lincoln memorial garden

When my children were young I used to bring them to this amazing garden to explore and learn about a woodland environment. The paths are well marked and sprinkled with bridges over shallow creeks. There are surprises around every corner including beautiful views of Lake Springfield, story circles, small animals and butterflies. The nature center has clean bathrooms, nature displays and a gift shop. The garden holds events during the year which are lots of fun. There is no entrance fee except for the events. Parking is easy.

It is on the east end of Lake Springfield kind of a ways away from the city. Though that makes it a nice quiet place to escape from the tourist areas. The walk along Lake Springfield is pretty especially on a clear cold day in January with the lake frozen. Lots of trails to have a good hike with some hills but it's suitable for all types. It must be pretty in the fall or in the spring when the flowers are in full bloom so I will have to come back for sure!!

I was expecting this to be a garden with well kept flowers bit it really is a wooded area with many hiking trails. If you have limited time, go for the walk along lake springfield. Beautiful and tranquil. Benches throughout are carved with quotes from Abe. Fall leaves were beautiful.

A moving experience within the Memorial, Seeing where Mr. Lincoln and most of family is resting. The guide whom have the short presentation on the history of the tomb seemed to be knowledgeable and entertaining. A must see

I would consider this more of a hiking forest then a garden. None the less a great place of nature! There are many paths to take and maps can be found at the visitors center (open till 4, closed in Monday). If they are closed there are maps available on the outside of the center. There are bridges, paths that run along Lake Springfield, picnic areas, and wildlife to see. We went with my four and six-year-olds and they did just fine with the terrain. We spent about an hour and a half there. I honestly couldn't tell you why it's called Lincoln Memorial Gardens as there was no specific reference of Lincoln ever been there but still a nice place to go!

Lincoln Memorial Gardens are one of Springfield's best kept secrets. While they are kind of hard to find on East a Lake Drive ( only some small national-park wooden type signs on the side of the road ), it Is worth the drive & time to seek them out. More of a park & forest than gardens, they offer the tourist or visitor a variety of trails to wander on. The trails are fairly well marked and well maintained. There is an abundance of wildlife to view - squirrels, birds, and even an occasional fox or deer can be spotted. There is a small nature center / gift shop you can visit. There are sometimes nature workshops available on the weekends. The leaf colors can also be spectacular there in the fall. During the weekdays is the best time to visit - very peaceful and serene. Bring the insect repellant, the mosquitoes can thick at times, especially if it's damp or has rained.

After driving several hours we needed to stretch our legs. Lincoln Memorial Gardens is a lovely wooded area with well marked trails, wooden bridges, and the gentle sounds of birds & water lapping along the shore of Lake Springfield. There is a gift shop near the entrance with a map of the trails available ( free ). They have some nice articles for sale especially bird baths, feeders, & wind chimes. Shop is closed on Mondays and at 4pm the rest of the week.

Really more of a nature preserve than a garden but nice trails, great views of the lake. Quiet and lots of places to stop and admire the view. Benches all along the trails with Lincoln quotes to ponder. Saw mama deer and baby, lots of birds. Nice drive to get there too.

Situated just a few minutes south of Springfield's bustling downtown, this garden offers a peaceful retreat with lovely wooded trails and a nature center. The only visible tie to Lincoln are quotations inscribed on the various benches. The network of pathways through the garden travel through stone circles, intended by the garden's architect to be gathering places in the park. If you are here on a Saturday afternoon in late spring or fall, you may just happen upon a wedding. The majority of the garden has become somewhat overgrown over the years with large areas of non-native species pushing out the "native" plantings intended for the area, but this does not diminish the peacefulness of this retreat. I like to go and wander the paths just to lose myself sometimes. If you are lucky, as I once was, you can encounter deer withing meters. If you are looking for a place to stretch your legs or enjoy the peace of nature for a bit, this will do. I have yet to visit the nature center, but the garden shop is staffed by friendly volunteers and offers a few interpretive exhibits along with the usual gift shop offerings. Certainly not something I would put on any Springfield tourist's to-do list, but a beautiful stop none-the-less.

This is really a woods with trails running through it, not really a garden. Nice trails however with no bugs along the lakeshore.

really nice wooded trails. nature center was closed when we were there but well marked trails. take a photo of the map at the trail head when you start and then the posts mark all the cutoffs really nicely.

It's free! This is the best of both worlds for a hiker. Beautiful natural woods, flowers and lush greenery along with the wooden walkways to allow you to walk through the natural setting, but not interact with the less attractive side to nature. No poison ivy, no brambles to walk through. It's not busy all day, every day. It's relatively unpopulated. It's a beautiful walk no matter what season you're experiencing. I highly recommend walking through in all 4 seasons to get the different sights, sounds, and smells.

You have to complete the story, that is brilliantly told by the town and the state park department. Not just a monument, for the story did not end with his death. Ask the narrator on location (or others at the other attractions) and you will continue to be amazed as to the impact this GREAT President made upon people at that period of time and why the story continues to amaze us today.

This garden was a nice way to start our trip in Springfield. Hence the name, there are benches on the walking trails that have Lincoln quotes. There is a gift shop there, also. It is close to the lake so it has a nice view.

This wooded area is on the shore of lake Springfield. Some of the trails go along the shore. Most wind through the woods. Low difficulty trails of varying lengths. No significant hills. Small nature center that does have indoor restrooms. Many special events on-site through the year.