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Moraine Hills State Park

  • Accessibility & Access for All
  • Arts & Culture
  • Arts and Culture
  • Beach Access
  • Bike Share Dock
  • Biking
  • Biodiversity
  • Birdwatching
  • Boat Rentals Available
  • Boating
  • Bus Parking
  • Calumet Heritage Area
  • Camping
  • Canoe or Kayak Rentals Available
  • Canoeing
  • Children's programs
  • Climbing
  • Community Science
  • Concessions
  • Cross-Country Skiing
  • Education
  • Education Center
  • Equipment Rentals
  • Family-Friendly
  • Field Trips
  • Fishing
  • Free Admission
  • Free Parking
  • Free Programs
  • Habitat Restoration
  • Hiking
  • Historical Connectiom
  • Historical Connection
  • Horseback Riding
  • Hunting
  • Kayaking
  • Native Plants
  • Nature Center
  • Parking
  • Paved Trails
  • Pet-Friendly
  • Picnic Shelter
  • Picnicking
  • Playground
  • Prairie
  • Public Transit Access
  • Restrooms
  • Running
  • Scenic View
  • Scenic Views
  • Snowshoeing
  • Swimming
  • Teacher Resources
  • Tours
  • Trail Running
  • Walking
  • Wetlands
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Show More

Overview

The park name is derived from a geologic formation known as a moraine, which is an accumulation of boulders, stones and other debris deposited by a glacier.

The 48-acre Lake Defiance, located near the center of the park, is one of the few glacial lakes in Illinois that has remained largely undeveloped, maintaining a near-natural condition.

The waters and wetlands of Moraine Hills are home to abundant wildlife; more than 200 species of birds have been identified at the park. Fishing is available on both Lake Defiance and on the Fox River. The McHenry Dam area provides access to the Fox River, and a fishing pier accessible to visitors with disabilities is available. More than 10 miles of trails make Moraine Hills popular for hikers, skiers and cyclists, and provide one of the park’s main recreation features.

The concession stand at the McHenry Dam provides refreshments, bait and tackle, and boat rentals for both the Fox River and Lake Defiance.


From angling to hiking, from viewing rare plants to observing migratory waterfowl, Moraine Hills State Park offers you a recreational bounty. Located in the northeast corner of Illinois, the park is 3 miles south of McHenry in McHenry County. McHenry Dam, on the Fox River, is on the park’s western border. Roughly half of the park’s 2,200 acres is composed of wetlands and lakes.


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