 |
| Lowden State Park Oregon, Ill. Rating:
(three campfires out of five) Date: October 2005 Description: Amid an oak-hickory forest, Lowden State Park is along the banks of the Rock River across from Oregon, Ill. The nearby huge concrete "Blackhawk" statue, by Lorado Taft, faces West on a bluff overlooking the river. Recreation: There is a RV campground and a car camping campground with a small number of walk-in sites. A modest trail system winds through the upland forest. Birding potential was evident, and barn owls called at night. Otherwise there is a field to toss a disc or have a catch. Also, Nachusa Grasslands, a Nature Conservancy preserve, is a spectacular mosaic of prairie, wetland and woodland that is worth exploring. Heard a Dickcissel during our brief stop there. Privacy: We landed a walk-in site, which offered more privacy than most other sites. It was disappointing to discover that we were just 100 feet in clear view of another campsite. Alcohol: prohibited Firewood: Available from the campground host. Reservations: No. We were fortunate to get a walk-in site. Rants: After recent quiet trips in Wisconsin and Quebec, this seemed raucous by comparison. The chirping Nextel walkie-talkie at the next site over at 10 p.m. was annoying. As were the screaming children until at least 9 p.m.
Camp Chicago
|
