Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
- Nature & parks
- In Aux Sable, Illinois
- 9.6 mi from Route 66
Heidecke Lake, a state fish and wildlife area, spreads over about 1,300 acres in Morris, IL, about 10 miles off the old Route 66 corridor. The lake at its heart is man-made: it was dug as a cooling pond for the Collins Generating Station, a power plant that no longer operates. Set aside in 1978, it now serves as a state park and wildlife refuge in Grundy County.
What it is
Most state parks protect natural scenery. This one grew out of industry. The water was excavated so a generating station could run, and although the plant is now defunct, the lake remains. The state manages the water and the land around it for fish and wildlife, and the site is classed as a protected area, a state park and a wildlife refuge.
For road trippers, that makes it an unusual kind of nature stop: a big sheet of open water on the flat Grundy County landscape.
Visiting tips
Plan on a detour of about 10 miles from the old road. Restrooms are on site. The lake makes a quiet contrast to the historic towns along Route 66, and two archaeological sites of early local industry are close by: White and Company's Goose Lake Stoneware Manufactury, about 1.5 miles away, and the company's Goose Lake Tile Works, about 1.8 miles off. Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area is about 2 miles away if you would like to see open prairie too.
Practical info
- Address
- 5010 North Jugtown Road, Morris, IL 60450
- Phone
- +1 815-942-6352
- Hours
- Daily 7–5
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat nearby
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapHeidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Nearby stops
All of Illinois
1.5 mi from Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
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