Clark County: Forests, Lakes, and Historic Trails

Clark County combines forested nature, lake landscapes, historic transportation routes, and unusual attractions. For families and other travelers who do not want every day to follow the same pattern, the range of options extends from short forest trails and longer hiking and cycling routes to museums, murals, fair traditions, and remarkable oversized objects. When choosing a vacation rental, you can therefore first decide whether nature experiences, local history, or the distinctive attractions of Marshall and Casey should be the focus of your trip.

Forests, Lakes, and Notable Trails

Lincoln Trail State Park covers 1,023 acres and is located two miles south of Marshall in Clark County. Within the park lies the American Beech Woods Nature Preserve, with an old second-growth beech-maple forest. The Beech Tree Trail is 0.5 miles long, crosses stairs and footbridges, and offers views of this forest. For a longer hike, the two-mile Sand Ford Nature Trail runs through an oak-hickory forest.

The landscape also includes Lincoln Trail Lake. It covers 146 acres and has more than seven miles of heavily wooded shoreline. Lincoln Trail State Park offers boating, camping, fishing, hiking, and winter sports. This makes it possible to combine peaceful days in nature with more active outings without every stage of the trip having the same character.

Active Outings with Different Distances

Those who want to plan a variety of activities into their day can consider the Martinsville Ridgelawn Trail for cycling and hiking, as well as the approximately 15 miles of ATV/OHV trails on the west side of Mill Creek Park.

Mill Creek Park offers campsites with hookups, showers, and recreation areas, as well as access to the county's largest lake. If you prefer varied daily plans, you can choose between exercise on the trails, time by the water, and other outdoor activities.

Historic Roads and Townscapes

The region's history is especially evident along the National Road. The Illinois National Road runs 164 miles from Marshall through Casey to East St. Louis and is accompanied by U.S. Route 40 and Interstate 70. West of Lincoln Trail State Park, the Lincoln Heritage Trail follows Illinois Route 1. The Stone Arch Bridge is part of the National Road and was built without mortar or concrete.

In Marshall, the Marshall Business Historic District comprises 55 buildings. Forty-six of them are considered historically significant or contributing buildings because of their Italianate commercial architectural details. Marshall also has more than 25 murals that visitors can view. The Lincoln School Museum is located north of Martinsville in a restored one-story brick schoolhouse dating from the 1880s.

Casey also preserves traces of the past: Historic buildings and the roadbed of the National Historic Road have been preserved there and can be seen on a self-guided driving tour. The Casey Softball Museum was completed in 1976. Casey's softball program has continued uninterrupted since the early 1930s. Those interested in regional history, sports traditions, and preserved road alignments will find several distinct themes for an outing here.

Fairs and Unusual Attractions

The Clark County Fair Association was founded in 1897 and held its first fair or agricultural festival that same year. The main event, the Great Midwest Trot and Pace, at the Martinsville Agricultural Fair has been held annually since 1953. Events held on the grounds of the Martinsville Agricultural Fair included the Martinsville Heritage Days Festival, a draft horse show, livestock judging, and an Antique Power Club Show.

Casey is also known for its oversized and unusual objects. It is home to the World's Largest Wind Chime and the World's Largest Rocking Chair. The World's Largest Golf Tee is 30 feet 9 inches long. The World's Largest Knitting Needles were made by Jim Bolin of Bolin Enterprises, Inc. as a gift for Jeanette Huisinga of The Yarn Studio. In Marshall, the World's Largest Gavel stands at the historic Clark County Courthouse; visitors are allowed to take photographs there.

Local Character and Choosing Accommodation

For a trip involving culinary and regional discoveries, Oilfield is worth including, a historic restaurant in a former one-story schoolhouse dating from 1866. The Moonshine Store is the home of the Moonshine Burger. Such destinations add their own local stops to the nature and history experiences.

If you are looking for a vacation rental in Clark County, you can use your preferred type of trip as a starting point: Forest trails, the lake, and outdoor activities favor a nature-focused stay, while Marshall and Casey place historic buildings, museums, murals, and unusual attractions at the center of the experience. For an initial comparison of locations, you can include Marshall and Casey. Other destinations for trip planning include White County, Mcdonough, Woodford County, Effingham, Henry County, and Morgan.

For the broader travel overview: Illinois.