Welcome to Rush Creek
Visitors can enjoy hiking 2 miles of looped nature trails, casting a line in the 4-acre, man made pond, camp under the stars at the group campground, reserve the large picnic shelter for your next family gathering, or horseback ride the 5.7 miles of horse trails that transverse through the beautiful woods and open prairie.
Rush Creek Conservation Area is 726 acres and contains a mixture of upland forest, oak and hickory woodlands, wetlands and sedge meadows. In addition, a one-mile section of the 12.5 mile Rush Creek traverses the site prior to entering the Kishwaukee River near the Boone County line. Within the woodlands, a variety of trees including shagbark hickory, aspen, black walnut, basswood, black cherry trees, and red, white, and bur oaks. The strong branches on these trees provide favorable nesting places for larger birds such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls, while the hollows and holes in the trees provide habitat for smaller wildlife like woodpeckers, screech owls and flying squirrels. Coyote, deer, raccoons, groundhogs, grey squirrels and opossums also live here and their tracks can often be seen along the banks of the pond and creek.
Many shallow, ephemeral ponds exist along the trails. These seasonal wetlands provide crucial habitat for salamanders, Blanding’s turtles, American toads and chorus frogs during the spring and early summer months. Other wetland features throughout the site are sedge meadows or shallow marshes. Native plants such as wild geranium, Solomon’s seal, wild onion, Joe Pye weed, and sedges are becoming more abundant in restored areas at Rush Creek. Several species of wildflowers scatter the forest floor, including May apple, shooting star, violet, and trillium. Other wildflowers in the prairie and wet meadow include sunflower, yellow coneflower, aster, wild geranium, cardinal flower, and marsh marigold.
History
Most of the area now known as Rush Creek was purchased in 1836 by the Jerome family. It was later sold in smaller parcels to the families of Iverson, Diggins, Burrows, McFadden and Kvarme. These families divided the oak groves that once existed at the western edge of the property into 10-acre woodlot parcels and harvested the wood for fuel for cooking and heating their homes.
Property records note that it was the Diggins family that cleared the open fields that now lie in the center of the site by using teams of horses, while the Burrows brothers created the original fishing pond. Historic documents also note that during WWI walnut trees from this property were cut down to be used for gun stocks. The logs were hauled to Harvard but then never shipped because the war came to an end.
In 1942, eight acres were preserved as one of the earliest wildlife conservation demonstration areas in Illinois through a cooperative effort of the Diggins Estate, the Soil Conservation Service, the Illinois Department of Conservation and the McHenry County Soil and Conservation District. Although non-native, various species of pine trees and multiflora rose were planted to support local wildlife, and can be witnessed throughout the site today. The Conservation District purchased 155 acres from the Burrows brothers in 1974 and expanded the site through subsequent land acquisitions through 1981.
Cache Your Way Question
During fall mirgration, where is the largest gathering of Sandhill Cranes that can be found nearest our region?
Geocachers
Please join us in playing! Geocaching is a high-tech “treasure hunting” game played throughout the world by adventure seeker. All are welcome who observe and obey the rules.
- Please do not move or vandalize the container.
- Once you find it, log your name in the book, take a trinket and leave one of your own behind for the next person.
- Replace the cache in the same spot that you found it, and make sure it is completely covered.
- Please do not remove the informational card from the containers, this is an essential game piece for cachers completing the GeoSeries.
- The real treasure is finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone who finds it.
For a complete list of rules and instructions on how to earn a special district geocoin visit MCCDistrict.org/Geocache
Email geocaching@MCCDistrict.org with any questions or concerns
McHenry County Conservation District Information
Visit our website at MCCDistrict.org or call (815) 338-6223
Photo Release
5/15/2023 Photos posted here may be featured on the McHenry County Conservation District's various social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, and twitter, as well as our website (MCCDistrict.org) and print material such as Landscapes Magazine. By posting photos to this log you agree to allow us to share your work. Photographers will be acknowledged in any shares or posts of photos, so please include your name in your post if it is different from that of your username.