great scenery and ambience with the stream running and different levels of view places to hike…read moreand views are spectacular highly recommend coming here

Nice little state park for an extended weekend. Please note that there are no shower facilities or…read moreflush toilets. Vault style only. The park features two camping areas. We stayed in Canyon Ridge, which is non electric. All 50 sites were spacious and clean. The camp host and a few area residents sold firewood, which was a nice surprise The park has a number of hiking trails that are short, but challenging. Many lead to, or start at the Apple River, so there is plenty to keep kids occupied.

Great find and well maintained by the state. Great views! Kayaked on the Mississippi River which…read morewas great but came with some current struggles. The boat launch is right across the road from MP. The hosts were nice. They are only checking in people from 12-4. Find your site and your tag is on the post. There are about 10 walk up sites you can get on FCFS basis. Some electric and some primitive sites. Make sure to select the correct one. Beautiful views are with the hike up the cliffs.

We had a family get together here today and rented the pavilion. For $50, you get a really nice…read morebuilding facility that has a fireplace and several large picnic tables. The public restrooms are in this building however, and you will have people coming and going during your event. It wasn't too busy today so not a problem. There is plenty of open grassy area to play, didn't get enough wind to be able to fly the kites, but we were close! But we definitely had a lot of room to kick the soccer ball, throw the football and run around. The grill worked great, it's 4 feet long and we were able to cook plenty of burgers and hotdog and such for the family. There's also a couple of electrical outlets so we were able to plug-in a couple crockpots for beans and such. There are quite a few mice living in this facility, so just be aware of that, but you are out in the country! There are many hikes and such that leave from this location so you could use this as homebase with other family members being able to go out and take a great hike as well. We had a great day and I have a feeling this is going to become a tradition PS. Bring the bug spray :)

The Forest Preserve Headquarters of Winnebago County is by far my favorite underrated park in the…read moreRockford area! Lots to explore and so many different, unique areas within the park. I love the view over the quarry in all seasons but it's especially beautiful in fall/winter. The walk through the woods and around the ponds and river on the other side of the forest preserve are gorgeous in spring with frogs and other small animals to find and lots of mossy pathways. It feels like a fairytale! (Photos by Figment Photography)

Great place to hangout and have a few beers and go on nature walks…read more I've never camped here, but I heard that its cool. There are a lot of nice shelters and a respectable playground. You can pick morel mushrooms here during the early-mid spring. There's a fair amount of wildlife (deer, turkey, woodpeckers, toads, etc.) as well. The conservation sheriff cruises through every once in a while to make sure no one's doing anything retarded. Its a popular hangout for delinquent kids during the day, so check your grills before you cook. There was piss on one of them once.

While the trips may be awesome, because how could nature not be- the owner/ founder of this company…read moreis anything BUT awesome. My experience with Tony leaves me wondering how someone with no understanding of people could be in a business that deals with people. I asked for help packing my pack and was told that the guides " would be too busy to help" at every question I was met with an attitude of annoyance. Apparently questions are not allowed when preparing for something you've never done. I was also met with anger and harsh words when at the very last minute I was told that I would be in his group( which would be moving at a pace that I was no where near comfortable with) instead of having a conversation with me- I was yelled at, and told very sarcastically "sorry it didn't work out- you're welcome to leave". For 3 1/2 days- I was ignored. I cannot really imagine a more childish way to handle people. Stomp your feet and pout. There was never an attempt at any sort of conversation- certainly no apology for the outburst. I would recommend some sort of people skills training or at the very least - sticking to the organizing- and let someone with a heart and people skills deal with the people. Tony has no business dealing with people. If you can get on a trip without him- do it. But if you are a newbie and have questions- this company is not for you. You will be treated poorly. I came home from my trip feeling like a scapegoat and now question how this could have happened. How did I actually PAY someone to make me feel less than and like asking questions is wrong. I was paying for a service- and what I got was abuse.

From the owner: We are a Midwest-based outdoor guide company specializing in backpacking, kayaking and…read moreyoga/wellness. We offer guided backpacking tours in and around the Midwest, also offering transportation, rental gear and meals or meal packages.

Lake Geneva Shore Path runs along the entire lake. On the 26 mile path you'll pass historic estates…read morewith beautifully sculptured gardens and landscapes. History serves that 2500 BC to 1836 AD Chief Big Foot and his Potawatomi tribe walked this path between their villages. The path has been preserved nicely by all the estate owners that live on the lake. The path is rugged in places made up of brick, wood, stones, boulders and slate. It's an enjoyable walk with plenty of breathtaking views and colorful inlets that change in the seasons!

My husband was looking at hikes and noticed this one in Lake Geneva. As a kid, I came to Lake…read moreGeneva every summer, but was too young to remember going along parts of this path. As an adult, I love this path, it is right along Lake Geneva and in the backyards of multi-million estates. I love looking at estates and observing the activity on the water at the same time. The path is a bit narrow and there isn't anywhere to break off to use the restroom, so be sure to make a stop to the bathroom before you start the path. Weekends tend to get pretty busy, so try going on a weekday and there won't be any crowds on the path. We plan to hike this whole path (about 23 miles) by the end of spring or summer 2020. So far, we've made 2 trips and covered 7 miles of the lake (14 miles total back and forth) and plan to make more stops in order to go around the whole lake. By the end, we will cover the lake twice. Haha. So far so good, but I'll update this review after I hike the whole path.

Beautiful place! We will definitely be back this summer for a visit with the grandkids.read more

I Have been coming to this forest preserve for EVER. It is so beautiful, well kept, and has awesome…read moretrails. Some trails are through the forest and some are paved which is good when you have a baby in a stroller. Fall is my favorite time to come here because the colors and smell are outstanding. This place also has fun activities for the little ones and they have playgrounds too. If you get the chance, visit this place.

This is a fun section of the ice age trail just outside of Belleville. It has some nice elevation…read morechanges and the beautiful outcroppings are very cool. I like the different topography included on the trail. There is a really nice flat space on top of the ridge to enjoy the view. Dogs are allowed if they are on leash.