The U.S. National Park Service preserves 58 national parks, 390 parks, historic sites, memorials, and recreation areas that attract nearly 300 million visitors every year. Our U.S. national parks are repositories of the nation’s biological diversity and contain some of the last ecosystem remnants that are found nowhere else in the world. Explore US Parks Online

Shenandoah National Park is a beautiful, historic national treasure which includes the 105-mile long Skyline Drive, a National Scenic Byway. The Park covers the crest of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains for over seventy-five miles. The Appalachian Trail roughly parallels the Skyline Drive and 101 miles of this trail run through the Park. (more…)

Illinois National and State Parks and Recreation

Illinois has no national parks, but it has 73 State Parks, 12 State Recreation Areas, 6 State Forests, 4 State Memorials, 2 State Nature Preserves, 4 State Natural Areas, 26 State Wildlife Areas, 2 State Wildlife Management Areas, 2 State Wildlife Refuges, 1 National Forest, 3 National Historic Sites, 5 National Wildlife Refuges, and 8 Wilderness Areas.

 

State Parks

State Recreation Areas

State Forests

State Memorials

State Nature Preserves

State Natural Areas

State Wildlife Areas

  • State Wildlife Management Areas

State Wildlife Refuges

  • National Forest

National Historic Sites

National Wildlife Refuges

  • Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area  
  • Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge  
  • Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge

Illinois Wilderness Areas

There are eight wilderness areas in the state of Illinois.

  • Bald Knob Wilderness
  • Bay Creek Wilderness
  • Burden Falls Wilderness
  • Clear Springs Wilderness
  • Crab Orchard Wilderness
  • Garden of the Gods Wilderness
  • Lusk Creek Wilderness
  • Panther Den Wilderness