Red Top Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Red Top Park is a beautiful recreational area located in McLean County, Illinois.


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Summary

This 780-acre park offers a wide range of activities for visitors, including hiking, camping, fishing, and boating. Some of the top reasons to visit Red Top Park include its stunning natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and well-maintained facilities.

One of the most popular attractions in Red Top Park is the 4.5-mile hiking trail that winds through the park's woodlands, prairies, and wetlands. Along the way, visitors can spot a variety of wildlife, including deer, foxes, and birds of prey. Another must-see spot in Red Top Park is the 90-acre man-made lake, which provides ample opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming.

In addition to its outdoor activities, Red Top Park also boasts several historic points of interest. The park's main entrance features a restored 19th-century country schoolhouse, and visitors can also explore the ruins of an old canal lock that was once used for transporting goods along the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

The best time to visit Red Top Park is during the summer months, when the weather is warm and the park's facilities are fully operational. However, the park is open year-round and offers a range of activities during the fall and winter seasons as well. Overall, Red Top Park is an excellent destination for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and history buffs alike.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
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.
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