Exploring Illinois Beach State Park

Hiking Illinois Beach State Park (Zion/Beach Park, IL)

March 26-28, 2014

Jill and I stayed two nights/three days at the resort hotel located in the park and on the Lake Michigan waterfront dunes. The “resort” (broadest sense of the word) was fine: nothing special, but comfortable. We had a nice view of the lake and dunes from our window. We decided to stay here because of a Groupon deal that included lodging and food credits at the restaurant.

The place could use some updates and renovations. To their credit, the main restaurant and bar was being renovated while we were there and the pool/health club complex (open for memberships) was decent enough. There were some families with kids enjoying the amenities, and I am sure the place is packed in the summer months. It might be the closest thing to a (salt water) beach vacation you can have in the Midwest. The food at the restaurant was good but nothing spectacular. The server said the resort is the second busiest wedding venue in Lake County (behind Marriott Lincolnshire).

But we were there to spend a few days away from our kids, hiking and enjoying each other’s company. We took four separate hikes, each about 3 miles long. The weather was crappy: 35-40 degrees, very windy and at times rainy.

Here’s what we saw on our hikes:

Old beach shelter in foreground; nuclear power plant back

NORTH OF RESORT, TOWARD POWER PLANT: On our hikes through the vacant campground (opens for camping on April 1) and toward the shuttered nuclear power plant, we saw at least two dozen deer grazing on the acorns in the oak stands just off the dunes. The acorns had no doubt been there since the previous fall, but due to the extended snow cover, they were just now exposed for the deer to eat. The deer did not spook easily and are accustomed to human presence: not a good thing. I mentally noted the perfect spots for deer hunting tree stands.

Deer carcass on lake shore near Dead River 

SOUTH OF THE RESORT, THROUGH THE NATURE PRESERVE: On our hikes south of the resort, through the nature trail, we didn’t see any wildlife save for a few species of ducks on the protected-from-the-wind Dead River, which drains the wetlands around the resort and flows into Lake Michigan. We did come upon the skeletal remains of a buck whitetail on the beach, about 50 yards from where the Dead River flows into the lake. Coyotes probably devoured the flesh, but a human definitely sawed off the antlers. The dunes are most interesting on this side of the park. We even spotted prickly pear cacti growing among the dune grasses and other plant cover. Many oak trees were down/knocked over, most likely from the tornado that destroyed much of the park a few years prior.

TRIP TO KENOSHA: We hit Rustic Road brewery in old town Kenosha. Both seasonal stouts were delicious (a dry one at 7 % and a double chocolate milk one at 5.5%). We got a growler of Kenosha Pale Ale to go. We ate dinner at Uncle Mike’s Top Shelf Pub in Pleasant Prairie, a roadhouse right on Sheridan Road after you cross through the Cheddar Curtain into Wisconsin. Solid pub food and an outstanding tap and bottled beer selection.

Bottom line: Although the weather was dreary and cold, the getaway was fun due to the interesting dune terrain and waterfowl and deer sanctuary.

Dead River flows into Lake Michigan.