Sand Ridge State Forest, Illinois, United States

4NatParkLove 5:00 PM Jul 9, 2016

Nice place for a hike & picnic
My husband and I are avid hikers and often bring our dog with us. We are from Peoria but have hiked everything in Peoria numerous times, so we like to go outside the city. We've done Matthiessen, Starved Rock, Buffalo Rock, Moraine View and Big River State Forest. This was next on our list. It was a hot and sunny Sunday mid-morning when we arrived. It was a relatively quick and easy drive from Peoria. We got a bit confused on where we go to get to the "headquarters" but eventually found it. There, we were able to get a trail map brochure of the park to take with us. There are miles of trails here and all are available to hikers/backpackers. Most are also used by horses. As it was pretty warm, we were just planning on a shorter hike followed by a picnic we packed. We had our dog with us this day, so we did a couple miles on the "O" trail which started at the headquarters parking lot. However, there are SO many trails from which you can choose. Definitely keep an eye out for cacti. We loved seeing it grow naturally in IL, but also our dog almost stepped on it a few times, so be careful if you bring kids or canines. The previous reviewers are right in that the trails are all sand, and at times, very deep sand. Keep that in mind when planning mileage, as it tires you out more. Yes, the terrain is pretty much the same with pine and other trees and the paths wind through the forest, but we didn't mind it. It provided a lot of shade for this hot day and I love being out in the forest. After our hike, we had a picnic lunch at the Pine Campground. No one else was there, so we just pulled into one of the spots and spread our lunch out. It was a peaceful and beautiful place to stop. While eating, we saw a ranger come and clean out the bathrooms; he also stopped and chatted with us and was very nice. I liked seeing the rangers out and about and keeping the restrooms clean. Re: ticks. Yes, there are ticks there. I guess I'm not surprised because we encounter them literally everywhere we hike in IL in the summer. My husband and I wear a gear- and clothing-safe tick repellant and have never found one on ourselves, including at Sand Ridge, after checking. We did pull a few off our dog who is also on tick preventatives to keep her safe. It is an added annoyance, sure, but with proper preparation, I don't think it should keep you away from hiking here--or anywhere else in our great state. We would like to come back when the weather is cooler so we can hike farther.

5Jennifer M 5:00 PM Mar 22, 2016

Sights leave something to be desired
We went on a six mile hike, spanning through the Orange, red, and yellow trails. The first thing we noticed was the monotonous scenery and path; there isn't much to be seen other than trees on either side, and the path is SAND. Difficult to hike through with plenty of hills to make the sand extra undesirable. We were hoping we would see a creek, or a pond along the way, or at the very least be able to sit down at a bench. Once you start the hike, there is nothing other than miles of sand and trees. It seems the trails are geared more towards the equestrian enthusiasts, as the sand is quite deep at some points. We sat down on the ground to eat our lunch because there were no benches or even large logs to be utilized, and within minutes had ticks crawling all over us. Picked ticks off of us in the car too, as well as some off the dogs. Plain and simple, the trails are certainly lenthy but do not offer any scenic reward for the effort. Will not visit again.