| Fox Ridge State Park, just eight miles south of Charleston in east-central Illinois is known for its steep, thickly wooded ridges, broad, lush valleys & miles of rugged, scenic hiking trails & covers 2,064 acres.
In sharp contrast to the flat prairies of most of this section of Illinois, Fox Ridge is set amidst rolling hills along the forested bluffs of the Embarras ("Ambraw") River.
At any time of year, Fox Ridge State Park is a great place to visit. In winter, the snow-softened ridges are alive with birds & animals. In the spring, a panoramic blanket of multi-hued wildflowers & blooming, budding trees celebrate the resurgence of growth. By summer the dense vegetation & new generation of wildlife are thriving in the sun, & autumn brings its brilliant display of color as nature enhances the woodlands with yellow, red, purple & orange.
History
Arrowheads & artifacts uncovered in this area indicate habitation by prehistoric Native American cultures. Early historic tribes included the Piankashaw & the Illinois, both of whom were pushed out when the Kickapoo migrated into the region from Wisconsin in the late 1600s.
European settlers in the area originally were centered around the Embarras River, which provided their main source of transportation, fishing, trapping, and, of course, water. Before the development of the railroad, much of the economy of the area also depended on the river, where flat boats carried livestock & manufacturing materials downstream to the Wabash, Ohio & Mississippi rivers & on to New Orleans & Gulf of Mexico.
In the late 1930s, the State of Illinois took over management & ownership of Fox Ridge, then a small parcel of land, & residents of the Charleston area helped preserve & develop it as a state park. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed a residence/workshop complex, a Natural History Survey laboratory, four miles of hiking trails, a large brick pavilion & a dam & spillway which created the 12-acre Ridge Lake.
Ridge Lake, completed in 1941 & currently administered by the Illinois Natural History Survey in Urbana, is used for the study of lakes, ponds & streams to improve fishing in Illinois waters. Studies at the lake (the first at which Natural History Survey technicians were able to control the H2O level) have included investigations of the effects on resident fish populations of lake drawdowns, supplemental feeding of bluegill & channel catfish & introduction of supplemental predators such as the muskellunge & walleye. These constitute the most thorough & longest continuous fish studies in the United States.
To further enhance the development of the park, the Fox Ridge Foundation was founded & dedicated to the improvement & promotion of the area. Governed by local citizens interested in the park's future, the foundation sponsors several annual events, publishes a quarterly newsletter & organizes & administers fund drives for specific or general park improvements. Supported by the general public through membership dues & donations, the foundations is a tax-exempt charitable organization. For further information contact the park office or write to the Fox Ridge Foundation, P.O. Box 714, Charleston, IL, 61920. |
Fox Ridge State Park Campground Web Site
Driving Direction GPS Coordinates:
39.407663, -88.161179
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Campground: Fox Ridge State Park in Charleston Illinois *