Illinois Beach State Park and North Point Marina
The 4162-acre state park with 6 miles of sandy beach includes a marina, campground, swimming beach plus the first dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve (which is also a Ramsar wetland site). Illinois Beach State Park has been said to have more plant diversity than any other place in Illinois. There are 40 endangered plant and animal species and more than 650 plant species. Fourteen natural community types are found in the park including dunes, wetlands, prairies, and savanna areas. Within these communities are rare plants such as orchids and cactus. The lake shore is the last remaining undeveloped lake shore in Illinois. The park has been designated as an Important Bird Area. IBSP is home to a variety of marsh birds such as sora rails and sandhill cranes plus much of the shoreline has been designated as critical habitat for the piping plover. The south unit Dead River trail is excellent for spring passerine migration. Great horned owls, red tail hawks, and northern harriers are common in the park. In the summer, whippoorwills can be heard in the evenings. One of the best hawk watches in the Midwest is run from a picnic shelter in the north unit off 17th street. In the winter there are rafts of diving ducks on Lake Michigan, but the North Point Marina harbor is the home of the annual IOS-sponsored Gull Frolic. There is an 8-mile, pea-gravel trail connecting the south unit Nature Center to the north unit Marina which makes for a great birding by bike experience in summer with the cool lake breezes.
Location: Zion (Northeast Lake County)
Best Time of Year: Year-round
Key Species: Migrating fall raptors, spring passerines, migrating shorebirds, wintering ducks.
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