Wildlife Prairie Park
Wildlife Prairie Park, also known as the Hazel & Bill Rutherford Wildlife Prairie Park, is located in Peoria County, Illinois, approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of downtown Peoria in central Illinois. Visitors find it in Kickapoo Township. It was established in 1977.
A zoo & aquarium inside Kickapoo Township
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 17°, with about 26" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Kickapoo Township
Wildlife Prairie Park is inside Kickapoo Township, which has 5 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 6 miles away
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria (PIA) has airline service, about 6 miles from Wildlife Prairie Park.
Established in 1977
Wildlife Prairie Park dates from 1977. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Choosing a month
Use the months below to time a visit to Wildlife Prairie Park.
Wildlife Prairie Park
Wildlife Prairie Park, also known as the Hazel & Bill Rutherford Wildlife Prairie Park, is located in Peoria County, Illinois, approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of downtown Peoria in central Illinois. Opened in the 1970s, it has most recently been operated as a not-for-profit corporation since 2013. The park has 1,800 acres (730 ha) of land with over 150 animals of 60 different species that are native to Illinois.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Owner
- Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park
- Established
- 1977
- Wikipedia readers
- 2.2K a year
Overnight near Wildlife Prairie Park
Close by, places to stay are in Kickapoo Township (5) and Peoria (37).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Wildlife Prairie Park | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo Township | in town | — | 5 5 hotels | 8,209 | $291K | — |
| Peoria | 7 mi east | 10 min | 37 32 hotels · 3 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 110,920 | $156K | D− |
| Peoria City Township | 7 mi east | 10 min | 32 27 hotels · 3 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 95,876 | $135K | — |
| East Peoria | 12 mi east | 15 min | 15 10 hotels · 2 motels · 3 campgrounds | 22,088 | $164K | C− |
| Fondulac Township | 11 mi east | 15 min | 14 9 hotels · 2 motels · 3 campgrounds | 12,154 | $163K | — |
| Pekin | 13 mi southeast | 20 min | 7 6 hotels · 1 motel | 31,277 | $121K | C− |
| Morton | 17 mi southeast | 25 min | 9 9 hotels | 17,565 | $239K | B+ |
| Morton Township | 18 mi southeast | 25 min | 9 9 hotels | 18,190 | $247K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also within reach
Other well-known places within 69 miles.
Big draw63 mi LandmarkLincoln Tomb
68 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
57 mi State parkStarved Rock State Park
65 mi National Historic SiteLincoln Home National Historic Site124K visitors a year
33 mi MuseumDickson Mounds
53 mi MuseumLincoln's New Salem64 mi National MonumentSpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument19 mi Zoo & aquariumPeoria ZooPhoto credits
Lincoln Tomb: David Jones, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · Starved Rock State Park: Chris Light (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lincoln Home National Historic Site: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dickson Mounds: MattHucke, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lincoln's New Salem: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5
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Planning a visit to Wildlife Prairie Park
Is Wildlife Prairie Park in Kickapoo Township?
Yes. It’s inside Kickapoo Township, IL.
When is the best time to visit Wildlife Prairie Park?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 64–83°.
What is the closest airport to Wildlife Prairie Park?
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria (PIA), about 6 miles away. The nearest big hub is Chicago Midway (MDW), about 127 miles.
Where should I stay near Wildlife Prairie Park?
Peoria (7 mi, 37 places to stay), Peoria City Township (7 mi, 32 places to stay) and East Peoria (12 mi, 15 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Kickapoo Township
There are no tips yet, so start one in Kickapoo Township’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.