Big Rock Forest Preserve: A Natural Oasis

Big Rock Forest Preserve is a sprawling 840-acre natural area in Kane County, Illinois, offering a diverse landscape of mature woodlands, high-quality marshes, and tallgrass prairies. The preserve's highlight is Siegler Lake, a 65-foot deep lake formed in the 1990s when floodwaters breached a former limestone quarry. Today, the lake is a popular spot for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The preserve features over 10 miles of trails for hiking, with surfaces ranging from mowed grass and dirt to crushed rock and gravel. These trails wind through various habitats, including sandstone bluffs overlooking Big Rock Creek, a fen, grasslands, and wetlands. Visitors can also explore a specialized wetland called a fen, fed by underground seeps. Big Rock Forest Preserve originated in 1992 with 294 acres, and additional land was added in subsequent years. The preserve is home to Big Rock Creek, recognized as one of Illinois' best quality streams, supporting freshwater mussels. The preserve also offers a campground with improved, primitive, and equestrian campsites. During the winter, the preserve is open for cross-country skiing.