Walnut Point Campground

The Great Outdoors

Search for an RV in Coles County, and you are one step closer to an excellent vacation. Once you arrive, point your rental RV toward Homer Lake Forest Preserve near the city of Oakwood. The park is open year-round from early morning until mid-afternoon (in the winter months) or mid-evening (during the summer). The landscape surrounding Homer Lake is made up of grassland, open prairie, and woodland tree stands and has several trails you can hike on (the trails are restricted to foot traffic only). Most of the trails are a moderate length and shouldn't be difficult for the average visitor. The preserve has an interpretive center that is open during weekday business hours year-round and on weekends from approximately April until October.Kickapoo State Recreation Area, near Danville, is a former surface mining area that was reclaimed by the state in 1939; purchase of the land was partially funded by private donations, and the area is now a popular outdoor recreation area where you can enjoy picnics, go fishing on any of the almost two dozen ponds which vary from small to large in size, or go canoeing, kayaking, or boating. The refuge is dissected by the Vermillion River which has upland and bottomland forests along its banks; these forests are home to numerous bird species, a variety of mammals, and colorful wildflowers. There are trails where you can hike or observe the landscape and wildlife; scuba diving is allowed in the lakes and ponds, and hunting is allowed.Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Management Area is a multi-use area that is part outdoor recreation area and part waterfowl refuge; water from Baldwin Lake (located within the management area) is used to cool a nearby electricity generating station. You can come here to enjoy fishing or boating on either Baldwin Lake or the Kaskaskia River, or hike the pedestrian-only trails where you can observe nature and the wildlife. Hunting is allowed on the trails and in the park in general.

Exploring The Area

When you're ready to start exploring the history and culture of this region, you should start by visiting Arcola, a small town with some unique attractions. The town is home to the world's only Hippie Memorial, created by a local railroad clerk and tax collector, Bob Moomaw, who used his artistic passion to defy his station in life. Arcola is the birthplace of the Lawn Rangers, a precision drill team that marches with lawnmowers and brooms; the team participates in the annual Arcola Broom Corn Festival Parade. Some of their Grand Marshals have been celebrities such as columnist Dave Barry and actor Clayton Moore (of “Lone Ranger” fame), from whom they took their name. There is a Raggedy Anne museum managed by the daughter of Johnny Gruelle, who created Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy. Another popular attraction is a large formal garden outside of town that offers buggy rides and has special events during the summer and early fall.Paris has an arcade where you can play laser tag and blacklight miniature golf, and a local pottery shop where you can take a class (if you're new to the art), spin your own pottery and then paint it, or simply choose a pre-made pot for painting and finishing. If you enjoy architecture, the Edgar County Courthouse was built in 1891 in the Romanesque style and has several reproductions of famous paintings inside and exhibits in the courtyard. The courthouse's elevator floor has a star marking the spot of a legendary jack oak tree that was the site of the original town.Whether you're looking for outdoor adventure, culture, or history, or some combination of them, Coles County has what you're looking for, and it all begins with your RV rental near Walnut Point Campground.