Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
1
County
Winnebago
Location
The site is in Winnebago County along the western edge of the Village of Roscoe and approximately 15 miles Northeast of downtown Rockford.
Description
Stone Ridge Reserve Land and Water Reserve consists of a 4.5-mile stretch of abandoned Chicago Northwestern Railroad right-of-way in northeast Winnebago County. The reserve hosts high-quality natural communities consisting of conservative plant species, as well as state threatened and endangered species. It consists of a small Grade A dry prairie remnant identified by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (Hamborg Road Prairie INAI #1042). It was the only Grade A relict of its kind reported in the Winnebago Driftless Section at the time of the 1978 survey. There is also Grade C dry gravel prairie and Grade C dry mesic prairie identified by the INAI.
Ownership
Roscoe Township
Natural Division
Winnebago Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division (#3d)
Registered
August 1995
Size
54 acres
Access
Public access to the site is provided at several locations. The Stone Bridge Bike Trail is available year-round for public use. It attracts many recreational bike riders who enjoy the gentle grade of the trail as well as the many scenic vistas found along the way. Roscoe Township has added interpretive displays along the trail which explain the history of the former railroad bed and the Stone Bridge.
Topographic Quad
Belvidere NW & South Beloit
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov