Posted in Illinois Nature May 19, 2021 by Melissa Mahoney

Hike Around Sylvan Island, Home To An Abandoned Industrial Site In Illinois

While hiking on a trail through nature is always wonderful, trekking through the ruins of abandoned buildings can be both fascinating and a little creepy. Whether you’re an urban explorer or just enjoy hiking to historic sites, Sylvan Island in the Moline area provides an easy trail around the island that once had a thriving industrial site.

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What is now the island was once connected to the mainland. Earth was blasted away for water power use and Sylvan Island was created. Dams were first placed on this human-made island to power electric lights in the late 1800s.

Located on the border of Rock Island and Moline is the Sylvan Island Gateway Park, a convenient place to start your trek as it has amenities like a restroom and picnic area.

Sylvan Island is approximately 37 acres and can be accessed via the pedestrian bridge found at Sylvan Island Gateway Park. The island was once home to Republic Steel which was in operation here from the 1890s until it shut down in the 1950s. It now lays in ruins as nature reclaims the island.

Along the easy 1.2-mile Sylvan Island loop trail there isn't much foot traffic. It's an ideal place for hiking, jogging, biking, bird watching, fishing, and viewing wildlife.

If you would like a longer hike, there is a network of trails that veer off from the loop, providing ample opportunities to explore the ruins of what was once home to an industrial site. In all, there are six miles of trails on the island.

Along the way, you will see the ruins of Republic Steel, fishing piers, and overlooks where you can view the Mississippi River.

Sylvan Island is a fascinating place to walk around with all there is to see. From industry and history to nature and wildlife, there's no other hike quite like this in Illinois.

Over the years, many accounts of paranormal activity on Sylvan Island have been reported. Maybe it’s due to the numerous deaths that have happened here and its long history. Whatever the case may be, you can read more about hauntings on the island and a few other locales around the Prairie State in this post.

Address: Sylvan Island, Moline, IL 61265, USA