Lake Murphysboro State Park
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
610 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Levan Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Levan Township
The biggest trail networks: Lake Murphysboro State Park (1.8 mi). 23% of Levan Township’s land is conserved, about 4,856 acres. 544 acres are parks and preserves, 984 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
23%
4,856 acres · of 33.4 sq mi of land
Trails
22 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
544 ac
984 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
11%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
5 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 Lake Murphysboro State Park, with 1.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Paul Ice Recreation Area
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
24 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Glen Schlimpert Recreation Area
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
4 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
4,856 conserved acres
23% of Levan Township’s land. Water is left out: Levan Township has 33.4 square miles of land and 3.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Levan Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service4,065 ac
State natural resources611 ac
State conservation280 ac
National Forest · 4,065 acState Park · 611 acConservation Easement · 280 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 181 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 4,065 | Open |
| Lake Murphysboro State Park State Park | State natural resources | 611 | Open |
Things to do
16 places to go in Levan Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Levan Township
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Levan Township
Kinkaid Marina Boat Ramp
DirectionsLake MurphysboroIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsPaul Ice Boat RampIn Paul Ice Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Levan Township
Buttermilk Hill Picnic Area
DirectionsClearviewIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsLake Shore Drive Picnic AreaIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsOak Point Picnic AreaIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsCampgrounds in Levan Township
Big Oak CampgroundIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsEd Bottom Memorial CampgroundFee · Kinkaid Lake Marina
DirectionsThe PointFee · Kinkaid Lake Marina
DirectionsWater Lily CampgroundIn Lake Murphysboro State Park
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
7 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 18.9 mi
Kinkaid Lake Trail9.7 mi
Kinkade Lake North2.1 mi
Rend Lake1.5 mi
Buttermilk Trail0.8 mi
Kinkaid Lake North Spur0.4 mi
Kinkaid Lake North0.3 mi
Waterfall Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Levan 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 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 41 | 47 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 85 | 88 | 87 | 81 | 70 | 56 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.2 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.2 inches fall in April, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Levan Township →
Next door
Levan Township and its neighbors
Levan Township has the second most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levan Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Somerset Township | 1% | under 0.1 | 72 | 34% | C |
| Sand Ridge Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Kinkaid 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 Levan Township
Where can I hike in Levan Township?
The longest trail networks: Lake Murphysboro State Park, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Levan Township’s trails?
Lake Murphysboro State Park and Paul Ice Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Levan Township?
47,652 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Levan Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,627 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Levan 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 →