Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Illinois River Hub — 2,023-acre site on the Illinois River — managed wetlands providing critical habitat for migrating waterfowl
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area covers 2,023 acres on the Illinois River in Tazewell County — one of the key managed wetland sites on the Mississippi Flyway. The area’s moist-soil management units are flooded and drained seasonally to produce natural food sources for migrating waterfowl. During peak fall migration, Spring Lake hosts tens of thousands of ducks and geese. The Illinois River valley between Peoria and Havana is one of the most important waterfowl staging areas in North America.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Tazewell County, IL |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Size | 2,023 acres! |
| Migration | Tens of thousands of waterfowl! |
About Spring Lake
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area in Tazewell County protects a major backwater lake along the Illinois River — one of the most important waterfowl migration areas in the Midwest. The lake hosts vast concentrations of ducks and geese during fall and spring migrations. American white pelicans and bald eagles are increasingly common visitors.
Things to Do
Waterfowl hunting (world-class — the Illinois River valley is one of the continent’s premier waterfowl corridors), fishing, birdwatching for pelicans and eagles, and wildlife photography during migrations.
About Spring Lake
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area in Tazewell County provides outdoor recreation in the Illinois River valley — one of the most important wetland corridors in the Mississippi Flyway. The area encompasses backwater lakes and floodplain habitat that support massive concentrations of migrating waterfowl.
Things to Do
Waterfowl hunting (seasonal), fishing in backwater lakes, birdwatching during migration (enormous concentrations of ducks and geese), and wildlife observation.
🦆 Visit Spring Lake FWA
2,023 acres — tens of thousands of waterfowl, Mississippi Flyway hub!
Park Location
Top Tours & Activities in Illinois
from $89
from $508
from $35