Veteran Acres Park
Located along Walkup Road in Crystal Lake, Veteran Acres Park is a great outdoor destination. It offers a variety of facilities and amenities, making it an excellent place to spend your time with your family and friends.
The park is home to a nature center, trails, sports fields, a playground, and a pond featured in a spacious preserve and prairie. It also connects to McHenry County Conservation District’s Prairie Trail. Read this first!
The Park’s History
Veteran Acres Park is one of Crystal Lake’s crown jewels. This 130-acre site is a public park and home to the Crystal Lake Park District Nature Center, Rotary Building, Oakwoods Lodge, and a host of other recreational facilities.
The Colonel Palmer House is a historic site that chronicles the history of Crystal Lake. It features artifacts and equipment from the 1800s, as well as exhibits on how life was in McHenry County back then.
It also has a Greek Revival and Federalist design, making it a beautiful backdrop for photos. The house is also a county historic landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wingate’s passion for preserving this prairie land has been a part of his daily routine since the late 1970s. He has led over 150 volunteers in restoration efforts. Each time he sees new plants emerge, hears the roosting of birds, or hears the scurry of ground squirrels, he knows that his years of stewardship have paid off in many ways.
Sterne’s Woods Trail
Sterne’s Woods is an excellent place for a hike and bike ride. It’s a very scenic area that has been preserved and protected, which is a great asset for the surrounding community.
A beautiful retreat to nature, Sterne’s Woods was added to Illinois’ list of Nature Preserves in 1994. This woodland is perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities, with a system of rugged walking trails, marked paths for biking and cross-country skiing, as well as wagon rides in the fall.
The Sterne’s Woods Trail is a 0.8-mile (2,000-step) loop route located near Crystal Lake, Illinois. This route is moderately difficult. Explore more!
Sterne’s Woods Nature Preserve
Sterne’s Woods Nature Preserve was added to the list of Illinois Nature Preserves in 1994 and now boasts a variety of hiking trails, biking trails, and picnic areas. The preserve also offers a hayride during the fall.
Located near Crystal Lake, Sterne’s Woods is a beautiful woodland that can be explored by hiking and biking. It is a pristine forest and is an excellent destination for family fun!
The park features restrooms, two picnic shelters, a playground, lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, a Mary Peacock softball field used by the Girls Softball Association, a Frank Repp baseball field used by Babe Ruth Baseball League, sled hills, Acorn Alley splash pad, walking paths, boardwalk, and fishing pier.
Passive recreation lovers enjoy groomed cross-country ski trails in the winter and hiking trails through natural areas including Sterne’s Woods and Wingate Prairie, an Illinois Nature Preserve. In 2014, the Crystal Lake Park District began a multi-phase project to restore the hydrology of Sterne’s Fen. This includes removing large dead or dying trees that intercept the groundwater flow and reintroduction sunlight to the soil.
The Wingate Prairie
In 1994, Crystal Lake Park District and Wingate Prairie steward Bill Wingate joined forces to restore this rare gravel hill prairie in Veteran Acres Park. They began by removing alien plant species and reintroducing native plants to restore the natural beauty of the prairie land.
With the help of a group called Friends, Wingate guided volunteers in planting and maintaining the prairie site. Tuesday night workdays were held as volunteers cleared buckthorn, spread seeds from the existing plants, and transplanted other native species to encourage their growth. Check our next area of interest here.
Driving directions from Dynico Roofing to Veteran Acres Park
Driving directions from Veteran Acres Park to Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park