Explore the Outdoors in Greater Peoria
What might surprise outsiders about outdoor recreation in Greater Peoria, Illinois, is actually inside knowledge for Mark Monge and Nate Heinold. Aside from their college years, they’ve always lived and played throughout the area.
“Peoria has the largest and oldest park district in Illinois, which doesn’t include the neighboring communities,” Monge says. He’s a real estate agent, an avid mountain biker and a blogger for Peoria Outdoor Adventure.
Heinold turned his love of disc golf into a career. He owns equipment and apparel supplier Ledgestone Disc Golf and is president of the Professional Disc Golf Association.
“The Greater Peoria area is considered Illinois’ disc golf mecca and is one of the top five communities in the U.S. for the sport,” Heinold says. With the help of these outdoor recreation insiders, here’s a look at Greater Peoria’s adventure hot spots.
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The Competitors
There are many options for sports lovers, starting at Laura Bradley Park, a green oasis in central Peoria offering baseball, tennis, sand volleyball, horseshoes and playgrounds.
“It has one of the oldest disc golf courses in Illinois that’s beginner/intermediate level,” Heinold says. “It’s a great place for a casual walk, too.”
He also recommends Goodfield Village Park for his favorite sport, describing it as a small, intimate park with some underrated disc golf holes.
If you’ve joined the pickleball craze, try the courts at Charter Oak Park and Glen Oak Park. For golf, the Kellogg, Madison and Newman golf courses and Golf Learning Center are all part of the expansive Peoria Park District. Coyote Creek and Metamora Fields are other popular public courses.
Adults with a truly competitive spirit can also join one of the region’s many intramural sports leagues.
The Trail Lovers
For hikers, bikers, runners and really anyone with a pulse, Monge recommends Wildlife Prairie Park.
“It has trails, lakes, wildlife, camping, laser tag and fun events. It’s one of the best hidden gems in the Midwest,” he says.
Heinold agrees, “It’s a great place to take the family and is full of outdoor activities, including an amazing but difficult disc golf course.”
Both men also like Black Partridge Park in Metamora, which offers 450 acres of fun.
“It’s an incredible adventure for all skill levels,” Heinold says. “I’ve been going since I was a kid, and it’s a true gem.”
The park has sports fields, playgrounds and an extensive hiking and mountain bike trail system.
“There are plenty of hills, dips and creek crossings,” Monge says.
Connecting four Peoria parks – Camp Wokanda, Robinson, Green Valley Camp, and Detweiller – the Illinois River Bluff Trail winds up and down glacially formed hills and valleys along the river, Monge says.
“If you had the misconception that Greater Peoria is flat, you won’t after tackling this massive trail system,” he says.
For a more serene experience, Heinold’s top choice is Grand View Drive & Park.
“My family and I love walking on the path overlooking the Illinois River,” he says. “Very peaceful.”
It’s a can’t-miss for Monge, too.
“No trip to Peoria is complete without a ride or walk there,” he says. “Called the World’s Most Beautiful Drive by former President Teddy Roosevelt, it’s no less true today than when he originally said it in 1910.”
Kinsey Park is another go-to for hikers and bikers, not to mention Wizard of Oz fans.
“It’s fast becoming a local favorite,” Monge says. “All of the trails are themed after the Wizard of Oz, with names like Yellow Brick Road, Munchkinland and Flying Monkeys. They’re mostly all beginner/intermediate rated.”
Kinsey Park is a joint effort between the Peoria Park District and Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association (PAMBA), one of several organizations to consider if you want to get involved.
“PAMBA is the preeminent local mountain bike group; Bike Peoria is an advocacy group with a number of themed rides and clinics; and Run309 is a great weekly running club,” Monge says.
The Water Enthusiasts
Those who love the water will appreciate DragonLand Water Park in Pekin and Morton’s public swimming pool. To experience the area’s natural waterways, the Mackinaw River, Spoon River and Kickapoo Creek offer enjoyable rafting, kayaking and canoeing, Monge says. So does the mighty Illinois River, which flows by Peoria’s downtown. Upper Peoria Lake is a section of the river that Monge likes to kayak at dusk and dawn.
“I have some of the most amazing photos of sunsets and sunrises on it,” he says.
Greater Peoria is the Place to be for Spectator Sports
The region is home to the Peoria Chiefs baseball team, a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Chiefs play their home games at Dozer Park, and their season runs from April through September. The team has made the Midwest League playoffs 13 times.
The Peoria Rivermen is a professional ice hockey team that competes in the SPHL (formerly called the Southern Professional Hockey League), and the team was the SPHL champion in 2024. Rivermen home games take place at Carver Arena. Also taking place at the arena throughout the fall and winter months are Bradley University Braves men’s basketball games, while the Bradley Braves women’s team plays their home games at Renaissance Coliseum.
Also in the region are athletic events involving the Eureka College Red Devils, with Eureka located 15 miles east of Peoria. There are seven Red Devils men’s sports, including football, basketball and baseball, and seven women’s sports, including basketball, softball and volleyball.
At Illinois Central College in East Peoria, the Cougars sports teams participate in the National Junior College Athletic Association. Men’s teams include basketball, soccer, baseball and golf, and women’s teams feature basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball.
Also well worth watching are some youth games and regional tournaments at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex (LSSC) in Peoria. LSSC has 12 outdoor synthetic fields for baseball, softball and soccer. A 126,000-square-foot dome with seating for 1,300 is available for major indoor events featuring soccer and volleyball.
– Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
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