Big Rock Forest Preserve — Attraction in Big Rock Township

A couple years ago i went here to go kayaking out on the quarry, however i noticed the creek had flooded a bit and was deep enough to go kayaking, so i dragged my kayak from the quarry over to the creek running under the main bridge (or atleast what i assume is the main bridge) after getting in the current slowly carried me down stream and the scenery was B-E-A-Utiful. And i was happy as i didnt have to paddle or anything just go with the flow.

After some time had past i had come to a realization i wasnt by myself anymore as some of the water downstream was being splashed around by something big, currious me i got out the paddle and turned down my music to see what would be coming up, low and behold theres an alligator on the right bank about 50-70 yards away and on in the middle of the creek, immediately i stopped the kayak (quietly) and start using the ores to push on the bottom of the creek and make my way back up stream as i didnt wish to test my luck. I looked online and i havent seen anything about alligators around Big Rock so im assuming they were bought as pets and then abandoned there.

All in all its an amazing place to visit just try to stay to the paths and follow the rules as you never know who or what has...

My friends and I drove here on a nice day to eat lunch and walk around. we were all sitting in a clearing near the water when a cop approached us and asked to see our ID’s. My friend (17) and I (18) had left our wallets in our car but my two other friends (17&18) complied with the request. He then said that he had seen us jumping in the water “through his binoculars.” All of us were completely dry, and so was the area around us. He insisted on the fact that we had been swimming, despite the fact that it was very obvious we had not been. He said that he was going to “let us off this one time” and not fine us. Before entering the park, my friends and I were already well aware of the fine that occurs when you swim in the water. Besides this strange experience, it was a beautiful area and a nice...

Perfect place to walk the dog! I’ve been looking for somewhere with more than 5 miles of walkable trails, and this is it. We hit almost every trail within the preserve and totaled 10 miles (horse trails included). Be prepared by downloading the trail map PDF online, as there are NO trail markings. The crushed limestone trails are super simple to follow. For the most part, the mowed horse trails were manicured enough for walking. The only one I would stay away from is the pink trail along the southwest corner of the preserve. It was overgrown and hard to follow. We got a little turned around and ended up on a golf course. It was a grand adventure with views and...