Moraine View State Park, an Illinois State Park near Bloomington, Normal

USA

Illinois

Moraine View State Park

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Moraine View State Park

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State Park Contact Information:
	Moraine View State Park 27374 Moraine View Park Rd. LeRoy, Illinois 61752 Phone: 309-724-8032 Email: dnr.moraineview@illinois.gov
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State Park Overview:

With fully developed facilities for picnicking, camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, horseback riding and hunting, the 1,687-acre Moraine View State Recreation Area, with its 158-acre lake, is a beautiful, convenient and accessible locale for relaxation and recreation.

When the glaciers of the last Ice Age moved through central Illinois 15,000 years ago, they pushed massive amounts of rock and earth before them, leaving in their wake long and expansive ridges that ripple across the landscape. These irregular crests are called moraines, and on their gentle swells and their broad valleys are scattered groves of white oak, red oak, black walnut, maple, hickory, ash and elm.

One of the four largest of these moraines in Illinois -- the Bloomington Moraine -- stretches across the state from Elgin to the Illinois River at Peoria east to Saybrook. In the middle of this sprawling feature, Moraine View State Recreation Area -- just minutes east of Bloomington/Normal off I-74 -- provides an ideal opportunity to enjoy both the tranquil natural beauty of Midwestern woodland and refreshing outdoor activity.

Nature of the Area:

For the day visitor, there is ample parking throughout the area and eight picnic areas in shaded spots, with tables and fireplaces. In addition there are five picnic shelters, three available for reservations and two for first-come, first-serve use. There are four playground areas for the kids.

Reviews By Park Visitors:

visitor rating:

(13 votes) |Post Your Own Review

A great time!

Had a great time at Moraine View. Very nice, well maintained, and friendly. Will return to camp and recommend to friends

(name not given) 21-May-2008

Our favorite park

This one has everything. The only drawback a few years ago was the sulfur smell in the water. However, after going there this year, the water did not have that same smell. Beautiful lake, good campsites, great playground, hiking trails and friendly people. Really like the place

(name not given) 18-Jun-2008

Nice during week, busy summer weekends

The campground was pleasant and quiet during the week. Over the weekend as the campground was almost full, the bathhouse facilities were not as clean and the campground noise level was higher. The campground hosts were pleasant, helpful and very much present on the site. The campground only has electric hookups on the sites. Water spigots are available but are few and far between. Two dump stations are available. The water which may have been potable was far from clear. The campsites are nicely spaced among large mature trees. The playground was a nice playground though close to the bathhouse. The campground is a popular site with families for tent camping. The campground is far enough from major roads to be a quiet and pleasant camping experience.

(name not given) 22-Jun-2008

I love this park

The hosts are excellent and the people are very friendly. It is very chld friendy.

Written by Buttons 22-Jun-2008

Wonderful Time with family

We had a great time camping the weekend prior to and the week of July 4th. In fact, we initially were going to camp for only the weekend and then extended our stay for the rest of the week. We had a great Tent Camp Site - and wonderful fishing!

(name not given) 16-Jul-2008

We love our park!!!!!!!!!!

moraine view is one of the best parks we visit during the summer.the staff is very nice and the hosts are very infomative about current events and about activites going on in the area. This park is a big part of the community of leroy and should always be open.

Written by Molly Missey and family 5-Sep-2008

A Camping Pleasure

My husband & I camped here for the 1st time this year and it was a very enjoyable visit. Nice paved roads for bicyling, nice walking trails, level sites and lovely lake for fishing or boating. Look forward to camping there again !

Written by Carolyn Young 9-Nov-2008

One of our favorite parks

My husband and 6 of his friends just finished their last hunt at Moraine View before its closing 11/30/08. They all loved it and hope if would remain open.

Written by Moraine Viewless Josie 26-Nov-2008

VERY GOOD!!

Been going their camping for the past 40yrs. Fishing is veru good they have a resturant right there on the lake and the park staff is great also.

(name not given) 18-Mar-2009

best time camping/fishing

been camp for yearsat moraine view,my grandparentscamp for many years,he passed there boat down to my famly and now we fish and camp there in my grandparents behalf our freinds camp beside us we fish and have a realy good time there. the park is clean the bathhouseis nice and clean,play ground is nice. if you want have a good time camping go to MORAINE VIEW by leroy

Written by the Miller famly/ BUCKLEY IL 28-Mar-2009

First Time Campers!!!!

My family bought a camper and had our first experience at this park. Wow! It was amazing. We camped 4th of July 2008, and all of the fellow campers were helpful and kind. The hosts were also extremely helpful to us newbies. We had so much fun with the lake, playground, horserides, and biking, that we are going to be camping there many more times this year, and years to come!!! Beautiful place with lots of room to play!! Noise level was under control and no obscene campers! We would definitely recommend this campground to anyone.

Written by The Moyer family 25-May-2009

LOVE LOVE IT

I have been coming here since I was little. I got married at this pard and now take my kids. We love camping at catfish bay(tent camping) and our kids have a blast. We love it. Everybody should go. If you like to have more amenities you can camp where the campers are then you can have showers and everything but you dont have as much privacy. Great family place and very nice people. oh we also love the beach.

Written by Nikki 13-Jul-2009

Very beautiful peaceful park

My best friend, our kids, and I just got back from camping over the weekend. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we stayed another night. There are many trails to walk and a beach the kids can swim at. It cost $1/person to swim but it is worth it. Primitive camping was $6/night and each site has a picnic bench, grill, and fire pit. I would recommend this park to anyone who wants a relaxing break from reality. :)

Written by Tiffany :) 20-Jul-2009

Camping:

For longer stays, there are 137 Class A trailer campsites with water, electricity and a sanitary station. Sixty-one sites can now be reserved in Gander Bay campground. A boat launch and dock is also situated in this area. Alcohol is prohibited in all campgrounds. Reservations are accepted.

Catfish Bay camp area and Tall Timber backpack trail provide 32 primitive class D sites. Ol' Orchard group camp has two sites able to accommodate 125 people. Timber Ridge group camp has 3 sites. Timberline Ridge horse camp has 30 Class "A" campsites complete with water, electricity, and hitching racks.

A concession stand, located near the boat dock and launch, offers dock and boat rental, fishing tackle, bait, refreshments and various supplies. A restaurant, seating 60, serves breakfast and lunch daily. For information, call (309) 724-8295.

Trails:

For invigorating exploration, Moraine View contains a variety of opportunities. The half-mile Tanglewood Self-Guiding Nature Trail winds around the lake finger in a wooded area and will take you within sight of a thriving beaver dam and lodge. Tall Timber Trail, a 1.5-mile backpack and hiking trail over moderate terrain, also provides sites for primitive camping along its course. The Timber Point Handicapped Trail is a half-mile long opportunity for the disabled visitor to enjoy the pleasures of the woods as well.

Boating:

Drifting and bobbing on the glittering expanse of Dawson Lake is one of the site's most popular activities, whether aboard a sailboat or in a motorcraft of 10 horsepower or less. Presently, an idle-speed/no-wake speed limit exists for boat motors over 10 horsepower. There is a two-lane launching ramp and docking facility and boat rentals are available at the concession stand.

Swimming:

The Black Locust picnic area includes a public, sandy beach where swimming is permitted from Memorial Day to Labor Day. No alcohol or pets are allowed on the beach, and swimmers are to remain in the buoyed area. There are no lifeguards. Enjoy yourself, but please be careful.

Fishing and Hunting:

Fishing:

The lake is regularly stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, bullhead, crappie, channel catfish, walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. Whether from the five miles of shoreline or off the handicapped-accessible fishing pier, the angling is always good.

Hunting:

Thirteen hundred acres of this are open to public hunting in season. Moraine View is one of eight sites in Illinois which has nine weeks of controlled pheasant hunting. Please consult the park office for specific information concerning hunting and opening dates for various species.

History of the Area:

When early Europeans first arrived in this area, they found the Kickapoo and Potawatomi Indian tribes peacefully sharing the countryside. Following the War of 1812, the tribes signed a treaty with the Europeans enabling them to continue to live on the land and take game until white settlers moved in. In 1830 there were 630 Kickapoo living in a village in "Old Town Timber" south of Ellsworth.

The scattered groves of timber along the streams provided these early settlers with shelter from the bitter winds of winter, building materials, fuel and shade. The wet, sometimes marshy, prairie lands, though tough and difficult to turn with their primitive implements, were gradually drained or cleared, and small farms sprang up everywhere, taking advantage of the rich fertile soils left by the glacial retreat.

By the middle of the 20th century, it became apparent that the heavily farmed countryside -- situated as it was in an area whose topography and terrain precluded many good lake sites -- would require artificial manipulation to provide and maintain a water-based recreation area for it's steadily increasing population.

In 1957, preliminary surveys were made, and in 1959 the State of Illinois purchased 760 acres in Dawson Township. Clearing contracts were awarded in 1960, and by July of 1962 construction had begun on a dam on the North Fork tributary of Salt Creek between U.S.150 and Illinois Route 9. The resulting lake, called Dawson Lake after the families of early settlers, was opened for fishing in 1963.

Originally known as the McLean County Conservation Area, additional acquisitions have expanded the area to its present 1,687 acres, and in 1975 it was designated as Moraine View State Recreation Area. Development of full recreational facilities has since made this one of the state's sterling examples of how economic and social necessity also can provide opportunities for conservation and recreation.

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