Photo: Nyttend · Public domain7% of Beardstown’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
7% of Beardstown’s land is conserved, about 168 acres. 69 acres are parks and preserves, 11 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 53% of U.S. towns · #477 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Beardstown?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Beardstown have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Beardstown is ahead of 53% of U.S. towns, #477 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; trail miles pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Art Zeeck Park
168 conserved acres
7% of Beardstown’s land. Who manages Beardstown’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 10 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beardstown Marsh Private Conservation | Private owners | 63 | Restricted |
| Roberts Park Local Park | Regional agency | 44 | Open |
| Soccer Fields Unknown | Town or city | 28 | Open |
| Schmoldt Park Local Park | Regional agency | 18 | Open |
| Elks Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
| Kiwanis Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
| Art Zeeck Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| The Slough Natural Heritage Landmark Private Historic or Cultural | Private owners | 1 | Closed |
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
August is the best month for walking in Beardstown
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 41 | 52 | 65 | 75 | 84 | 87 | 85 | 79 | 67 | 52 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.8 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Beardstown →
Questions about parks and trails in Beardstown
How much of Beardstown is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 4% for an Illinois town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Beardstown’s trails?
Roy Roberts Park and Art Zeeck Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Beardstown?
12,591 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Beardstown or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 96 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Beardstown have?
Ahead of 53% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #477 of 768 in Illinois. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Beardstown neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →