heron county park

Small park. Nice for a quick stop. Walked out on boardwalk and climbed the lookout tower. Lots of nice lilly pads with beautiful flowers. Turtles and birds. Two "portable type" toilets. Park picnic bench and small parking lot. Pretty wetlands area.

This a fabulous way to see the natural habitat for our many local blue heron. There is also a huge bed of lily pads that come into full bloom in the late summer and fall. The tower is high enough to see down the river and to allow the visitor to observe in every direction.

My husband and I have been enjoying Heron County Park for years, particularly in the fall when we drive out to Danville to take in the colorful foliage at the nearby Kickapoo State Park. We always first stop at Heron Park, which as others have described, is a wetland habitat and a floating boardwalk. Recently, I took my 18-year-old daughter here on a quiet Friday, and I was stunned that the swamp was completely dry or more of a mud bog at this point, a likely calamity of the drought we've been experiencing these past couple of years. There is a literal dry sea of lily pads without water. Hopefully fall rains will help replenish the swamp.

I visited in late April and enjoyed watching Greater Yellowlegs, Sora, Red-winged Blackbird, American Coots, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons (the path across the road takes you within view of their rookery), Canada Goose, Bald Eagles and a pair of Trumpeter Swans. Lovely floating boardwalk and tower/lookout. Very nice park!

Heron County Park is one mile west of Il Route 1,shopping, restaurants, and motels. The big surprise is just how secluded this park feels. A floating walk will allow one to get near ducks, swans, geese, eagles, and of course, herons. Depending upon the time of year determines what birds, mammals, and reptiles are present. The lush plants stretch across the park towards the river and end near the steep banks covered with oak, walnut, and a host of other native trees. A tower allows one to view the waters and catch a breeze on warm summer evenings. This park is worth taking a few minutes to explore!

I absolutely love little places like this and call them mini vacations. This beautiful little place is just off the highway. It is a migratory park as I am told. Beautifully kept up and very accessible just a little place with a gravel parking lot. There is a small walkway with a couple of donated benches and then one walks onto a floating dock constructed in a circular pattern. When strolling around the dock I entered a swampy area with lily pads and tall grasses and spent flowers everywhere. I strolled on this dock into the middle of a swamp area that is alive much of the year with wildlife and migratory birds.Although the Blue Heron's were not present or migrating when I was there I intend to return.We saw deer in the distance and much rustling in the tall marsh grass. The marshy area was stark with dead trees coming up out of the water. I am told the heron's nest in these trees during migration.. It was winter and the landscape was just beautiful. There is a lookout tower for better visibility that is not challenging to climbThis little park has another world atmosphere and I could have stayed all day if it had been warmer. I will return for sure, can't wait to see it again with flowers blooming