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West Side Park
Our Community Parks
Did you know that 100% of the homes in Champaign-Urbana are within
a ½ mile distance of green space? With over 1,200 acres of community
parks all around the area, there are plenty to explore for a little break. Here
are some signature spots to check out!
Hessel Park, Champaign-A trail weaves
around the park where you'll find public
art, tennis courts, and an accessible
playground and splashpad for the kids. Pick
a weekend when live music is happening!
Crystal Lake Park, Urbana-The largest
park in the area, this recently renovated
spot has paddle boating, canoeing, or
kayaking on their lake on the south side of
the park. While heading north, you'll find the
Crystal Lake Park Family Aquatic Center,
Anita Purves Nature Center, Friendship
Grove Natural Playscape, and the oldest
trees in the area in Busey Woods.
Weaver Park, Urbana-This natural area
showcases native plants and wildlife and
also serves as a trailhead for the Kickapoo
Rail Trail.
Colbert Park, Savoy-A year-round
destination, the 55-acre park has a lake for
fishing, sand volleyball courts, and plenty of
trails to walk or bike, as well as the largest
sledding hill in the area.
Douglass Park, Champaign-Host to
events like Juneteenth and CU Days, it
features a fitness trail so you can do more
than walk. Stop in the Douglass Library
while in the park!
Barber Park, Mahomet-Newly expanded,
this park filled with sports activities
now features a splashpad, an inclusiveplayground,
and an amphitheater, perfect
for catching live music in the park.
Ervin Park, Tuscola-This spot near
downtown offers a large play area for
kids to use their imagination. Plenty of
recreational opportunities are available
with basketball and tennis courts on-site
alongside soccer and baseball fields.
LOCAL LOVES
Madeline-Weaver Park
is my favorite secret spot to
appreciate native prairie beauty and do
some great bird watching. It's a short
trail, but if you walk clockwise from the
parking lot, then counterclockwise back,
you get exposed to more diversity within
the wooded grove, around the pond,
and through the prairie grasses. It's
also the start of the Kickapoo Rail Trail,
where you can enjoy a bike ride to The
Wheelhouse in St. Joseph, then fuel up
on some divine farm-to-table food and
local brews for the ride back.
Urbana Park District | 505 West Stoughton, Urbana | 217-367-1544
www.UrbanaParks.org
experiencecu.org
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https://champaignparks.com/park/hessel-park/ https://champaignparks.com/park/douglass-park/ https://www.urbanaparks.org/parks/crystal-lake-park/ https://www.facebook.com/mahometsprayandplay/ https://www.urbanaparks.org/parks/weaver-park/ https://tuscola.org/parks-dept/profile/ervin-park https://www.urbanaparks.org/parks/weaver-park/ http://www.UrbanaParks.org http://www.experiencecu.org

ExperienceGuide2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ExperienceGuide2023