Middle Fork River Forest Preserve (Champaign County)

 by David Scott

• Useful links:
  • http://www.ccfpd.org/midfork.htm   (Middle Fork River Forest Preserve website)
  • http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/9931/bars.html (A list of "Biker Friendly Bars", which includes the Oasis in Penfield)

This preserve is located in the north-east corner of Champaign County. The entrance is off County Highway 22 about 16 miles north of I-74 (Ogden/ Royal exit). The preserve is flat, with a combination of woods along the river and Sugar Creek, and a central prairie area. The trail along the river floods after heavy rain. A pleasant circuit of about 5 miles begins just inside the entrance to the campground, at the parking lot on the right. Follow the Oak Burl trail to the river (right at first major junction, then left at river). Run down the river, then stay on the trail as it runs up Sugar Creek (turn right at T), until a shelter is reached. Run to the left, south of the road and the pond (“Willow Lake”), then turn first left out to the prairie (not to the amphitheater). Take 2 rights and a left to regain the river trail, and turn right up the river until the next junction at a bench is reached. Turn right here, then right again to get back to the start.

Breakfast: The Oasis in Penfield, at the junction of route 22 and US 136. Not as bad as it looks from the outside. The food is not the greatest, but at least you can buy a beer at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning to wash it down.