Calling all outdoor lovers! Mason County is an outdoor lover’s haven. Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge in Havana, one of four Wildlife refuges in the state of Illinois, is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services and is also ADA accessible. This refuge is packed with beautiful wetlands, woods and wildlife.
If you're looking for a good meal, Tall Timbers Marina in Havana is a fun stop for burgers, hot dogs and cold drinks. Visit the marina on foot or by boat, and enjoy you food with the relaxing sights and sounds of the Illinois river. Also in Havana is Rockwell Mound Park, a welcoming landmark of Native American culture. The park consists of a playground as well as traditional Indian burial mounds.
Mason County is also home to Sand Ridge State Forest, a conservation area filled with native oak-hickory woodland, pine plantations, open fields, grasslands and sand prairies. Enjoy unspoiled nature in a beautiful and unique setting. Sand Ridge State Forest is ideal for a number of recreational activities including archery, camping, hiking, hunting, cross country skiing and geocaching. The forest also has snowmobile, mountain biking and equestrian trails.
Things To Do In Mason County
SAND RIDGE STATE FOREST
PARKS & TRAILS
FOREST PARK NATURE PRESERVE
With over seven miles of trails, it’s easy to spend an entire day at Forest Park Nature Preserve. They also offer classes for adults and children throughout the year, covering all kinds of topics from bats to bugs. They even offer guided hiking tours.
Rocky Glen Park
Truly a hidden gem in West Peoria, Rocky Glen is a great place to hike and see unique sandstone rock formations, including the popular “bowl” or “Horseshoe Bottoms.” Plenty of local lore and stories swirl around this historic place to explore near Kickapoo Creek. Often referred to as a smaller Starved Rock, don’t forget to check out the small waterfalls along the cliffs.
SANDRIDGE STATE FOREST
With 44 miles of marked trails and 7,200 acres of forest, SandRidge features woodlands, open fields and unique sand prairies to explore. The forest is perfect for hikers, backpackers, horseback riders and even snowmobilers. Located about 45 minutes south of downtown Peoria, the trails are matched perfectly with a day trip to explore nearby historic Havana and the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge.
ILLINOIS RIVER BLUFF TRAIL
A beautiful sanctuary for hiking the steep river bluff hills of central Illinois. The trail connects four Peoria area parks Camp Wokanda, Robinson Park, Green Valley Camp, and Detweiller Park. It’s the perfect way to get to know lots of area parks.
JUBILEE COLLEGE STATE PARK
With over three-thousand acres to explore, Jubilee College State Park is a great place to hike (the highest elevation is 660 feet), fish (smallmouth bass, bluegill, catfish and carp) or have a picnic to enjoy the warm weather.
HAVANA'S FARMERS' MARKET
FARMERS MARKETS
Every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to noon mid-May until the end of September the Peoria RiverFront Market takes over the 200 block of Water Street and it is the place to be in Peoria. Visitors can shop for local produce, meats, cheese, prepared foods, handcrafted goods plus so much more! The Riverfront Market is what all farmer’s markets should aspire to be. Also featured is a one-of-a-kind selection of art including pottery, blown glass, jewelry, candles all handcrafted by local artists. Along with the local art and produce many restaurants, bars and other businesses within walking distance take part in the market by having free samples or discounted items. The RiverFront Market is nestled up against the Illinois River in the River Station parking lot directly across from the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Plenty of free parking is available in the surrounding lots and streets.
If you are here during the winter and wishing you could taste this great market, make sure to keep an eye out for the Winter RiverFront Market. This market is inside the Peoria Riverfront Museum and features all the local vendors you will love.
ROCKWELL MOUND PARK
Rockwell Mound is located on North Orange Street near the Optimist Pool. Just north of the park is a playground and a couple of shelters where you can relax and watch your kids play.
History
At first glance, Rockwell Park seems like just another place to pass the time of day, have a picnic, or where children can play when they’re not swimming in the Havana Park District pool. Rockwell Park also has a place in human history that date back much further in time than its establishment as a park in 1849.
The park has been used for a variety of community events. The large hill was ideal for public speaking and was the site of a speech by Stephen A. Douglas on August 13. 1858, just before the famous Lincoln-Douglas U.S. Senate campaign debates. Abraham Lincoln arrived at the Havana riverfront by steamboat during Douglas’ speech and spoke here at the Rockwell park the following day.
Although Rockwell Park has long been a source of local history and pride its more ancient significance was not confirmed until 1986. The large hill that covers most of the park is no ordinary hill, but was constructed by Native Americans around 2,000 years ago and is one of the largest mounds ever built in the Illinois River basin. A visit to Rockwell Mound is a visit back 2,000 years to the Middle Woodland cultural period of Illinois prehistoric peoples of the Illinois River Valley, and one of the richest archaeological regions in the country.
The people who built Rockwell Mound were part of the Hopewell Culture that occurred in the North American mid-continent at a number of riverine locations. They had an ordered society rich in symbolism and ceremony. Hopewell people built mounds for the burial of honored dead and engaged in elaborate funerary practices. A building of a mound would have been a tremendous undertaking. An estimated 1,760,000 baskets full of earth went into the construction of the Rockwell mound. The Hopewell also participated in a network of long distance trade of finished goods, and raw materials that distributed exotic materials such as obsidean, grizzly bear teeth, copper, lead, and marine shell.
As it stands today, Rockwell Mound is the second largest Indian mound in the Midwest, covering nearly two acres and standing fourteen feet high. The mound has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987.