Kickapoo State Recreation Area

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, archaeological evidence indicates the existence of a village inhabited by Native Americans of the Woodland and Mississippian cultures somewhere between 500 and 1500. This village was located at the junction of the Middle Fork and Salt Fork Rivers. The village was home to Kennekuk, a Native American known as the "Kickapoo Prophet," who brokered many treaties between the European settlers and Native Americans. Kennekuk was a proponent of a new form of Christianity that had elements of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.[2] The Native Americans lived in the area which is now Kickapoo State Park until sometime during the 16th century.

Europeans were drawn to what is now the Kickapoo State Recreation Area with the discovery of salt springs in 1819.[1] Most of the immigrants to this area were English.[3] After the Europeans settled in the area, they began to dig wells all over the land. From these wells they harvested salt brine and boiled it down to produce salt. This salt operation continued until 1848, producing as much as 120 bushels of salt per week during the peak of its production process.[1] One of the iron rendering kettles used in the production process can be seen at the Salt Kettle Rest area on I-74.[2] Many European settlers from the early 20th century are buried in Allhands Cemetery, which is located in the eastern section of the park. Other settlers such as John Cox, an Indian fighter and scout in the Black Hawk War,[2] and his wife are buried at the entrance to Fox Campground in a small pioneer cemetery.

Between 1850 and 1940 the park area was strip-mined for coal, leaving many mine pits and spoil piles.[1] The mine in Kickapoo State Park was one of the first in the country to use mechanization for strip-mining.[2] Over the years these mine pits have filled with water and become lakes and barren areas have been largely reforested.

Entrance sign to Kickapoo State Recreation Area

The state of Illinois initially purchased 1,290 acres of land from the United Electric Coal Company in 1939 and added additional areas to the park in subsequent years.[1] Clint C. Tilton, a local newspaper owner and historian, began the drive that brought this park to Vermilion County.[4] Since then the park has gradually recovered from the mine pits and spoil piles left behind from the strip-mining process.

In the fall of 2008, a shortage in the state budget of $2 billion led to the threat of park closure.[5] The state was planning to close 11 parks on November 1, including Kickapoo State Park, to help meet its budget. Kelley Quinn, a spokeswoman from former Governor Rod Blagojevich's office, said "[p]arks are closing across the country; people are being laid off...[you] have to consider the national economy. The national economy is part of...[why we must close the park]."[5] The decision to close the park was met with much resistance. More than 300 protesters, made up of a conglomeration of local Danville residents and University of Illinois students, met at Kickapoo in late August 2008 to protest its closure.[6] Due to the protests, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich decided to allow Kickapoo to remain open while 7 other state parks were closed. In celebration of the park remaining open, a cleanup day of Kickapoo was scheduled on April 25, 2009.[7] Volunteers were provided with the equipment necessary to remove litter from campsites and lakes. Since then there have been many cleanup efforts by local residents.[8]

Between the two campgrounds within the park there are 184 sites available for tent camping and trailer camping.[1] Reservations can be made at online at Reserve America, however there are a number of walk-in sites for back country tent campers. The maximum length of stay is 14 days within a 30-day period. Almost half of the sites have electric hookups and there are two shower houses which are open from May 1 through November 1.[1] Note that campers staying at sites with electric hookups must pay for the availability of electricity even if it is never used. Campers must also have their own camping equipment as well as their camping permit before entering the campgrounds.[2]

Two fishermen on the Vermilion River near the entrance to the Kickapoo State Park.

There are many fish species found within the park's 22 ponds and the Vermilion River. Some of the most common catches by fishermen are largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie, and redear sunfish according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Rainbow trout is another popular fish species to catch in the fall and spring months when the lakes are stocked.[1]

For boating activities, there are 12 launching ramps on 9 of the lakes in Kickapoo State Park although only electric motors are allowed on these lakes.[1] Kickapoo Adventures, previously known as Kickapoo Landing, is a concession place within the park offering canoe, paddle board, tube, and kayak rentals, shuttle services to parts of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, bait, firewood, and a restaurant for visitors to enjoy.[11] Visitors may rent boats by the hour for use on Clear Lake within the park, or sign up for a trip down the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River with a canoe, kayak, or inner tube. The tube trip is 2 miles long starting at Sportsman's Lake and ending in the state park. For visitors wishing to partake in kayaking or canoeing activities down the river they may choose between a 13-mile trip beginning at Kinny's Ford, an 8-mile trip starting at Bunker Hill, or a combination of 2 miles on the Vermilion River and paddling through 3 lakes in the park.[11] In addition to rental services, Kickapoo Adventures sells fishing licenses, tackle, and an assortment of worms for bait. The concession also has live music at the dockside cafe Tuesday and Friday nights all summer long.[11]

Trail in Kickapoo State Park near High Pond

There are 7 marked hiking trails within Kickapoo State Recreation Area. One of the more challenging trails is the 7.6-mile Out and Back running trail [1] which winds through forest and edges of cropland. The Out and Back trail is also the longest trail in the park and runs from the group camp area across the Johnson Hill Bridge. However, the Johnson Hill Bridge was demolished in 2006, significantly limiting the length of this trail.[12] The Mountain Bike Trail is a 6.5-mile trail which circles Stump Pond and is located in the northeastern corner of the park. Some of the other shorter trails are: Clear Lake Trail (3 miles), Nature Trail (0.75 miles), High Lake Trail (1.5 miles), Riverview Trail (2.0 miles), and Brian Plawer Nature Trail (0.9 miles). High Lake Trail also has a 0.2-mile portion which is ADA accessible.[1]

Over 200 acres have been allocated for mountain bike use in the park.[13] There are 11 mountain biking routes in this area, ranging from easy to difficult, located in the northeast section of Kickapoo State Park.[8] Some of the more difficult trails have 1–2 foot jumps, steep inclines, switchbacks, and benchcut ravines. The bike trails wind through the forest, abandoned strip mine area, and along the Vermilion River. Mountain bike trails are open for visitors to use year-round, although they close during the annual fall firearm hunting seasons (usually falling on 2 to 4 weekends in November and December), and occasionally due to extended muddy conditions such as the spring thaw or damage following heavy storms.[8]

Registered hunters (using firearms or bows) are allowed to hunt white-tailed deer, cock pheasant, rabbit, and squirrels in the park twice a year.[1] There are over 1,000 acres of land for hunters to use each fall.[2] Trap and archery ranges are available to visitors to Kickapoo State Park as well.

Other recreational activities at Kickapoo State Recreation Area include cross-country skiing and scuba diving, and is one of the few state parks in Illinois that allows scuba diving. Certified divers may explore the depths of Inland Sea and Sportsman's Lake.[1] A company by the name of Thunder Wolf Trail Rides used to offer horseback riding lessons, trail rides, hay rides, and birthday parties in the park area but it closed in 2015.[14][15]