Old Smokey City Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Old Smokey City Park is a popular destination located in the state of Illinois.
°F
°F
mph
Wind
%
Humidity
Summary
This park offers many great reasons to visit, including its beautiful scenery, unique points of interest, and interesting history. Visitors can enjoy hiking, fishing, and picnicking in the park's lush greenery, which is home to a variety of wildlife.
One of the most popular points of interest in Old Smokey City Park is the Old Smokey City Ruins. These ruins are the remnants of an old coal mining town that was once situated on the park's grounds. Visitors can explore the ruins and learn about the history of the town and the coal mining industry that once thrived in the area.
Other points of interest in the park include the Old Smokey City Cemetery, which is the final resting place of many of the town's former residents, as well as the Old Smokey City Museum, which features exhibits on the town's history and the coal mining industry.
Visitors to Old Smokey City Park can also enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking along the park's many trails, fishing in its streams and ponds, and picnicking in its beautiful natural settings.
The best time of year to visit Old Smokey City Park is during the spring and fall, when the weather is mild and the foliage is at its most vibrant. However, the park is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy its beauty and history in any season.
Weather Forecast
Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Braidwood Dunes And Savanna Nature Preserve
Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve
K-Mine Park
Wilmington Shrub Prairie Nature Preserve
Sand Ridge Savanna Nature Preserve
Milliken Lake
Kankakee Cut-Off
Heidecke Lake