Detweiller Park
Managed by Peoria Park District
502 acres4.8 mi of trail
Pimiteoui TrailDry Run TrailRidge Top TrailOak Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Illinois Waterway Project Office · Photo: Grogan, Brian · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Peoria
16% of Peoria’s land is conserved: 4,912 acres
4,153 acres are parks and preserves, 37 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Detweiller Park (4.8 mi), Robinson Park South (3.5 mi), Forest Park (3 mi). 34 miles of mapped trail cross Peoria, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #85 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
16%
4,912 acres · of 48.2 sq mi of land
Trails
34 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,153 ac
37 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
88%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
44 mi
14 mi lanes · 26 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
6
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Peoria?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Peoria have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Peoria is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #85 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Peoria’s overall grade.
Conserved land16% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (34 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land37 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,153 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home88% of residents within a half mile of a park · IL 88% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 89%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Peoria ranks #90 on Outdoors.
Water is 5% of Peoria’s area (3 of 51 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 15%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Detweiller Park, with 4.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Robinson Park South
Managed by Peoria Park District
369 acres3.5 mi of trail
Illinois River Bluff Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Robinson Park South parking
Forest Park
Managed by Peoria Park District
290 acres3 mi of trail
Wake Robin TrailDeer RunBee TreePrairie Path+1
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Robinson Park North
Park
369 acres2.7 mi of trail
Illinois River Bluff TrailRobinson North
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Glen Oak Park
Managed by Peoria Park District
116 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Green Valley Camp
Managed by Peoria Park District
108 acres1.6 mi of trail
Illinois River Bluff Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Detweiller Riverside Park
Managed by Peoria Park District
121 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Donovan Park
Managed by Peoria Park District
137 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 45 parks & preserves
Detweiller Park502 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsRobinson Park South369 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsForest Park290 acres · 3 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsRobinson Park North369 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsGlen Oak Park116 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsGreen Valley Camp108 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsDetweiller Riverside Park121 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsDonovan Park137 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsLaura Bradley Park124 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsSchmoeger Park45 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsCharter Oak Park39 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGrand View Park84 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsJames W. Baldwin RiverFront Festival Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEckwood Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLakeview Park38 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Peoria
DirectionsStone Water Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBecker Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Peoria Park District
DirectionsLiberty Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBoyds Hollow Woods39 acres
Forest Park South36 acres · Peoria Park District
John H. Gwynn Jr. Park30 acres
DirectionsTimothy J. Cassidy Park25 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsChartwell Park23 acres
Riverfront Park22 acres
DirectionsTerrace Park19 acres
Markwoodlands Park19 acres
Trewyn Park19 acres · Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Peoria
Detweiller Playground12 acres
DirectionsCreighton Woods Park12 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsWoodruff Park11 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsLogan Recreation Center6 acres
DirectionsRock Island Trail5 acres
DirectionsMartin Luther King Jr. Park5 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsBicycle Safety Town4 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsWestern Avenue Greenway4 acres · Western Avenue Greenway Project
Lincoln Park3 acres
DirectionsAlta Trailhead3 acres · Illinois Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsFormerly Blaine Sumner Middle School (closed)3 acres
Morton Square Park3 acres · Peoria Park District
Endres Park2 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsCourthouse Square2 acres · County of Peoria
DirectionsColumbia Park2 acres
DirectionsDayspring Community Park2 acres · Columbia Terrace North Neighborhood Association
DirectionsGiant Oak Park2 acres · Peoria Park District
DirectionsMain Street greenspace1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,912 conserved acres
16% of Peoria’s land. Water is left out: Peoria has 48.2 square miles of land and 2.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Peoria’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency3,004 ac
Town or city1,133 ac
State conservation703 ac
Private owners430 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits301 ac
State natural resources49 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government8 ac
Local Conservation Area · 1,263 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,238 acLocal Park · 963 acState Conservation Area · 945 acConservation Easement · 703 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1 acre is a conservation easement, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detweiller Woods Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Town or city | 633 | Open |
| Weaver Ridge Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 366 | Open |
| Robinson Park - South Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 346 | Open |
| Robinson Park Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 342 | Open |
| Forest Park Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 280 | Open |
| Camp Wokanda Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 237 | Open |
| Kellogg Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 203 | Open |
| Madison Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 190 | Open |
| Newman Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 161 | Open |
| Donovan Park Local Park | Regional agency | 136 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
95 places to go in Peoria
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Peoria
1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Peoria
Peoria Rotary Adventure GroveIn Glen Oak Park
DirectionsSalvation Army Child Care Outdoor Play Area
DirectionsTricentennial PlaygroundIn Glen Oak Park
Directions58 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Peoria
lower dog parkIn Laura Bradley Park
Directionsupper dog parkIn Laura Bradley Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Peoria
4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Peoria
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Peoria
Camp WokandaPeoria Park District
DirectionsDisc golf in Peoria
Bradley ParkIn Laura Bradley Park
DirectionsNorthwoods Church Frisbee Golf Course
DirectionsPlus 1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Peoria
Dayspring Community Park 4-H Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
19 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 26.1 mi
Illinois River Bluff Trail5.1 mi
Pimiteoui Trail2.3 mi
Wake Robin Trail1.3 mi
Red Trail1.1 mi
Deer Run0.9 mi
Dry Run Trail0.7 mi
Robinson North0.6 mi
Ridge Top Trail0.4 mi
Lake Trail0.4 mi
Logging Road Trail0.4 mi
9 more trails
Oak Trail
0.3 miBee Tree
0.3 miRiver Overlook
0.2 miLower Deer Run
0.2 miPrairie Path
0.2 miSouth Cabin Trail
0.2 miCardinal
0.1 miEast Cabin Trail
0.1 miWake Robin Trail extension
0.1 miBiking & sports
44 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
14 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
26 mi
off-road bike paths
3.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
52Baseball
45Tennis
25Basketball
24Soccer
15Beach volleyball
15Softball
14Pickleball
9Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →26 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 20 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Peoria City HallBuilding · listed 1973
About itJudge Flanagan ResidenceBuilding · listed 1975
About itPettingill-Morron HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itGrand Army of the Republic Memorial HallBuilding · listed 1976
About itWest Bluff Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itCentral National Park BuildingBuilding · listed 1978
About itRock Island Depot and Freight HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itProctor, John C., Recreation CenterBuilding · listed 1979
About itCumberland Presbyterian ChurchBuilding · listed 1980
About itPeoria WaterworksBuilding · listed 1980
About itMadison TheatreBuilding · listed 1980
About itPeoria Mineral SpringsDistrict · listed 1982
About it14 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Peoria: August 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) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 37 | 50 | 63 | 74 | 83 | 85 | 84 | 78 | 65 | 50 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.7 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Peoria →
Next door
Peoria and its neighbors
Peoria has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Peoria34 miPeoria City Township34 miKickapoo Township33 miFondulac Township12 miMedina Township6.9 miRichwoods Township4.3 miPeoria Heights4.2 miWest Peoria1.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | 16% | 0.7 | 37 | 88% | A |
| Peoria City Township | 17% | 0.8 | 42 | 89% | A |
| Richwoods Township | 21% | 1.4 | 30 | 99% | A+ |
| Peoria Heights | 24% | 1.7 | 30 | 99% | A+ |
| West Peoria | 12% | 0.6 | 42 | 99% | A |
| Medina Township | 8% | 0.3 | 47 | 81% | B+ |
| Kickapoo Township | 13% | 1.0 | 268 | 55% | A |
| Fondulac Township | 9% | 0.7 | 62 | 80% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Peoria
Where can I hike in Peoria?
The longest trail networks: Detweiller Park, 4.8 miles; Robinson Park South, 3.5 miles; Forest Park, 3 miles; Robinson Park North, 2.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Peoria is conserved land?
16% 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 Peoria’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Robinson Park North (on leash) and Donovan Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Peoria?
44 miles of bike routes are on the map: 14 of painted or protected lanes, 26 of off-road paths and 3.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Peoria?
22,104 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Peoria or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,171 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Peoria have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #85 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 Peoria 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 →