Franklin Creek State Natural Area — Attraction in Nachusa Township

The size and geography of this park always guarantees you will find something new to see. The wildlife is wonderful. Bird watchers should find plenty to keep them busy. If flora is your game, there are beautiful, mature documents of many trees and the understory is rugged, but generally walkable off the trails. Watch for poison ivy. The nature of the trails is a mix of level walking with modest hills following the creek. The creek itself is flowing the entire year, with slower current in the drier months. There are a few required creek crossings, not deep, but generally ankle to knee deep. Plan on water shoes and extra dry socks in the car. The most rugged of the trails are assisted with stairs or wooden bridges to assist the hiker. Usually not a problem for children if they are assisted. Don't pass on this beautiful property and respect the few private property...

My family visited here for the first time this weekend and found it to be really kid friendly. The trail along the creek is concrete for several hundred feet before switching to a regular old dirt trail. Easy to walk on with two four year olds.

What’s neat about this place is the variety of plant species and the geology (they often go hand in hand). Along the concrete portion of the trail you will find tall bellflowers in bloom mid-summer in the drier soils and skunk cabbage growing in the wetlands. As you wind further along and venture onto the dirt path you’ll start finding ferns growing out the shaded sandy cliffs of St Peter Sandstone. The park also contains the oldest exposed geologic formation in Illinois - The...

I might have given this place 4-5 stars if couple guys would spend a day with a chainsaw and a weed whacker. After marker 14 (stairway before the first large creek crossing), the markers start getting hard to see. After the crossing at 15, the trail all but vanishes for a while through itch weed, burs and fallen trees (never did find marker 16). We bypassed markers 30-40 and took the short cut from 29-41 due to time constraints and having spent too much of it hunting for the trail. Drove 1.3 hours to try this place. It might be better in the early spring or late fall, but I don't think they are caring...