Skip to content
Byway
Nature reserve · Illinois

Beaver Dam State Park

Beaver Dam State Park from directly overhead

Beaver Dam State Park is a nature reserve in Illinois, at a recorded elevation of 168 m. Cress Hill stands 217 m to the east, 25 miles off. The nearest named place is Denby Prairie Nature Preserve, a park 3.6 miles away. Historic Route 66 passes 7.1 miles off. 6 named summits stand within 25 miles.

The record

What the record says

Elevation
168 m
Visiting

What to expect

Operated by
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Official site

Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates39.20885, -89.97821

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
  • Denby Prairie Nature Preserve: 3.6 mi
  • Loveless Park South: 6.3 mi
  • Loveless Park: 6.4 mi
  • Tower Grove Park: 6.8 mi
  • Denby Park: 6.8 mi
Historic sites: 23
  • Lincoln Statue: 11.5 mi
  • Mother Jones Monument: 15.8 mi
  • Illinois Traction System: 17.0 mi
  • Memorial for the Veterens of All Wars: 21.5 mi
  • Avenue of Flags: 21.6 mi
Artworks: 18
Museums: 8
  • Macoupin County Historical Society Museum: 7.4 mi
  • Illinois Coal Museum: 10.4 mi
  • MACOUPIN COUNTY COAL MINING: 10.4 mi
  • Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center: 16.8 mi
  • Jerseyville County Historical Society: 19.7 mi
Peaks: 6
  • Brushy Mound: 6.5 mi
  • Coops Mound: 12.8 mi
  • Shanks Hill: 23.3 mi
  • Robbs Mound: 24.4 mi
  • Huber Hill: 24.6 mi
Attractions: 6
  • Soulsby Shell Station: 16.1 mi
  • Henry's Rabbit Ranch: 17.6 mi
  • Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways: 19.8 mi
  • McPike Mansion: 23.6 mi
  • Alton Hauntings Ghost Tours: 24.5 mi
Nature reserves: 5
Gardens: 5
  • Old Fountain Court: 21.2 mi
  • River of Colors: 21.3 mi
  • The Grove: 21.3 mi
  • Nan Elliot Rose Garden: 22.0 mi
  • Discovery Gardens: 23.6 mi
Rest areas: 3
Waterfalls: 2
  • Beaver Falls: 23.6 mi
  • Creek Trek Waterfall: 24.1 mi
Picnic sites: 1
  • 3: 19.9 mi
Beaches: 1
  • Milnot Beach: 20.0 mi
Springs: 1
  • Oak Spring: 24.0 mi
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Beaver Dam State Park. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Cress HillE 95°217 m24.9 mi
Huber HillE 97°213 m24.6 mi
Brushy MoundE 84°212 m6.5 mi
Coops MoundNE 54°211 m12.8 mi
Robbs MoundSE 125°198 m24.4 mi
Shanks HillW 267°181 m23.3 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0418:3719:12
June solstice05:3519:5020:30
September equinox06:4818:2318:59
December solstice07:1715:5916:41

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F283242546473767467554333
Precip in2.32.12.94.74.34.63.43.23.33.33.52.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Carlinville, 8 mi away.

Wildlife nearby
  • Blanchard's Cricket Frog16 obs
  • blue phlox9 obs
  • Southern Leopard Frog7 obs
  • Eastern Beebalm7 obs
  • eastern shooting star7 obs
  • Red-headed Woodpecker6 obs
  • Common Watersnake6 obs
  • Canada Goose5 obs

Research-grade iNaturalist community observations within 3 km — what people have recorded, not a species inventory.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOfficial site

OpenStreetMap element way/311994701

More nature reserves in Illinois

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Plan a driveMore nature reserves
Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Beaver Dam State Park.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens