Farmdale Dam is located three miles east of Peoria, Illinois on Farm Creek and is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineering. Farmdale Dam is one of the two large reservoirs built to protect East Peoria from flooding.
Completed in 1951, Farmdale Reservoir occupies 837 acres of land in addition to 1.5 miles of bubbling streams. These lands were once prone to heavy floods, and the completion of the dam was paramount in ensuring that incidents like the devastating flood of 1927 were never repeated in East Peoria. When heavy rain hits East Peoria, Farm Creek exceeds its capacity and all the excessive water pools behind, creating a temporary lake, also referred to as the Farmdale Lake.
The US Corps of Engineers also took to preserving and restoring the natural habitat surrounding the area to its former raw and undisturbed glory. Additionally, the very active partnership of the US Corps, with local non-profit organizations, has given birth to very popular recreational activities around Farmdale Lake. A huge network of trails for mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking attracts the attention of thousands of visitors every year. The competitive events that take place on these trails are successful in garnering a huge crowd.
The surrounding area is now restored to agricultural fields with tallgrass prairies, and mature trees can be seen as part of the Oak-Hickory forest.
Farmdale Lake is located four hours north of Giant City State Park. To get to the park take exit 95B, and then take the 1-74 East towards East Camp Street. Continue down the street until it converges into East Washington. Keep driving for two miles straight until you find yourself at the Farmdale Road. Turn right from there, and you’ll see signs for the Farmdale Dam. Follow it to arrive at your destination.
Farmdale Lake doesn’t offer any RV camping opportunities on its own. However, an hour drive away you can find an amazing RV campground managed by the Army Corps at Wilborn Creek, 20 minutes north of Lake Shelbyville.
The campground offers 10 paved campsites with full-hookups, with each site equipped with 50 amp power service as well as water and sewer hookups. The campsites and picnic areas have picnic tables and grills.
The campground offers a unisex shower facility with flush toilets. Also available at the campground is a volleyball court, a playground, and a swimming beach.
The campground is a very beautiful place to stay with its heavily forested surroundings of oak and hickory. During the summers and spring, these trees turn into a whole spectrum of colors of yellow, purple, red, and orange. The prairie flowers dotting the landscape are like nature’s very own ornaments.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has helped conserve and restore the surrounding lands close to its pre-civilization days. As a result, we now have 100 acres of natural habitats and wild prairie surrounding Farmdale Lake. A nature walk in this natural setting will bring you close to whitetail deer in addition to other wildlife. Keep in mind that hunting here is strictly prohibited.
A very pleasant system of almost 15 miles of trails run through the area, that takes hikers through a diverse landscape from open areas to stretched and tight twisty tracks. Hikers can even come across some adventurous ravines and gravity dips during their hiking adventures.
The 15-miles of trails around Farmdale Lake also welcomes pets and horses. There is a large parking lot that accommodates horse trailers. Natives of the area meet here numerous times during the year to organize and initiate special riding events. The beautiful weather, amazing scenery and adequate facilities make for an enjoyable horse riding experience near a lakeside location.
The 15 miles of trails at Farmdale Lake are more welcoming than one can imagine. In addition to allowing hikers and horse riders, the trails are also open to mountain bikers. Matter of fact, it is one of the most prevalent recreational activities in the area. Some of the trails are shared by horse riders and mountain bikers, while others are kept specifically for the bikers to brave. These trails can go as high as expert level and are some of the most challenging in all of the US.
One of the most ridden trails in the area is Farmdale Loop that is close to twenty miles long and features several intermediate level trails, as well as expert-level downhill trails. The former also features an MTX/dirt jump course and a stunt section. Farmdale also hosts bike races often.
Fon Du Lac Farm is a nearby activity where you can check out what the farms in the 1920s used to look like, and learn all about the farmers’ lifestyle during that era. You can spend your whole day on the farm and feed the animals, play in the red barn, and enjoy the exhibitions at the country kitchen museum. It is a cool place to take your kids with you when you are at Farmdale Lake.
Another activity located close to the Farmdale Reservoir is the Splashdown Water Park. This water park offers a day full of fun during scorching summer days. The colorful swimming pools keep things lively and offers tons of splashing activities. Lazy water ride, tube slide, and a three-story treehouse are some of the main thrills at the water park.
Overlooking the Illinois River, this Smithsonian affiliated museum is huge and showcase a massive collection of exhibits and other attractions. The galleries exhibit the Smithsonian catalog and some permanent collection of various arts and science. Outside the museum building is a huge towering statue of Abraham Lincoln as well as the Peoria Holocaust Memorial. There is also a Giant Screen Theater on the museum grounds that acts as a backdrop for summer blockbusters.
