Lincoln Memorial Gardens (Blog Hike #18)

Trails: (various)

Hike Location: Lincoln Memorial Garden

Geographic Location: southeast side of Springfield, IL (39.69701, -89.59672)

Length: 1.7 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: June 1998, May 2019

Overview: An historical walk along the east shore of Lake Springfield.

Garden Information: http://www.lincolnmemorialgarden.org/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=794743
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Springfield, take I-55/72 to East Shore Drive (exit 94).  Exit and go east on East Shore Dr.  Take East Shore Dr. about 6 miles to the intersection with Pawnee Rd.  Park in the garden parking lot beside East Shore Dr. at this intersection.

The hike: The Lincoln Memorial Garden was built in the early 1900’s to commemorate the life of Abraham Lincoln in the city in which he practiced law.  Donations were received from across the country to build the trails, and the names of major contributing parties can be found inscribed on any of the numerous benches found throughout the park.  Each bench also contains a famous Lincoln quote.  It is certainly well worth pausing a few seconds at each bench along this hike to reflect on Lincoln’s brilliance. 

            The land itself sits on the east shore of Lake Springfield, a large, man-made lake.  If you came in from I-55 using the directions at the beginning of this description, you crossed the dam while driving along East Shore Drive.  Mature forest comprises about half of the land, while the other half consists of restored prairie vegetation. 

An extensive trail system meanders through most of this land, allowing access to almost every part of the garden.  The route described here is organized into two loops, the southern and the northern.  While I greatly enjoyed this route, I believe it would be hard to find a route through the garden that would not make for splendid hiking.  You might wish to explore some of the other fine trails in the garden while you are there.

Trail entrance to Lincoln Memorial Garden

            From the south end of the main parking lot, follow a paved trail past a large, pink rock into the garden.  After about 200 feet you come to the nature center at which a trail map can be obtained.  The small garden contains about 20 trails all of which connect with other trails, so taking a wrong turn is a very real possibility.  This route takes you on about half of all the trails in the park. 

Start of Buckeye Trail

            Begin your hike by taking the Buckeye Trail from the west side of the nature center.  This trail is paved with mulch, as are most trails in the garden.  The trail goes gently downhill through young forest to the edge of Lake Springfield, which is reached in only a few hundred feet.  Once the trail reaches the lake, you arrive at a three-way intersection with the Buckeye Trail behind you, the Lake Trail going off to the right, and the Shadebush Trail going to the left.  For now turn left, and begin our southern loop; we will arrive back at this intersection later and take the Lake Trail to begin our northern loop. 

Bridge on Shadebush Trail

            The short Shadebush Trail crosses a small bridge, passes a fire ring, meanders only a few feet from Lake Springfield, then crosses another small bridge before ending at Hickory Lane.  Most of the southern loop, including all of the Shadebush Trail, goes through semi-mature forest.  Turning right onto Hickory Lane, the trail first heads straight for the lake, affords a decent view of the water, then makes a sharp left and heads slightly uphill to its intersection with Shady Lane.  Do not spend too much time admiring the lake now, as the best views of the water are forthcoming on the Lake Trail. 

            A right turn on Shady Lane will take you across Walgreen Bridge, a tall wooden structure that takes the hiker over a tributary to Lake Springfield.  Shady Lane dead ends at a large sycamore tree standing just a few feet from the lake.  Shortly before this end, turn left onto the High Meadow Trail, the only other way out of this corner of the garden.  This trail uses steps to climb a medium-sized hill (by Springfield's standards) before leveling out. 

Large fern on Witch Hazel Trail

            Just before a small bridge, the trail changes its name to the Witch Hazel Trail.  After crossing the bridge, notice some very large ferns along the trail on the left.  The trail takes a left turn, crosses another bridge, then passes the only section of prairie on this loop before coming to a three-way intersection.  Turn left onto Shady Lane, which goes slightly downhill to its intersection with Hickory Lane. From here, retrace your steps to the beginning of the Lake Trail by first taking a right on Hickory Lane, then taking a left on Shadebush Lane.

            Once back to the intersection of Shadebush Lane and Buckeye Trail, continue straight ahead on the Lake Trail.  For the next few thousand feet, the trail meanders along the water with the lake on the left and prairie on the right.  On our visit, we saw three deer including a baby in this vicinity.  An island in the middle of the lake makes for a scenic view. 

Lake Springfield, as seen on the Lake Trail

            Eventually, the trail takes a turn to the right away from the lake and crosses a bridge to arrive at an open area containing a fire circle.  On the opposite side of this area the Fringe Tree Trail goes off to the right into the forest.  Follow this trail uphill and across a couple of bridges until it comes to a three-way intersection where the Fringe Tree Trail now ends.  At this intersection, turn right onto Sheepberry Lane.  You can hear the sound of cars driving by now, as East Shore Drive is only a few yards to the left. 

            After a couple hundred feet on Sheepberry Lane, take the Silver Bell Trail which goes off at a soft angle to the left.  A few hundred feet later, the Silver Bell Trail comes out onto the paved walkway that you used to enter the garden at the beginning of the hike.  A left turn will take you back to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Silver Bell Trail