The Illinois & Michigan Canal, completed in 1848, connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River watershed along a longstanding Indian portage route.
Located within the Mississippi Flyway, one of the nation's most important flyway routes, Mark Twain NWR provides waterfowl and other migratory birds with food, water and protection during the spring and fall migrations.
The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge is located in southernmost Illinois within the Cache River Watershed.
Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge was established December 29, 1993 with the purchase of its first 284 acres. About 2, 200 acres have been acquired to date.
Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge is located along the east side of the Illinois River in Cass and Morgan counties, about 50 miles west of Springfield, IL.
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1936 by Executive Order 7524, which authorized the purchase of lands owned by the defunct Chautauqua Drainage and Levee District. The refuge extends from Illinois River mile 124.0 to 129.5.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge's 44, 000 acres of land and water contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Major habitat types on the refuge include hardwood forest, agricultural land, grazing units, brushland, wetlands, and lakes.
The 8, 501-acre Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge is one of five refuges in the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Rend Lake, IL, located in the heart of southern Illinois, is a natural haven for wildlife and a recreational haven for visitors. Rend Lake consists of 18, 900 acres of water and 20, 000 acres of land.
Carlyle Lake is located on the Kaskaskia River, approximately 107 miles above its mouth, near the community of Carlyle, Illinois. Carlyle Lake is the largest man-made lake in Illinois, with over 26, 000 acres of water and 11, 000 acres of public land.
Lake Shelbyville, located in central Illinois, offers beaches, hiking trails, marinas, boat ramps, and over 1500 campsites.
Welcome! Explore the Shawnee National Forest. Enjoy the splendors of the varied natural resources of the largest, most diversified treasure in Illinois. Major highways lead to this heartland. Find some of the most beautiful scenery in the Midwest.