The Illinois & Michigan Canal, completed in 1848, connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River watershed along a longstanding Indian portage route.
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.