Area Attractions In and Around Arthur...
"The Heart of Illinois Amish Country"

 

More Information On Weldon Springs State Park...

Union School Interpretive Center
Built in 1865, Union School served the rural residents of Logan County, Illinois for more than 80 years. The historic building was moved to the prairie at Weldon Springs, restored, furnished, and equipped for use as both a visitor center and a temporary classroom for area school groups that wish to relocate for a day. A year-round interpreter is available for talks, programs and activities to enhance the visitor experience. More than a museum, Union School is a "hands-on" learning center with a "please touch" philosophy. Both science and local history are emphasized.

A collection of taxidermist-mounted mammals which make their homes in the park encourages visitors to pet a squirrel's tail, feel a badger's claws, or examine a beaver's teeth. Discovery boxes are filled with natural treasures grouped around a central theme to stimulate students' curiosity about the natural world. Insect cards demonstrate many of the basic concepts of ecology with magnified specimens. Additional natural history exhibits examine the park's variety of habitats, the eastern bluebird nestbox trail, forestry, animal builders, and raptors.

Historic exhibits follow the park's development from railroad holding in the 1850's, through the Chautauqua Assemblies at the turn of the century, to its establishment as a state park. Old photos and other historic memorabilia share life in a one-room school, the Schoolhouse project, and a local timeline. The Texas Township Community Building was moved to the prairie in 1995. The Town Hall houses collections of bird nests, rocks and minerals, mussels, animal tracks, grasses, galls, insects and butterflies. The Union School is available for meetings.

Trails
NOTE: There are no bicycle trails at Weldon Springs

The Lakeside Self-Guiding Interpretive Trail circles the lake, winding 2 miles through riparian habitat where the forest and lake communities meet. A brochure and numbered posts beside the trail interpret natural features along the way.

The Beaver Dam Trail winds 7/8 of a mile between woodland slopes, alongside the Hidden Ponds, and across and beside a small stream. This trail is ideal for a night hike - listening to frogs, insects and whip-poor-wills in spring and summer; and owls year-round.

The Whitetail Ski Trail quickly drops into the bottomlands of Salt Creek. Birders should watch for migrating warblers, wild turkeys, and eastern bluebirds; herons, hawks and owls. The biggest tree in the park, a silver maple, grows beside the creek in the primitive campsites. This 2 7/8 mile trail may be flooded in spring.

The Schoolhouse Trail is a 1 1/3 mile loop of the 80-box bluebird trail maintained in the park. Bluebirds can be observed from late February to October. Circling the native prairie restoration project, walkers may observe various stages of the restoration process as meadow dotted with trees becomes tall-grass prairie. More than 30 different butterfly species have been identified visiting prairie and meadow flowers. Big bluestem and Indian grass may reach heights of 6-10 feet by September.

The Heritage Trail traces Weldon Springs' heritage. A brochure guides the visitor to interpretive signs describing each stop. Beginning at Union Schoolhouse, built in 1865, the trail visits native prairie, white oak savanna, and old-growth woodland demonstrating the landscape as it appeared when the first European settlers arrived. Other sites describe the Chautauqua meetings held at the site at the turn of the century and the springs that formed millions of years ago.

The Habitat Trail highlights the variety of habitat types represented in the park. Wetlands include lake, pond, stream, marsh and riparian habitats; deciduous forest includes upland slope, creek bottomland, and woodland savanna; meadow and prairie are grasslands found in the park; and linear habitats include fencerow, thicket, suburban lawn, and greenbelt. Walkers on this trail visit all fourteen habitats.

The Salt Creek Backpack Trail provides six backpack camping sites along its route for those who prefer a more rustic setting for camping. Campers may hear the evening serenades of coyote; great-horned, barred and screech owls; whip-poor-wills and wild turkeys. White-tail deer, beaver, muskrat and mink are often seen along this trail.

Camping
Named by Family Circle magazine to be one of the "Top Twenty Campgrounds in America", Weldon Springs' campground offers a quiet and friendly atmosphere for a relaxing camping experience.

The traditional Class A campground has 75 campsites with electricity, water service, vehicular access, sanitary dumping station, shower building, cooking grills, picnic tables, pit toilets and playground equipment. Nine Class C sites are also located in the main campground. Weldon Springs’ campground is open year-round; the shower building closes in the fall and reopens in the spring. Reservations are accepted for dates between May 1 and September 30 for ten Class A sites and one Class C. Five of the reservable Class A sites are pull-thru. Areas for tent, backpack, large group and youth camping are also available. Primitive backpack campsites are located along Salt Creek. Please call ahead for conditions, as these sites could be flooded in spring.

Black Locust Group Camp can accommodate up to 300 campers at one time. Long Point is for youth groups only and can accommodate up to 90 campers. This group tent camping area is lakeside and located near the main campground. Amenities at Long Point include a shelter, water, fire rings and picnic tables.

Disabled campers are also served. Three campsites designed for special needs offer a large hard-surfaced pad. Privies and water are easily accessible.

Alcohol is not allowed in the tent camping area, primitive backpack sites, and the Black Locust and Long Point Group Camps.