John T McNaughton Park
Managed by Pekin Park District
224 acres4.8 mi of trail
Potawatomi TrailHorse TrailPotawatomi
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Pekin Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Pekin Township
The biggest trail networks: John T McNaughton Park (4.8 mi), Independence Park (2.8 mi), Pekin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area (1.6 mi). 24% of Pekin Township’s land is conserved, about 1,878 acres. 1,821 acres are parks and preserves, 67 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
24%
1,878 acres · of 12.3 sq mi of land
Trails
13 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,821 ac
67 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
95%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
3.9 mi
3.9 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
6
6 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 John T McNaughton Park, with 4.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Independence Park
Nature preserve
111 acres2.8 mi of trail
Independence Park - Trail 1Independence Park - Trail 6Independence Park - Trail 5Independence Park - Trail 2
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pekin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
Nature preserve
1,535 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Mineral Springs Park
Managed by Pekin Park District
88 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 18 parks & preserves
John T McNaughton Park224 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · Pekin Park District
DirectionsIndependence Park111 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsPekin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area1,535 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMineral Springs Park88 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Pekin Park District
DirectionsBilly Myers Memorial Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Coal Miners Park51 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverfront Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Creve Coeur Park & Campground65 acres
DirectionsCrevecoeur Nature Preserve34 acres
Everett McKinley Dirksen Park33 acres
Marquette Heights Park9 acres · City of Marquette Heights
DirectionsKiwanis Park North9 acres
Richard Morrissey Park8 acres · Village of North Pekin
DirectionsRailsplitters Park4 acres
DirectionsJames Park2 acres
DirectionsRotary Park2 acres
Sunken Garden2 acres
DirectionsSouthside Business Association Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,878 conserved acres
24% of Pekin Township’s land. Water is left out: Pekin Township has 12.3 square miles of land and 1.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Pekin Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land1,087 ac
Town or city392 ac
Regional agency355 ac
State conservation200 ac
Private owners44 ac
State Recreation Area · 1,087 acLocal Park · 490 acConservation Easement · 200 acUnknown · 172 acLocal Recreation Area · 101 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pekin Lake State Recreation Area | Other state land | 1,087 | Open |
| John T Mcnaughton Park Local Park | Regional agency | 225 | Open |
| Lick Creek Golf Course Unknown | Town or city | 165 | Open |
| Independence Park Local Park | Town or city | 97 | Open |
| Mineral Springs Park Local Park | Regional agency | 86 | Open |
| Pekin Park District Golf Courses Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 84 | Open |
| Dirksen Park Local Park | Regional agency | 31 | Open |
| Crevecoeur Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Private owners | 25 | Closed |
| Soccer Fields Local Recreation Area | Private owners | 17 | Open |
| Richard Morrissey Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
45 places to go in Pekin Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Pekin Township
Kiddie CorralHours: dawn-dusk · In Richard Morrissey Park
DirectionsWilliamsburg Townhouses Playground
Directions32 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Pekin Township
Happy Tails Dog ParkIn Mineral Springs Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Pekin Township
6 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Pekin Township
3 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Pekin Township
Riverfront SquareIn Riverfront Park
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Pekin Township
1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
9 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 5.2 mi
Independence Park - Trail 11.5 mi
Independence Park - Trail 60.4 mi
Potawatomi Trail0.3 mi
Independence Park - Trail 50.3 mi
Independence Park - Trail 20.3 mi
Kenneth Williams Walkway0.2 mi
Horse Trail0.1 mi
Potawatomi0.1 mi
Chickenhawk0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
3.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.9 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
12Basketball
9Baseball
8Tennis
5Beach volleyball
4Soccer
3Volleyball
3Tracks
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
August is the best month for walking in Pekin 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) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 34 | 39 | 51 | 64 | 75 | 84 | 87 | 85 | 79 | 66 | 51 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.7 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Pekin Township →
Next door
Pekin Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Peoria City Township34 miGroveland Township27 miPekin26 miPekin Township13 miLimestone Township5.2 miCincinnati Township0.8 miHollis Township0.7 miCreve Coeur0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pekin Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hollis Township | 3% | under 0.1 | 145 | 47% | B− |
| Creve Coeur | 4% | under 0.1 | 35 | 86% | B |
| Groveland Township | 7% | 0.7 | 31 | 64% | A− |
| Cincinnati Township | 8% | under 0.1 | 161 | 13% | B− |
| Pekin | 20% | 1.6 | 38 | 79% | A |
| Limestone Township | 3% | 0.1 | 49 | 51% | B− |
| Peoria City Township | 17% | 0.8 | 42 | 89% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Pekin Township
Where can I hike in Pekin Township?
The longest trail networks: John T McNaughton Park, 4.8 miles; Independence Park, 2.8 miles; Pekin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area, 1.6 miles; Mineral Springs Park, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Pekin Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at John T McNaughton Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Pekin Township?
3.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.9 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Pekin Township?
15,386 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Pekin Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,822 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Pekin 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 →