A Tortoise Is Your Guide At This Hidden Illinois Forest, Complete With A Bridge, Secret Cabin, Camping, And More
By Linze Rice|Published June 22, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
The Prairie State is full of some of the most incredible parks and gardens in the country — from buffalo roaming fields of wildflowers to stunning cascading waterfalls. Growing up in the rural countryside of DeKalb County, Illinois, I was fortunate enough to have an incredible natural resource within a mile of my home. Set off from the highway, it often felt like a treasure all our own. While many have likely driven by its entrance unknowingly, this hidden forest in Genoa, Illinois is a must-visit for nature lovers.
Russell Woods is a 126-acre forest preserve located just off Route 72 between the small towns of Genoa and Kingston. Though a sign alerts passersby to its entrance, the forest itself is tucked back among a sea of corn and can be easily missed if you don't know it's there.
The park offers a number of excellent walking, hiking, and sightseeing trails. The preserve is part of the G2K trail, which extends from Carroll Park in Genoa to the village of Kingston.
The mighty Kishwaukee River flows through the forest, noted as a "unique aquatic resource" by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The river is a prime site for fishing and canoeing, and contains an abundance of wetland species, like native freshwater mussels.
Camping is also available at the preserve, as well as open fields for playing, playgrounds, enclosed shelters, picnic areas, and access for cross-country skiing. Amenities like restrooms and water are also available on-site.
The park is also home to the Natural Resources Education Center, which is headed by professionals from the University of Illinois Extension Outdoor Education Program. Each year, the nature center serves more than 5,000 classroom visitors, who come to learn about the environment, and...
...meet TJ the Tortoise! This fancy fella is more than 20 years old and serves as a teaching tool for those considering buying an exotic pet. Plus, he makes a pretty cool mascot!
Another hidden gem: the Hoppe Heritage Farmstead, which includes 60 acres of native plants and nationally-recognized wetlands, as well as the recreation of an 1845 Miller-Elwood log cabin, which was named after some of the area's earliest and most influential settlers.
In the winter, the park's iconic sledding hill is the place to be. A huge slope takes you down to a wide landing surrounded by trees — then it's a hike back up the rubber-tire steps to the top!
So, would you visit this hidden forest in Genoa, Illinois? What activity would you want to do first? Have another go-to local forest preserve? Tell us in the comments! Start planning your trip now by checking out the Russell Woods website and Hoppe Heritage Farmstead website. And while you’re headed there, why not make it a full day trip to the charming town of Genoa? Spend the day with a local winery, family-owned coffee shop, cute architecture, great diners, and a local history museum!
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