Illinois’ Most Underrated National Forest You Need to Visit

Nestled comfortably between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in southern Illinois is a stunning little natural wonder sure to thrill even the sourest of nature lovers (as if sourpuss nature geeks exist to begin with). Cypress Creek Wildlife Refuge is nothing short of a small miracle, featuring some of the oldest trees in the entire state and some of the best hiking in the Midwest. It's hauntingly beautiful, and if you're anything like I am, you'll shortly be obsessed.

As of this writing, the refuge is already impressively large: at approximately 15,000 acres, it's nothing to shake a stick at (but it is something to write home about, if you will). Eventually, it will be 35,000 acres total, making it one of the most amazing places in Illinois. I might be biased, but this state is outrageously beautiful, and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge shows us all the reasons why our state is simply the best.

The refuge is located in the Cache River Watershed and is home to an assortment of flora and fauna. Deemed a "Wetland of International Importance" in 1971, this incredible landscape is sometimes referred to as the Illinois Bayou, and just why is obvious: It's quite reminiscent of the swamps found more frequently in the South. The vast majority of Illinois's swampland (91 percent, to be exact) is here.

Once upon a time, the Cache River Watershed occupied an incredible 300,000 acres, but over time, it shrank drastically—250,000 acres have been lost over the decades thanks to land clearing, drainage, and other factors. As this precious landscape disappears, I'm reminded of just how important it is to protect it; once you've been here, you'll understand why I'm so passionate about it.

This incredible natural wonderland is more than beautiful and fascinating: it's also home to a variety of birds and other creatures. In the winter, it serves as a resting and feeding area for waterfowl. It provides valuable habitat for certain types of bats, including endangered Indiana bats. As if that's not special enough, there's a rich assortment of game critters here, and at certain times of year, it's open for hunting.

My favorite aspect of this incredible nature preserve in Illinois isn't any of these things, though - my favorite thing about the whole preserve is its incredible age. The Cache River State Natural Area and parts of the nature preserve are home to cypress trees known to be over 1,000 years old. Old-growth forests provide an amazing peek into the past - a glimpse of what our world used to look like.

For more information about this incredible old-growth forest in Illinois, visit the official Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge website at FWS.gov.

Do you have a favorite old-growth forest in Illinois you just can't get enough of? Plan a trip to explore it ASAP. Find more Illinois nature to explore using our Travel Planner!