Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
4
County
Peoria
Location And Access
From Peoria at jct. Hwys. 29 (Galena Rd.) & 150 (War Memorial Drive), go north on Hwy. 29 6.8 mi., then turn and go west on Mossville Rd. 1.8 mi. The preserve is 0.2 mi. south of Mossville Rd. Special Note: Public access is not available to the preserve from any public road. Check at Forest Park Nature Center (5809 Forest Park Drive, Peoria) for directions on access to the preserve.
Description
Robinson Park Hill Prairies Nature Preserve contains forest and high-quality, glacial drift hill prairies characteristic of the Grand Prairie Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division. The preserve occurs on two long, narrow ridges and steep valley slopes drained by Moon Creek. A series of small glacial drift hill prairies occur on steep southwest-facing slopes along the two major ridges. Upland forest covers the slopes and valleys. Prairie openings are dominated by little bluestem and side-oats grama. Common prairie wildflowers include scurf pea, pale purple coneflower, yellow false foxglove, golden alexanders, purple prairie clover, and birdsfoot violet. Forested upper slopes are dominated by white oak, red oak, and shagbark hickory, while predominant trees on lower slopes and moist ravines are sugar maple, red oak, and basswood. Spectacular displays of wildflowers grace some of the rich, wooded slopes in the spring.
Ownership
Peoria Park District
Dedicated
September 1988
Size
151.5 acres
Topographic Quad
Spring Bay
Topo Map
For Further Information
Forest Park Nature Center, Peoria Park District, 5809 Forest Park Drive, Peoria, IL 61614 (309/686-3360)