Description
This section of the Great River Trail has abundant offerings to nature enthusiasts. Illiniwek Forest Preserve is a 174-acre park in Hampton, Illinois and maintained by Rock Island County Forest Preserve Commission. Activities abound with camping, hiking trails, mountain biking trails, river access for boating, fishing, picnic areas, shelter rentals, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, and sledding. Fisherman's Corner offers camping, fishing, and opportunities to see wildlife in a shallow water marsh on the upstream side of Lock and Dam No. 14, which contains frogs, turtles, muskrats, blue herons, and waterfowl in the fall. Downstream of the levee are fishing waters containing all species native to the area. In the winter, trail users will also often be treated to majestic bald eagles in flight, feeding over the Mississippi River, or nesting in the Elton E. Fawks Bald Eagle Refuge Nature Preserve on the adjacent bluff. This 0.5-mile section of trail is flat and has a concrete and asphalt surface, making it an easy to moderate experience for trail users.
The Great River Trail (GRT) runs beside the Mississippi River through the Quad Cities region from Sunset Park in Rock Island to the Rock Island County-Whiteside County line. This section of the GRT is part of the larger 66-mile GRT mile trail system that extends from Rock Island, Illinois at its south end to Savanna, Illinois at its northern terminus. The GRT is widely used as an alternative transportation link and for both active and passive recreational benefits. In addition, the trail provides access and connections to neighborhoods, commercial districts, industrial areas, recreational areas, and historical landmarks. The trail parallels the Great River Road National Scenic Byway (Illinois state highways 92 and 84) throughout the region.
Other Information
The Great River Trail is also part of three other significant trail networks: the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), the American Discovery Trail (ADT), and the Grand Illinois Trail (GIT). The MRT is a 3,000 mile trail system that follows the Mississippi River from the headwaters in Itasca, Minnesota to its delta at the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans, Louisiana. The ADT traverses the U.S. coast to coast from California to Delaware for more than 6,800 miles across 15 states. As it loops more than 500 miles between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, the entire Grand Illinois Trail joins together existing and proposed state and local trails to create the state’s longest continuous trail. It hugs historic canals, crosses unglaciated hills, parallels the Rock and Fox Rivers, and includes one of America’s first rail-trails.
Elevation Profile
The elevation profile above approximates terrain along the specified section of trail and is provided for general information. Use your best judgment to choose trails with elevation changes to match your comfort level. See QC Trails Terms of Use for more information.
Trail Manager
Visit the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District online for more information or contact:
19406 Loud Thunder Road
Illinois City, IL 61259
(309) 795-1040
View website
Nearby Geocaches
Trailhead Information
This section of the Great River Trail can be accessed via Fisherman's Corner Recreation Area off of State Avenue, a popular camping destination along the Mississippi River or in Illiniwek Forest Preserve, also off of State Avenue turning north onto 1st Avenue and driving to the end. Both trail heads offer ample parking for trail users convenience.
Trail Map
