Mississippi Palisades State Park
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
2,397 acres9.9 mi of trail
Aspen TrailHigh Point TrailSentinel TrailBittersweet Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Washington Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Washington Township
The biggest trail networks: Mississippi Palisades State Park (9.9 mi), Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (1 mi). 12% of Washington Township’s land is conserved, about 2,817 acres. 15 miles of mapped trail cross Washington Township, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
12%
2,817 acres · of 35.6 sq mi of land
Trails
15 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
10
1 beach · 1 boat launch
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 Mississippi Palisades State Park, with 9.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
524 acres1 mi of trail
Prickly Pear Hiking Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Who protects it
2,817 conserved acres
12% of Washington Township’s land. Water is left out: Washington Township has 35.6 square miles of land and 4.3 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Washington Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,808 ac
Army Corps of Engineers1,268 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits115 ac
Private owners110 ac
State conservation48 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 2,808 acRecreation Management Area · 1,268 acConservation Easement · 162 acLocal Recreation Area · 110 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 162 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2,808 | Restricted |
| Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 1,268 | Open |
| Palisades Country Club Local Recreation Area | Private owners | 110 | Open |
Things to do
14 places to go in Washington Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Washington Township
Santa Fe Beach
DirectionsBoat launches in Washington Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Washington Township
Black Oak Dune OverlookIn Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
DirectionsHigh PointIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsIndian Head RockIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsLookout PointIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsLouis' PointIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsOak PointIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsOzzie's PointIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsTwin SistersIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Washington Township
PavilionIn Mississippi Palisades State Park
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Trails & water
14 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 9.1 mi
Aspen Trail1.8 mi
High Point Trail1.1 mi
Prickly Pear Hiking Trail1.0 mi
Sentinel Trail0.9 mi
Bittersweet Trail0.9 mi
3rd H Avenue South0.7 mi
Indian Head0.6 mi
Goldenrod Trail0.6 mi
Rock Top Trail0.4 mi
Prairie View Trail0.4 mi
4 more trails
4th H Avenue South
0.3 miPine Trail
0.3 miRoute 84 Trail
0.2 miMill Hollow Trail
0.2 miWhen to get out
The best walking months in Washington 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 34 | 46 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
January is the driest month (1.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 5.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Washington Township →
Next door
Washington Township and its neighbors
Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Savanna Township | 63% | 0.6 | 52 | 80% | A |
| Derinda Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hanover Township | 32% | 0.6 | 195 | 64% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Washington Township
Where can I hike in Washington Township?
The longest trail networks: Mississippi Palisades State Park, 9.9 miles; Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Washington Township’s trails?
Mississippi Palisades State Park and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Washington Township?
17,726 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Washington Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,286 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Washington 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 →