Nachusa Grasslands
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
1,373 acres8.9 mi of trail
Stone Barn Savanna
Dogs usually not allowed
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Nachusa Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Nachusa Township
The biggest trail networks: Nachusa Grasslands (8.9 mi), Franklin Creek State Natural Area (2.9 mi). 10% of Nachusa Township’s land is conserved, about 1,880 acres. 14 miles of mapped trail cross Nachusa Township, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
10%
1,880 acres · of 28.9 sq mi of land
Trails
14 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
3
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 Nachusa Grasslands, with 8.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Franklin Creek State Natural Area
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
546 acres2.9 mi of trail
Pioneer Pass Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Handicap Parking
Hurd Tract
Nature preserve
1 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
1,880 conserved acres
10% of Nachusa Township’s land. Who manages Nachusa Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation1,280 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,252 ac
State natural resources565 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)45 ac
Private owners8 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,302 acPrivate Conservation · 1,255 acUnknown · 565 acUnknown Easement · 28 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 64 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 17 of 27 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Rock River Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1,183 | Unknown |
| Franklin Creek State Natural Area Unknown | State natural resources | 565 | Open |
| Middle Rock River Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 64 | Unknown |
| Amboy North Railroad Prairie Private Conservation | Private owners | 8 | Restricted |
Things to do
5 places to go in Nachusa Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Nachusa Township
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Nachusa Township
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Nachusa Township
3 picnic areas without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 1.2 mi
Stone Barn Savanna2.3 mi
Pioneer Pass Trail0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Nachusa Township: April and September
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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 34 | 47 | 60 | 72 | 81 | 83 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
January is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Nachusa Township →
Next door
Nachusa Township and its neighbors
Nachusa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nachusa Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Franklin Grove Township | 6% | 0.2 | 8 | 46% | C+ |
| Taylor Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| South Dixon 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 Nachusa Township
Where can I hike in Nachusa Township?
The longest trail networks: Nachusa Grasslands, 8.9 miles; Franklin Creek State Natural Area, 2.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Nachusa Township’s trails?
Nachusa Grasslands and Franklin Creek State Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Nachusa Township?
7,929 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Nachusa Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 501 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Nachusa 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 →