Recreation area

Explosives Road Trailhead

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie · Illinois — managed by USDA Forest Service

Open recreation area — no reservation needed

About this campground

The Explosives Road Trailhead provides access to the 1.6 mile Newton Loop trail. This is a great bird watching area for Henslow sparrows, loggerhead shrikes, bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks, and dickcissels.

Getting there

From the Welcome Center Turn right/north onto Route 53 Travel north for 1.7 miles to Explosives Road. Turn left onto Explosives Road, weave through the barricades. Continue on Explosives Road to the trailhead parking at the end of the road, located on the left. GPS Coordinates 41°22'02.9"N 88°08'37.1"W

Activities

  • HIKING
  • HUNTING
  • WILDLIFE VIEWING

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more Illinois camping

Explosives Road Trailhead doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Illinois campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.