Now you can take your bike on select Amtrak trains. Amtrak serves 30 Illinois cities and offers many opportunities for bicycling adventures. Bicycle space is limited and reservations are required, so call Amtrak at (800) USA-RAIL or visit www.amtrak.com. For guidelines and Amtrak policies, visit www.bicyclesonboard.com

Bicycling maps covering all of Illinois, are provided free by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) by district, are available. Contact: IDOT Map Sales, Room 121, 2300 S. Dicksen Parkway, Springfield, IL. 62764

For information on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Bicycle Brochures, call (217) 782-7498

Take only memories, leave only footprints. Your visit to an Illinois state park can be pleasant if you abide by a few simple rules. Stay on designated hiking trails. Don't pick any flowers. Confine your pet to a leash. Wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes. Take water with you on long hikes. Use insect repellent to help ward off mosquitos and other insects.Be sure to protect yourself from wood ticks, carriers of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and deer ticks, carriers of Lyme disease. Deer ticks thrive in woods and fields with tall, dense grass. Wear a long sleeve shirt, button your collar and stuff your trouser cuffs into the tops of your socks. Wear light-colored clothing to better see is any ticks have attached to your cloths. Examine your clothing and skin frequently for ticks and also check your pets. Ticks prefer warm, moist areas, so pay particular attention to inspecting your groin, armpits and scalp. Carefully remove any attached tick immediately with tweezers. You may also want to preserve it in a small bottle of alcohol should symptoms appear later. Symtoms can be flu-like and some victims suffer a red, bull's eye rash with a clear center around the site of the tick bite. Not all deer ticks carry Lyme disease, but if suspect you are bitten, contact your doctor. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, and patients can recover fully when treated.

Some of the state parks and lodges have riding stables adjacent to them which have horses and equipment available for use within the facility. It is recommended you call ahead to verify horse availability and rental rates.

L          Level
S         Slightly Rolling
G         Gently Rolling
R         Rugged, Rough
F          Field Edges, Open Fields
P          Prairies, Grasslands
A          Agriculture Areas
W         Wildlife Food Plots
T          Timberland  

Specific weather conditions and a minimum of 4 inches of snow cover must exist before any state trail can be opened for snowmobiling. Several facilities offer winter activities such as cross-country skiing, ice fishing, ice skating and sledding. An advance call to the site is recommended. All snowmobilers are required to register their presence at the park office or other designated registration points prior to hitting the trails. For further information on snowmobiling, call 815-625-2968.