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Summer Paradise
Stephen A. Forbes State Park well may become
STORY BY LIZ PENSONEAU
If you're an outdoor enthusiast looking for a great summer retreat, Stephen A. Forbes State Park at Kinmundy is the place to be! Boating, water skiing, swimming, picnicking, camping, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and open bass tournaments are among the park's ongoing activities. Or, if you prefer to watch wildlife, take nature hikes and pursue some nice photo opportunities, you'll still fit right into the mix. From its modest 20-acre beginning in 1958, when land was acquired from Farina businessman Gale Boston for use as a state recreation area, Forbes State Park has evolved into a 3,100-acre paradise for both sun bunnies and real bunnies. With 2,000 wooded acres, it's a haven for wildlife and a popular hunting spot. It's one of the few state parks with a sand beach, and is the only DNR-owned lake that does not place a limit on horse power. Thus, water-loving enthusiasts flock there to take advantge of the freedom to boat and water ski on the park's 585-acre lake, which is surrounded by beautiful oak and hickory forests. A Fun Day at the Beach One of the highlights of the park is its 200-foot swim beach at Rocky Point, where you can swim all day for $1 per person. Originally developed by DNR in 1984, the beach was one of the department's first. A concession stand at the beach is open for the convenience of patrons, and tables at the site provide a great place for picnics. It is the only place at the park where swimming is allowed. However, no lifeguard is on duty, so swimming is at your own risk. New Marina and Restaurant Overlooking the lake and marina is a newly constructed 2,900-square-foot concession housing Cherry's Lakeside Cafe, which is operated by Peggy Cherry. The facility offers accommodations for 64 in its comfortable dining room, which provides a scenic view of the water. Outdoor seating is also an option, and great home-cooked food is served daily from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. (Closing time is extended to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.) The restaurant is closed on Monday, except for holidays. Also located inside the ADA-compliant
Hot days are welcomed at Stephen A. Forbes State Park
A restaurant and country store are located in a newly opened concession
facility is a country store offering tackle, bait and other essentials for outdoor enthusiasts. The restaurant is situated adjacent to a beautiful new marina with 80 boat slips that are rented by the season. There is a fuel dock, and boats are available for rent. A floating 220-foot walkway connects the campground with the marina and provides fishing access for handicapped individuals. Docks and comfortable benches round out the scene. Now in its third season, the park's stylish Lake View Boat Access area was the winner of a federal boating award for the design of the facility. Fishing Sport fishermen will find opportunities to land largemouth bass, bluegill, redear, crappie, channel catfish, hybrid-striped bass, muskie and saugeye (a sauger and walleye hybrid). The site is noted for its excellent bass fishery. Largemouth bass are stocked annually from brood ponds located in the park and this, combined with the 14-inch size limit, has created an excellent bass fishery. Fishing also is available at four ponds at the site: Marlow, Boston, Redear and Wilson, and boats with trolling motors are permitted on the ponds. Site Superintendent Glen Wegener said an interesting convenience at the park is its new fish cleaning station. "It's biologically designed," Wegener said. "We add some wood chips and enzymes. It dehydrates—breaks down waste. There is very little odor." The park is a popular site for bass tournaments and, in a normal year, the site hosts around 70 of them that have been scheduled through the park office. Each Tuesday and Thursday night, local bass clubs host popular open bass tournaments,
Admission to the swim beach is only $1 per person, per day. Picnic tables and a concession stand are available for the convenience of swimmers. starting at 5:30 and running until dark. The entry fee is usually $20 per team, and participation is simple, according to Wegener.
"Just show up at the marina ramp, pay your entry fee and fish until dark," he said.
Camping Options Abound With or without a horse, camping is an option at Stephen A. Forbes State Park. Oak Ridge Campground offers 115 shaded campsites, and as a convenient bonus, is connected to the marina and concession area via the quarter-mile Boat Dock Trail and its floating walkway. (Utilizing the trail saves a three-mile driving trip from the campground to the concession and marina.) The Class A campground is open year-round, and the showers are operable until the end of December. Ten walk-in camping sites are located in a more secluded area, and there is a youth group camping area. Another option is the Rent-A-Camp, which provides a wall tent, cots, electric lights, table and a grill. It can accommodate up to eight individuals. Also available is a two-room cabin with bunk beds that can sleep six. The tent and the cabin can be reserved in advance. Equestrians will delight in the spacious, 21-site equestrian campground that leads to a trail head for a 9-mile loop and a 12 1/2-mile loop for horseback riding. Located one mile east of Omega, the campground provides electricity as well as a shelter for the patrons in a converted barn, where they can gather to eat or socialize. The camping fee is $10 per night, including water and electricity. Trails Galore Hiking enthusiasts have the option of exploring Cattail Trail (a half-mile trail offering four types of habitats), Phillips Creek Trail (a quarter-mile trail with access to the Fishing, camping and observing wildlife are only a few of the options at Forbes State Park for outdoor enthusiasts.
Water skiing is extremely popular at Forbes State Park, where there is no limit on horsepower. Fishing is fun from the floating walkway, and there are serveral trails to hike, including Wetland Trail. lake), Wetland Trail (a self-guided half-mile trail through the prairie grass and wetland), Hennemen Trail (a quarter-mile hike to an early settlement cemetery), Oak Ridge Trail (a 2.7 mile loop encompassing the campground and lake) and Marlow Pond Trail (a half-mile trail). Wildlife viewing is an option for many species, including wild turkey, deer, fox and an array of birds, such as osprey and bald eagles. There also has been documented nesting of the Coopers hawk at the park. Wegener said some of the improvements involving the trails can be traced to successful Eagle Scout projects. For example, the scouts woodchipped the trail behind the park office, placed signs and a bench there and did some work to improve a badly eroded Marlow Foot Trail. Their next project will be to improve fishing access around Marlow Pond. Picnicking The many picturesque picnic areas at the park make it a popular day-use site. Picnic tables, park grills and pit toilets are available at all areas, and the generous open space at Circle Drive Picnic Area lends itself to games of volleyball or softball. Rustic park shelters and playground equipment complete the list of essentials for a day of family fun. Three of the shelters can be reserved by contacting the park office. Hunting Hunting is another popular activity at the park, and more than 2,000 acres are available to hunters. Bowhunting is allowed for turkey and deer, and the habitat is excellent for upland game such as quail and rabbit. Dove hunters will find the specially planted sunflower fields to be helpful in attracting the birds. Squirrel season opened Aug. 1, and bushytails are plentiful. Squirrel hunters are restricted to shotgun only. Other Attractions The Illinois Natural History Survey operates an aquatic research center, the Sam Parr Biological Station, at the park. The facility includes a laboratory, 26 drainable ponds and accommodations for graduate students. Here, a number of aquatic biology and fisheries experiments are conducted year-round. The lab is open to visitors Monday through Friday, and tours can be arranged by calling the lab at (618) 245-6348.
Sharon and Thomas Johnson of St. Louis, Missouri, tend
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