form . If you prefer, written requests for information are also accepted. Once a Public Records Examination Request form has been printed and completed, please submit it to the Freedom of Information Officer . The foregoing information is provided as a courtesy and is not intended as legal advice. Legal questions regarding FOIA should be answered by referencing the FOIA statute or legal counsel of your choice. For additional information, please contact: Forest Preserve of Winnebago County Freedom of Information Act Officer Kristine Knapp 5500 Northrock Drive Rockford, IL 61103 forestFOIA@winnebagoforest.org 815-877-6100 Fax: 815-877-6124

< Back Four Lakes 10207 Fish Hatchery Road, Pecatonica, IL 61063 Four Lakes is 186.1-acres containing four small man-made lakes. This is the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County’s most popular fishing area. Fish stocked include: bluegills, channel catfish, largemouth bass (catch & release on bass at this location), brown bullheads, redear sunfish, northern pike. No minnows are allowed for bait use to prevent diseases and invasive fish species. This preserve annually hosts Hooked On Fun, a free kids fishing event! The entrance at 10180 Trask Bridge Road (Highway 70), Pecatonica, IL 61063 has a sporting dog training area that is open year round. It requires on-site day use registration at no charge. Rules and regulations are posted. Dogs should be kept within training posted boundary signs. There are 25 acres of upland field training area and 1/2 acre pond for retriever training. This is a great area for those wanting to run and train their sporting breed pointers, flushers, and retrievers. Acres: 186.1 Access Road: Yes Restrooms: Yes Drinking Water: Yes Picnic Tables: Yes Shelterhouses: 1 Lake View: Wood shelter, 80 max. people, 4-12ft. tables, 48 seats, No electricity, No vehicle access. Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Sporting Dog Training Area: Yes Hiking Trails(miles): 0.0 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Special Facilities: Fishing Areas, Sporting Dog Training Area Donated Land: No Natural Areas: No All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

< Back Clayton Andrews 8399 Kiowa Crossing, Roscoe, IL 61073 Clayton Andrews is an 88-acre undeveloped natural area of low-lying wetland terrain. Acres: 88 Access Road: No Restrooms: No Drinking Water: No Picnic Tables: No Shelterhouses: No Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 2.1 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Special Facilities: Wildlife Conservation Area Donated Land: Yes Natural Areas: Yes All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

The Winnebago County Forest Preserve system offers many locations with enjoyable fishing. Most of the preserves are located along one of the county’s four beautiful rivers: the Sugar, Pecatonica, Kishwaukee and Rock Rivers offer scenic stream bank fishing as well as access areas for fishing boats. Fishing The Winnebago County Forest Preserve system offers many locations with enjoyable fishing. Most of the preserves are located along one of the county’s four beautiful rivers: the Sugar, Pecatonica, Kishwaukee and Rock Rivers offer scenic stream bank fishing as well as access areas for fishing boats. Four Lakes Forest Preserve, a former fishery site, offers comfortable and productive bank fishing and the area’s smaller streams add to the variety of fish available. Fishing in forest preserves requires a valid Illinois fishing license. Loaner Pole Program Check out Rod and Reels for up to 1 week at a time – FREE! Must provide name, address, telephone, and driver’s license number. Stop in at Forest Preserve Headquarters, 5500 Northrock Drive, Rockford, Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30pm. Provided by Forest Preserves of Winnebago County in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Fishing Spots Four Lakes Four Lakes is 186-acres containing four small man-made lakes. This is the District’s most popular fishing area. Fish stocked include: bluegills, channel catfish, largemouth bass, walleye, brown bullheads, redear sunfish, northern pike. No minnows are allowed for bait use to prevent diseases and invasive fish species. Kilbuck Creek This small picturesque stream offers catfish at its mouth, and upstream, in the deeper slow pools, by logjams, and below the small dam west of the Highway 51 bridge. Smallmouth are more common upstream in the rocky pool riffle areas. Other game fish and carp can be taken infrequently. Redhorse, suckers, and a variety of minnows abound in Kilbuck Creek. Kishwaukee The large, deep pools especially at the river’s bends have yielded many three to five pound smallmouth bass. The rocky areas from the Kishwaukee River Forest Preserve to the mouth of the Kilbuck Creek offer excellent smallmouth habitat. An occasional northern or walleye may be caught as they travel the river extensively in search of minnow prey. Catfish are also very common through this stream and are especially abundant at the mouth. Pecatonica The “Pec” offers excellent fishing for channel catfish, carp and northern pike. Channel and flathead catfish are abundant in logjams everywhere. Northern pike spawn in the backwater areas near Meridian Road and are ever present in brush, logjams and at the mouth of many of the tributaries. Walleye, too, are surprisingly common for the apparent murky water. The greatest numbers are found in sand areas near the mouth and in flooded willows and smartweeds below the riffles from the Village of Pecatonica to Pecatonica River Forest Preserve. Smallmouth bass are common at the mouth over the rocky shorelines of the Rock River but absent elsewhere. Carp and buffalo are common in the backwaters where occasionally crappies and bluegills may be taken. Rock River The Rock offers a variety of fishing opportunities from the swift, shallow, rocky-sided channels below South Beloit to the larger, deep and sluggish pools above the two low dams in Winnebago County. Channel catfish is the most abundant game fish in the river. Carp are abundant in shallow mud-bottomed pools, especially in slack current, and near brushy areas. Bullheads, too, frequent these areas. Walleye are more common below the dams, especially in March and April as they congregate to spawn. Northern pike congregate in marshy areas in early spring to spawn. As spring turns into summer, northern pike move extensively and are often found in tributary streams, feeding on smaller fish. Crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass are found in backwater areas and above dams where the water is more still. Smallmouth bass are increasing in numbers and are found over rocky areas where there is a moderate current such as below the Fordham Dam at the Atwood Homestead Forest Preserve. Sugar River The name Sugar River is derived from the Indian word “ke-pot-ah” meaning “sweet water.” One might hypothesize this name is the result of the sand in the water rather than from its taste. Like the Pecatonica, the Sugar River valley is an ancient lakebed. However, the striking difference in water clarity is a result of the sandy basin through which the river drains. Sandbars and deep holes alternate to compliment the occasional sheer sand bluffs, which shape the river valley. The Sugar is an excellent stream for the fisherman who wants little of development and other people. The logjams and sand bottom provide excellent fish habitat. The channel catfish and smallmouth bass are the most common game fish. However, an occasional walleye or northern pike will be taken near tributary mouths and at the mouth where the Sugar joins the “Pec.” Carp can be taken in the slow muddy areas near road crossings. Occasionally, bluegills and crappies will be found in the side channels and backwaters where there is little water movement. Because public access is limited to two forest preserves and only two bridges, the Sugar is not the place for the canoeist demanding easy access and continuous comfort areas. When the water level is low, portages should be expected over sandbars and logjams. The most popular canoe trip requires launching at Avon, canoeing to Sugar River Forest Preserve, camping for the night and then canoeing to the mouth near Shirland. Canoes may also be launched at Colored Sands Forest Preserve or Yale Bridge Road. Users of the Sugar River may expect to find nature at its wildest. However, it is important to realize this may mean poison ivy antidotes and mosquito repellants which are a must in the summer.

< Back McKiski 3808 Genoa Road, Cherry Valley, IL 61016 McKiski is a 32.7-acre parcel of land donated to the district under conditions that it not be developed. It is maintained as a natural area. No public access except by boat. Acres: 32.7 Access Road: No Restrooms: No Drinking Water: No Picnic Tables: No Shelterhouses: No Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 0.8 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Special Facilities: Conservation Area Donated Land: Yes Natural Areas: No All reservations subject to the GENERAL USE ORDINANCE. Previous Next

< Back Cedar Cliff 7901 Kishwaukee Road, Stillman Valley, IL 61084 Cedar Cliff, acquired in 2017, features 60-foot high limestone cliffs that extend 800 feet along the Rock River. The former farmland is being restored to short grass prairie habitat. The unique cliff habitat along the river protects unique plant communities. An area of forest near the cliffs is being restored and managed as mesic forest. This preserve is ideal for hiking, sightseeing and wildlife viewing. The cliffs offer dramatic views of the Rock River. Acres: 167.2 Access Road: off of Kishwaukee Road Restrooms: Yes Drinking Water: No Picnic Tables: No Shelterhouses: No Playground Equipment: No Ball Fields: No Horseback Trails: No Hiking Trails(miles): 1.8 Campground Sites: No Boat Launch: No Canoe Launch: No 18 Hole Golf Course: No Illinois Nature Preserve: No Donated Land: No Natural Areas: No Previous Next