You certainly don't expect to find a Southern-style swampland, complete with moss-draped cypress trees and croaking bullfrogs in Illinois. But it's here, at Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Check it out from the Bellrose Viewing Platform off Cache Chapel Rd. Or head to Section 8 Woods and take a short stroll on the boardwalk for a taste of the waterlogged, primeval landscape; it's near the Cache River Wetlands Center, which also has hiking and canoeing information.
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Illinois
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
18.12 MILES
An exception to Illinois' flat farmland is the green southernmost section, punctuated by rolling Shawnee National Forest and its rocky outcroppings. The…
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0.01 MILES
This small viewing platform looks out over Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and is a fine spot for ogling migratory birds, waterfowl and shorebirds.
Nearby Illinois attractions
0.01 MILES
This small viewing platform looks out over Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and is a fine spot for ogling migratory birds, waterfowl and shorebirds.
18.12 MILES
An exception to Illinois' flat farmland is the green southernmost section, punctuated by rolling Shawnee National Forest and its rocky outcroppings. The…