Wolf Creek State Park has seven hiking trails, and when enough snow covers the ground, a 16 1/2 mile snowmobile trail. The scenic equestrian trail extends for 15 miles.

The three marked nature trails at Eagle Creek provide its users with treks through the forests, and the more adventurous can backpack a 12 mile trail. There is also a three-mile cross-country ski trail and a “Butterfly Barn.”

Hunting & Fishing

If your interests include hunting and fishing, there is no better place to indulge in these sports than on or around the shores of Lake Shelbyville.

Experienced fishing guides can almost guarantee a successful catch at any time of the year, whether you want to fish for muskies, walleye, largemouth bass, crappie, white bass, bluegill or catfish. The Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the local Dept. of Natural Resources district fish biologist, currently manage 16 farm ponds to maintain sizable populations of each species. The ponds range in size from one quarter acre to 27 acres, and most are easily accessible by foot.

And hunters can choose from species such as doves, quail, rabbits, pheasant, whitetail deer, gray and fox squirrels, fox, coyotes, raccoons, woodcock, wild turkeys and waterfowl during the various open seasons. The majority of huntable state lands are located in the upper reaches of the lake along the West Okaw and Kaskaskia rivers in Moultrie County.

A special annual deer season is held for the physically disabled at the Okaw Bluff Group Camp south of Sullivan.

Boating

Two of the three marinas on Lake Shelbyville are located in Moultrie County.

Sullivan Marina, located south of Sullivan on Rt. 32, has overnight facilities, a restaurant on the lake, gas, fresh water service for boaters and a campground.

Findlay Marina, located just west of the Findlay Bridge, offers boat and motor sales, a snack bar and gas service.

Both of these marinas, as well as the Lithia Springs Marina, located near the Shelbyville Dam at the south end of the lake, offer boat rentals and information on fishing guide services.

The numerous coves along the 172 mile shoreline are secluded and often used to picnic, overnight in houseboats, swimming and fishing.

Camping

Four of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds are located in Moultrie County.

The Forrest Bo Wood Recreation Area, located south of Sullivan on the north side of the lake, offers 79 sites with 48 of them reservable. The camping areas are open from April 4 through Oct. 27.

The Whitley Creek Recreation Area, located on the south side of the lake, has 81 sites with 64 of them reservable.

The Wilborn Creek Recreation Area, located southwest of Bethany, offers group camping from May 3 to Sept. 2, as does the Okaw Bluff Group Camp located south of Sullivan on Rt. 32.

Corps of Engineer beaches in Moultrie County include the Sullivan Beach just off Rt. 32 and one at Wilborn Creek.

Also located in Moultrie County is the Camp Camfield Environmental Study Area which contains nature trails, prairie plots, fishing ponds, picnic tables, a state and amphitheater, all available for day use.

Bird Watching

Over 200 species of birds have been documented at Lake Shelbyville since listing began in 1975.

Seasonal displays featuring shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, wood warblers, raptors and grassland and shrub habitat songbirds are a birdwatcher’s delight. Resident game birds and game mammals are plentiful, offering the hunter opportunities not readily available in the intensely farmed areas dominating the off-site landscapes.

Bobwhite, quail, ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, woodcock, cottontail rabbit, whitetail deer, fox and gray squirrel, raccoon, muskrat, opossum and mink are found in good number.

Portions of the area are managed under a farm lease program to promote upland wildlife habitat and to demonstrate the potential for producing wildlife on farm lands. Site personnel supplement natural habitats with tree and shrub plantings, native grass seedings, specialty food crop production and succession control.

Wetland and marshland habitat management are emphasized in and around the five waterfowl management areas. By controlling the depth and duration of water on an area, significant amounts of natural moist soil plants are produced. These, in turn, are used to provide breeding, courtship, feeding and staging areas for wetland wildlife species including rails, snipe, herons, shorebirds, cormorants, ducks and geese.

The Kaskaskia and West Okaw units offer developed nature trails that highlight the habitats found there. These trails provide visitors an opportunity to leisurely wander through natural settings which present different plant and animal communities at every turn. Whether a spring walk to look at wildflowers or marvel at woodland warblers, or a fall hike to take in fall leaf color, these trails showcase some of central Illinois’ finest outdoor spectaculars.

For additional information contact: Site Superintendent, Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Management Area, Rt. 1, Box 42A, Bethany, IL 61914 or call 217-665-3112.

Nature study

Located along the Kaskaskia and West Okaw rivers near Sullivan, the Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Management Area offers some of the best canoeing, river fishing and nature study opportunities in the state.

The two areas contain over 6,000 acres of mixed habitats including forest, prairies, restored grasslands, old field, brush wetlands, rivers, streams and cropland. All are situated in the upper reaches of the 34,000-acre Lake Shelbyville project area.

The wildlife area is composed of two separate units. The Kaskaskia (eastern) unit covers 3,700 acres, and the West Okaw (western) unit contains about 2,500 acres. These are managed primarily to promote diverse habitats so that a wide variety of wildlife species are accommodated, and related recreational opportunities are afforded the general public.

Oak, hickory and hard maple flourish in the uplands, while cottonwood, sycamore, soft maple and willow dominate the lowlands.

The variety of species creates spectacular scenery as the foliage changes from green to the vivid reds, oranges, purples and yellows of a showy Illinois fall.

Prairie plants can be found along railroad paths, rural roads and in abandoned fields. Of special note is the unique 3 1/2 acre Hill Prairie. This relic prairie jewel is nearly back to its natural state. Located near the extreme southeast corner of the Kaskaskia unit, the area is known to harbor over 50 species of native plants. Its summer bloom of purple and yellow cone flowers is, by itself, worthy of a visit to the site. An additional wealth of native wildflowers can be found in woodland understories, along ditch banks and in old field settings throughout the area.