Carpenter Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
337 acres7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Springfield
Springfield has 47 miles of mapped trails, 0.8 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Carpenter Park (7 mi), Lincoln Memorial Garden and Trails (4.2 mi), Gurgens Park (3.6 mi). 6% of Springfield’s land is conserved, about 2,352 acres. 2,147 acres are parks and preserves, 19 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 74% of U.S. towns · #266 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
2,352 acres · of 61.3 sq mi of land
Trails
47 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,147 ac
19 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
72%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
39 mi
16 mi lanes · 21 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
10
3 beaches · 9 boat launches
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Springfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Springfield is ahead of 74% of U.S. towns, #266 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Springfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (47 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land19 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,147 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13BParks close to home72% 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 74%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 65%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Springfield ranks #246 on Outdoors.
Water is 9% of Springfield’s area (6 of 68 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 6%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be B+. 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 Carpenter Park, with 7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lincoln Memorial Garden and Trails
Park
106 acres4.2 mi of trail
Lake TrailBird Cherry TrailWalnut TrailBuckeye Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Gurgens Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
411 acres3.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Centennial Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
195 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Sangamon Valley Trail ParkingWebsite ↗
Rotary Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
40 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Jaycee Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
18 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Southwind Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
80 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Duncan Park
Managed by Springfield Park District
26 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 54 parks & preserves
Carpenter Park337 acres · 7 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLincoln Memorial Garden and Trails106 acres · 4.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGurgens Park411 acres · 3.6 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
Centennial Park195 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsRotary Park40 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsJaycee Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsSouthwind Park80 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsDuncan Park26 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLake Victoria Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsOld State Capitol Plaza3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCenter Park37 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsIles Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsPaul A. Barker Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsEnos Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsWashington Park139 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsStuart Park21 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLindbergh Park18 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsTom Madonia Park West11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsComer Cox Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsGehrmann Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Springfield Park District
DirectionsRiverside Park287 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLincoln Park83 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsKennedy Park24 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsCotton Hill Park East21 acres · City Water, Light & Power
Cotton Hill Park West18 acres · City Water, Light & Power
Beach Park18 acres · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsTom Madonia Park East16 acres · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsWildlife Sanctuary Park15 acres · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsTimberbrooke Park15 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsGietl Park15 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsJefferson Park14 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsChamberlain Ball Park13 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsBridgeview Park12 acres · City Water, Light & Power
Eisenhower Park12 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLincoln Home National Historic Site11 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsKiwanis Park11 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLake Park10 acres · City Water, Light & Power
DirectionsVredenburg Park9 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsDreamland Park9 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsLanphier Park8 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsFairview Park7 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsIndian Hills Park7 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsSchlitt Park6 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsDavid T. Lawless Park5 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsPatrick J. Cadigan Park4 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsWestchester Park4 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsHobbs Park3 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsMadison Park3 acres
DirectionsUnion Square Park3 acres
DirectionsBergen Park2 acres · Springfield Park District
DirectionsMarine Point Park2 acres
DirectionsCapital Cruisers Park2 acres
DirectionsSunset Park & Fishing Area1 acres · City Water, Light & Power
A Living Memorial1 acres
Who protects it
2,352 conserved acres
6% of Springfield’s land. Water is left out: Springfield has 61.3 square miles of land and 6.3 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Springfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,154 ac
State conservation428 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits44 ac
Other state land22 ac
National Park Service14 ac
State natural resources12 ac
Local Park · 1,128 acConservation Easement · 433 acState Conservation Area · 381 acLocal Recreation Area · 356 acUnknown · 304 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 112 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter Park Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Town or city | 381 | Open |
| Carpenter Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 335 | Open |
| Centennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 194 | Open |
| Lincoln Greens Golf Course Unknown | Town or city | 190 | Open |
| Washington Park Local Park | Town or city | 132 | Open |
| Riverside Park Local Park | Town or city | 127 | Open |
| Lincoln Park Local Park | Town or city | 83 | Open |
| Southwind Prk Local Park | Town or city | 82 | Open |
| Bergen Golf Course Unknown | Town or city | 52 | Open |
| Center Park Local Park | Town or city | 43 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
154 places to go in Springfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Springfield
3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Springfield
5 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Springfield
Bounties of Nature PlaygroundIn Center Park
DirectionsKiwanis Club PlaygroundIn Southwind Park
DirectionsLincoln Park's Children PlaygroundIn Lincoln Park
Directions115 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Springfield
Centennial Dog ParkHours: sunrise-sunset · In Centennial Park
DirectionsStuart Dog Park IIn Stuart Park
DirectionsStuart Dog Park IIIn Stuart Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Springfield
Marine Point Boat Launch
DirectionsMarine Point Boat LaunchIn Marine Point Park
DirectionsPlus 7 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Springfield
Center Park HarborIn Center Park
DirectionsDividing Dam Park & Fishing Area
DirectionsGlasser Bridge Park and Fishing Area
DirectionsHazel Dell Fishing Area
DirectionsPlus 4 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Springfield
Capitol View
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Springfield
Camp SertomaBoys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois
DirectionsRiverside Park CampgroundsFee · In Riverside Park
DirectionsDisc golf in Springfield
Duncan Park Disc GolfHours: Mo-Su sunrise-22:30 · In Duncan Park · Springfield Park District
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Springfield
Enos Park Neighborhood Garden
DirectionsEnos Park Sculpture Garden
DirectionsMotherland Gardens
DirectionsVinegar Hill Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
4 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.4 miUnpaved · 5.4 mi
Lake Trail0.6 mi
Bird Cherry Trail0.2 mi
Walnut Trail0.2 mi
Buckeye Trail0.1 mi
Biking & sports
39 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
21 mi
off-road bike paths
2.5 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
92Soccer
87Baseball
61Basketball
54Tennis
18Pickleball
8Football
4Volleyball
4Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →44 places on the National Register, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 44 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Edwards PlaceBuilding · listed 1969
About itExecutive MansionBuilding · listed 1976
About itElijah Iles HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itCentral Springfield Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1978
About itUnion StationBuilding · listed 1978
About itGeorge M. Brinkerhoff HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itJohn L. Lewis HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About it32 more on the History page.
When to get out
August is the best month for walking in Springfield
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 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 40 | 52 | 65 | 75 | 83 | 86 | 85 | 79 | 67 | 52 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (2.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 4.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Springfield →
Next door
Springfield and its neighbors
Springfield has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Springfield47 miCapital Township46 miSpringfield Township3.1 miWoodside Township2.1 miClear Lake Township1.4 miRochester Township1.1 miBall Township0.4 miGardner Township0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 6% | 0.8 | 19 | 72% | B+ |
| Capital Township | 6% | 0.8 | 19 | 73% | B+ |
| Springfield Township | 4% | 0.2 | 16 | 82% | B |
| Ball Township | under 1% | under 0.1 | 11 | 68% | C− |
| Gardner Township | 4% | under 0.1 | 21 | 23% | C |
| Rochester Township | 5% | under 0.1 | 15 | 46% | C+ |
| Clear Lake Township | 5% | under 0.1 | 5 | 49% | C |
| Woodside Township | 1% | 0.2 | 5 | 61% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Springfield
Where can I hike in Springfield?
The longest trail networks: Carpenter Park, 7 miles; Lincoln Memorial Garden and Trails, 4.2 miles; Gurgens Park, 3.6 miles; Centennial Park, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Springfield is conserved land?
6% 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 Springfield’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Southwind Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Springfield?
39 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of painted or protected lanes, 21 of off-road paths and 2.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Springfield?
6,307 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Springfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,278 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Springfield have?
Ahead of 74% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #266 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 Springfield 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 →