Current Closures of DNR Sites and Areas

This page lists current closures of DNR Sites and Areas, by geographic region. Notices are updated on a continuous basis, so please check before you start your trip.

Last updated: 10/9/2025

• Anderson Lake - Camping at the South Camp is available, but on a limited basis due to flooding.
• Argyle Lake - The road around the lake has been closed for the season effective November 16 of each year and will reopen March 15 of each year, weather permitting.
• Big River State Forest - 
• Castle Rock State Park - open year round except for deer firearm hunting seasons; the park will be closed to all activities for the following 2025/2026 Deer Firearm season dates: Nov. 21-23, Dec. 4-7, and Dec. 12-14.  April 14 - May 15 the south end trails are closed daily until 1 pm for Spring turkey seasons. The river access canoe campground is open May 1 - Oct. 31. River conditions may result in temporary closure of the campground, call the park at 815/732-7329 for current river / campground conditions. 
• Delabar State Park - 
• Franklin Creek State Natural Area-All trails and day use areas will be closed on the following days for the site’s 2025/2026 firearm deer hunts: November 21-23, December 4-7, January 1-4 & 16-18.
• Hennepin Canal Closures - The wells at Lock 21 and Lock 22 are not working pending repairs and water tests. Lock 24 has water available but is closed seasonally. Potable wate is available year round at the Visitor's Center.
• Illini State Park - Hawk Road and adjacent IDNR property from the west side of Whitetail Campground to the lock and dam, is closed to public access until further notice. River Meadows, Sunrise Council, Wildcat Bog, and Ancient Oaks day use areas are closed until further notice. Whitetail Campground is closed yearly November 1 through April 30. Great Falls Campground is open year around, with shower building close Nov. 01 – Apr. 30
• Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area -  The campground shower building and campsites 1-31 will close for the season Saturday, Novermber 1st, 2025 at noon. Lakeshore Loop road will close for the season on Saturday, November 1st, 2025. The campground will close on Monday, November 3rd, 2025 at 12:00 noon in preparation of our annual Disabled Outdoor shotgun hunt. The entire park will  close at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 5th for our DOO hunt and will re-open the morning of Saturday, November 8th, 2025. NO ARCHERY HUNTING WILL BE ALLOWED ON 11/5, 11/6, & 11/7. Tours of Ryan's Round barn are done for the season and will resume in May. Jack's Place restaurant will close for the season on Sunday, November 2nd and re-open in the spring. Ottawa, Potawatomi and Kaskaskia hiking trails are currently closed due to hunting seasons. The trails will re-open to the public mid-May 2026.
• Jubilee College SP - The Equestrian Campground and Trails are closed November 15th through April 15th.
• Kishwaukee River SFWA - will be closed to all but permitted archery hunters and site-specific permit shotgun hunters starting Oct. 1.
• Lake Le-Aqua-Na - Equestrian area is closed November 15th through April 15th. The park will be closed to all but Site Specific Firearm Deer Hunting Permit Holders November 21, 22, and 23, of 2025. The park will re-open Monday, November 24th, 2025.
• LaSalle Lake - LaSalle Lake closes for the season every year at sunset October 15 and opens March 15 from 6AM to sunset daily.
• Lowden Miller Forest - is open year round except for deer firearm seasons; the Forest will be closed to all activities for the following 2025/2026 Deer Firearm season dates: Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7. April 14 - May 15 the Forest is closed daily unitl 1 pm for Spring turkey seasons.  Equestrian trails are open and will close for the season Oct. 31st. Equestrian trail use during Spring turkey season is only allowed after 1 pm. Equestrian trials may be temporarily closed due to weather/trail condions, contact the Castle Rock State Park office at 815-732-7329 for current trail conditions. 
• Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area -  Areas A and C will be closed 10/9/25 for National Guard use. Area B will remain open. This is a restricted access site and is closed to the public, except for participation in approved hunting programs. Accessing this site without a valid hunting permit and/or outside of posted hunting program hours is forbidden. Due to the National Guard's training needs the site will be closed to hunting on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from Sept 1 - Oct 31 each year. Any additional closures will be posted at the site and on the IDNR website. 
• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area - will be closed to the general public during the first and second firearm deer hunting seasons. 
• Matthiessen State Park -  The restroom facility at the Matthiessen Dells parking lot is presently closed for repairs. However, porta-potties are accessible. Horseback trails and the equestrian campground are closed November 1st - April 30th. Trails may be closed depending on weather May 1 - Octover 31st. 
• Morrison Rockwood State Park - The equestrian trails and the equestrian campground are closed November 1st - April 30th  weather depending.
• Pekin Lake – is closed to all vehicle access due to road deterioration, walk-in access is allowed.
• Rock Cut - Park closed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday prior to the first statewide firearm deer season in November for a Deer Hunt for Disabled Hunters. 
• Shabbona Lake State Park -  September 1 - 30 annually, the west side of the Snowmobile trail is closed for dove season. Oct. 1 - Jan. 20 annually all hiking trails except Arrowhead and Touch the Earth are closed for hunting season. 
• Spring Lake -  North Lake will be temporarily closed to entry on July 31, 2025 from sunrise till 11:30 am to allow treatment of Lotus and White Water Lily. The North boat ramps will be closed and no bank fishing from the Causeway. Access will resume on that day after treatment is completed. Access to the South Lake and boat ramp will still be allowed during this time.
• Starved Rock - Owl Canyon Overlook, Tonti Canyon, and the brown bluff trail above French Canyon are closed and slated for repairs in 2026.  Trail from the boat ramp south to west entrance park road closed until further notice.
• White Pines Forest State Park - All campgrounds, day use areas and trails will be closed on the following days for the site’s 2025 firearm deer hunts: November 17th, 18th and 19th as well as December 1st, 2nd and 3rd, those days are all either a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The campgrounds will close the day before each season segment, meaning there will be no camping on the nights of Sunday, November 16th or Sunday, November 30th. The lodge, restaurant and cabins, as well as the immediate lodge and cabin lawns will remain open. 
• Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area - Camping is closed from Oct 1 - March 31 annually. 
  

Last updated: 8/21/25

• Adeline Geo-Karis Illinois Beach - 17th Street is closed October 6 - 10, 2025, therefore there will be no vehicular access to the North Unit of the park.  Trails can be accessed from the south through Hosah Park and from the north through the North Point Marina complex.
• Chain O'Lakes State Park - The campground will close for the season on 10/19/25 and re-open on 3/1/26.  The park will be closed to visitors during hunting season starting 10/27/25 and re-open for winter hours (8am to sunset daily) on 12/26/25. Oak Point day use picnic area will closed for late season hunting 12/27/25-1/18/26 and re-open 4/1/25. The boat launch remains open year round.  The Archery Range will be closed 10/27/25 and re-open 5/1/26. Starting 9/30/25 The Maple Grove Boat Launch area will be closed for major renovations.
• Goose Lake Prairie – Goose Lake Prairie will be closed to the public during all firearm deer hunting seasons. The Visitor Center is closed indefinitely.  Please expect intermittent closures during construction phase. 
• Heidecke Lake - If wind speeds are forecast to be 25mph or above at any time during the day, Heidecke Lake access to boat fishing will be closed. Bank fishing will still be available at the Heidecke Lake Bank Fishing Area off E. Collins Rd. Wind speeds are checked daily by using the NOAA wind forecast at the Morris Muni-James R Washburn Field Airport here.
• I&M Canal - The Illinois & Michigan Canal snowmobile trail is closed.
• Kankakee River - 
  • The bike trail remains open, but users should STAY ON THE TRAIL.
  • Some of the restrooms may be closed due to maintenance issues. 
  • The main park closes at Sunset. 
  • Reservations on ExploreMoreIL™ are highly recommended.
    
• Mazonia - Braidwood SFWA - Eagle Lake and Ponderosa Lake at Mazonia/Braidwood SFWA is closed effective September 11, 2024, for a CDB construction project. There is no public access allowed in this area. Fishermen can use Monster Lake which is a half mile west of this area on 5000 road. Bullhead Lake is open to paddle vessels but is closed to larger boats due to ramp issues.
• McHenry Dam - Site will be closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Seasonal snow events and icy conditions may cause delayed or limited openings. 
• Moraine Hills - Site will be closed For the state-wide Deer Firearm Season the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before Thanksgiving weekend, and the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving weekend. Site is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Seasonal snow events and icy conditions may cause delayed or limited openings. 
• Silver Springs - There will be no standby hunters opening day of dove hunting (9/1/25), we will be allowing permitted hunters only.
  • Annual Closures
    • The West Entrance of the park is closed December 1 - March 31.
    • The youth area is closed.
  • 2025-2026 Trap and Archery Range Updates
    • 3/1/35 - 8/31/25 archery and trap ranges open daily.
    • 9/1/25 - 9/5/25 both ranges closed.
    • 9/6/25 - 10/29/25 both ranges open daily.
    • 10/30/25 - 12/28/25 both ranges only open Monday - Wednesday.
    • 12/29/25 - 1/18/25 both ranges open daily.
    • 1/19/26 - 2/28/26 both ranges closed.
    • 3/1/26 - 8/31/26 both ranges open daily.
  • 2025-2026 Closure/Trail Info
    • The equestrian trail will be open April 1st, 2026 - August 31, 2026.
    • 10/1/25 - 10/17/25 and 3/15/26 - 4/3/26, Loon Lake is closed to fishing.
• Region II Office (Bartlett) - Closed to the public.
• Volo Bog - Site is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Seasonal snow events and icy conditions may cause delayed or limited openings.

• Clinton Lake State Recreation Area – All park roads within the Mascoutin area of Clinton Lake will be CLOSED TO TRAFFIC (office, campground, amphitheater, trails, boat ramp and bank fishing) from 9 AM - 11 AM, SATURADAY, OCTOBER 4, 2025 for the NCAA Women's Prairie State Cup triathlon.  Both shower buildings are open and water is on for the season.  WEST SIDE BOAT ACCESS AREA WILL BE CLOSED (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BEGINNING MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2025.  Mascoutin Beach is closed for the season.  All Fish cleaning stations at Clinton Lake are closed indefinitely.  The campground is open year-round except for November 10-15, 2025 in order to host our annual disabled firearm deer hunt.  The area between County Highway 14/Friends Creek Road and State Route 48 (both sides of the lake) will be closed October 11, 12 and 13, 2025 to ALL ACTIVITIES except Youth Firearm permitted hunting.
• Hidden Springs – Big Tree Trail is closed indefinitely due to a large fallen tree from storm damage. Oak Ridge Hiking trail is closed indefinitely due to a bridge washout. Hidden Springs is doing pond renovation to Hickory Ridge and Sassafras ponds. Pond dams have been removed. 
  
• Kickapoo - Recreational boating will close on the Middle Fork River in Kickapoo SRA when the Middle Fork River is 4.0 or above on the USGS river gauge above Oakwood. The low water crossing on 1180 E is closed to foot and bike traffic when wet due to slick conditions. Sportsman's Lake Road, I-74 Loop, and the road to Inland Sea will be closed at upon the first snowfall until spring. Fox, Erie, and Redear campgrounds will close November 1st. Areas open to deer hunting will be closed to all activities except to hunters in possession of a site-specific permit during firearms and muzzleloader deer season. Areas open to spring turkey hunting will be closed to all activities (including mushroom foraging) until 1:00 PM except hunters in possession of a site-specific permit during turkey hunting hours. Periodic trail closures may occur for prescribed fire. Mountain bike trails are closed from the Monday before shotgun deer season until the Monday following muzzleloader deer season. Mountain bike trails will be closed after a rainfall or during the spring thaw until trails become dry. Mushroom hunting is prohibited in nature preserves and land and water reserves. Areas posted notifying of a prescribed burn are closed on the day of the burn.
• Lincoln Trail Homestead - Outdoor pavilion reservations can currently be made from 4/16 through 10/15 (annually). During the off season 10/16 to 4/15 (annually), the pavilions may be used on a "first come, first served bases" as weather permits. Reservations can be made at ExploreMoreIL™. The front half of the park and kayak launch areas remain open year round to parking while the back half of the facility is closed to vehicular traffic December 1st through March 1st, annually. 
• Lincoln Trail State Park - Outdoor pavilion reservations can currently be made from 4/16 through 10/15 (annually). During the off season 10/16 to 4/15 (annually), the pavilions may be used on a "first come, first served bases" as weather permits. Reservations can be made at ExploreMoreIL™. The staircases to the lower river trail are temporarily closed for replacement - this project is scheduled for substantial completion by 8/31/24, sorry for any inconvenience this closure causes. The lower river trail can still be accessed via the kayak launch trail.
• Middle Fork SFWA  – Recreational boating will close on the Middle Fork River in Middle Fork SFWA when the Middle Fork River is 4.0 or above on the USGS river gauge above Oakwood.  2250 N Road will close upon the first snowfall of the winter until spring. The Middle Fork campgrounds will close November 1st. Areas open to deer hunting will be closed to all activities except to hunters in possession of a site-specific permit during firearms and muzzleloader deer season. Areas open to spring turkey hunting will be closed to all activities (including mushroom foraging) except hunters in possession of a site-specific permit during turkey hunting hours. Periodic trail closures may occur for prescribed fire. Mushroom hunting is prohibited in nature preserves and land and water reserves.  Areas posted notifying of a prescribed burn are closed on the day of the burn. Horse trails are closed to horses from the Monday before shotgun deer season until the Monday following muzzleloader deer season.  
• Moraine View State Recreation Area –  Shower house in Gander Bay Campground is open and back in service. 
• Shelbyville State Fish & Wildlife Area - Throughout the winter some parking lots and access roads will be temporarily closed due to weather conditions. Dunn waterfowl area currently closed for drainage ditch maintenance utilizing a Duck Stamp Maintenance Grant - area anticipated to re-open week of 9/22 and pumping to begin for regular waterfowl season shortly thereafter - current river conditions on the West Okaw are extremely low and potentially will impede ability to pump at full capacity.
• Spitler Woods - All outdoor pavilions, trails, and playgrounds are open for use. Pavilions are first come, first served throughout the off season 10/16 - 4/15 (annually), all outdoor pavilions will open for reservations beginning on April 16, and remain available for reservation until 10/15 (annually).  All flush restrooms will open for the season on 4/16 and will remain so until first frost. The vault toilet building near the Long Creek pavilion will remain open year round. The indoor pavilion (Ida B. Spitler) is open for reservations beginning  April 1st (annually), and may be reserved through October 31st (annually). The site will update the status of the indoor pavilion capacities based on Regional COVID-19 parameters as provided by IDPH. Current capacity levels are at one hundred percent which is 80 occupants. Reservations can be made at ExploreMoreIL™
• Walnut Point State Park –   We apologize for any inconvenience. Walnut Point State Park’s main road accessing the campground will be closed starting 10/6 thru 10/9. The campground will be open for the holiday weekend, but campers will need to leave the park Sunday afternoon for work to continue, Monday the 13^th. The closure will continue part of that week, but more information will be given when available. 
• Weldon Springs - The campground is open for the season and the shower building and water are available.  The concession and boat rental operation is projected to open Memorial Day weekend.  Union School Interpretive Center will open for the season on May 23.    

Last updated: 10/8/2025

• Beall Woods State Park - Ridgway remains inaccessible due to the collapse of the low water crossing. 5/27/25
• Burning Star FWA - Mine Road through Burning Star is closed due to a culvert needing repaired as of 4/19/25. 
• Cache River Wetland Center - Open Thursday - Monday from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm until August 31, 2025. As of September 1, 2025 the center will be closed until further notice. If you would llike to schedule a group visit, please call Ferne Clyffe SP (618-995-2411). 
• Fort Massac State Park - Friday, October 17, 2025 at 6 am through Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 8 pm the boat ramp, floating dock, and parking lot at the riverfront will be closed for the Encampment. The Fifth and Seventh Street entrances to the park will also be closed Friday, October 17th, Saturday, October 18th, and Sunday, October 19th from 9 am to 3 pm. The Disc Golf Course will be closed during the Encampment and will re-open Monday, October 20th. 10/3/2025
• Lake Murphysboro State Park - Concession building is currently closed pending a Concessionaire. The walk bridge at the concession area is closed indefinitely. 4/8/25
• Stephen A. Forbes SRA - The restaurant and concessions are currently closed. The cabin at Oak Ridge Campground and the Primitive Tent Camping area are not available for reservations until further notice. 7/23/25
• Trail of Tears - The horse trails are partially open, including the two main loops. The far north loop will remain closed until further notice. Maps and signage will be posted. 7/23/25
• Wayne Fitzgerrell SRA - The campground will be closed from October 27, 2025 through November 5, 2025 for the disabled hunt. On October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd everything west of Fitzgerrell Park Drive will be closed to public access. This will include the campground, bike trails, Shelters 1, 2, and 3. Hickman's Point camping loop will reopen November 5th. 10/8/2025