Carpenter Park - Springfield (IL)

5 /5 Colette: Carpenter park and the natural history of Illinois is part of my spirit. Im a dog lover but signs clearly state that pets are to be leashed and for very good reasons. The Sierra club can tell you more, Friends of Carpenter Park will also provide info. There is so much to learn from natural areas. My heart is connected to the land and life there. Tread lightly. Leave No trace

5 /5 Rachael: Lovely trails. I thoroughly enjoyed being back here after a few years.

4 /5 Randi Scoggins: The trails vary in difficulty and lengths and are lovely. However the stone Pavillion upthere has been graffitied and the woods have a bunch of invasive plants taking over. Its peaceful taking walks but sad to it being neglected.

4 /5 Danielle Wright: Carpenter Park provides hiking trails for various levels of experience. You could easily fill a day exploring. The grounds are fairly well maintained. I visited in the evening hours and there was very little foot traffic. A nice location if you want to feel secluded without really being secluded.

2 /5 Mitch Spurlock: Beautiful park but pretty neglected by the Park District. Many times I see folks having photography sessions in and around the sandstone shelter, but the stone shelter doesnt seem to get much love and has lots of graffiti that needs removed. The wooden stairs on the trail are an accident waiting to happen. Trails need cleared both here and in Gurgen. Many spots on the trails also need rerouted as erosion happens. The invasive honeysuckle needs removed or it will dominate the woods and choke out native species. The woods also probably need to have a controlled burn done at some point, the fuel loads out here are dangerous in the dry windy spring/fall.