Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
8,851 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Buck CreekWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Elk Prairie Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Elk Prairie Township
The biggest trail networks: Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (0.9 mi). 25% of Elk Prairie Township’s land is conserved, about 4,409 acres. 43 acres are parks and preserves, 75 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
25%
4,409 acres · of 27.5 sq mi of land
Trails
4.4 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
43 ac
75 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
14%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.2 mi
0.2 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
10 boat launches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, with 0.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
331 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
4,409 conserved acres
25% of Elk Prairie Township’s land. Water is left out: Elk Prairie Township has 27.5 square miles of land and 9.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Elk Prairie Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency3,696 ac
Regional Water Districts713 ac
Unknown · 4,409 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Property Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 4,409 | Open |
Things to do
11 places to go in Elk Prairie Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Elk Prairie Township
Bluegill HoleIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsDarevilleIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsNorth NansonIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsSouth NansonIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsSouth NansonIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsTurnip Patch
DirectionsWaltonvilleIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsWaltonvilleIn Waltonville Public Use Area
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Elk Prairie Township
Waterfow Viewing AreaIn Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
DirectionsTrails & water
2 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
off-road bike paths
When to get out
The walking year in Elk Prairie Township
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) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 45 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 85 | 88 | 87 | 81 | 69 | 55 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.2 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Elk Prairie Township →
Next door
Elk Prairie Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Prairie Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| McClellan Township | 1% | 0.1 | 77 | 4% | C |
| Spring Garden Township | 3% | 0.1 | 60 | 21% | C+ |
| Barren Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Elk Prairie Township
Where can I hike in Elk Prairie Township?
The longest trail networks: Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, 0.9 miles; Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Elk Prairie Township’s trails?
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Elk Prairie Township?
0.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Elk Prairie Township?
7,667 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elk Prairie Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,854 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Elk Prairie Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
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 →