The U.S. state of Illinois is commonly called ‘The Land of Lincoln’ became it was this state where Abraham Lincoln’s rise to fame took place. The state is also famous for the city of Chicago, but it is also a state with much farmland and open space. West of the city of Peoria is an open space where you can watch animals roam free. Well, there are in enclosed spaces, but they are not stuck in a case. The Wildlife Prairie Park is a place where you can feel like you are on an open plain, but you really are in a wildlife park. You can ride a hay ride with benches known as Adventure Trek where you can ride through the bison and elk pasture. If that is not enough, you can even spend the night here. Ladies and gentlemen, they do not call this place a jewel of the North American Midwest for nothing. When you visit here, you will truly see how the park gets that name. If you enjoy seeing wildlife in large and natural habitats, you will enjoy a day, and a night, at Wildlife Prairie Park.
Some of you are saying, “Wow! This place sounds like it is a jewel. I love animals, and I enjoy seeing them at the zoo. There is a big problem. As you can see. This is a wildlife park. This park is about wildlife. This is not a railroad park. Therefore, I will not be paying a visit to this place.”
Well, Wildlife Prairie Park is a park that specializes in wildlife and not trains. Why visit this place? Yes, it is a jewel of a park and a place worth your time. As you enter the park, you will see why you want to visit.
As soon as you pay your admission, the very first thing that you will see is a railroad crossing.
Some of you are saying, “I have been to many places where you have to cross train tracks to get to the attraction. Many railroads run alongside of parks and historic sites.”
This is true, but if you are fortunate enough, you may be stopped by a train, it is not an ordinary train. The train is the Prairie Zephyr. You have read correctly. This is the Prairie Zephyr, and the train station is to your right. Well, one of the stations is to your right. There are three stops on this line. What are you going to do? Well, of course, you are going to ride the train.
You enter the station, and you board the train. The train leaves the station. You pass by trees and see animals along the way, and then you stop at the Pioneer Homestead. From here, you return on the same track, and you arrive back at the station. It is the end of the ride, but it is not. Remember. There are three stops, and you only have been to two of them. The passengers board and deboard, and the train continues on. You pass by the train yard and pass through a tunnel. You pass by more animals, and you arrive at a playground, and you have an opportunity to go down a big slide known as the Gollywhopper Slide. After a short stop, you return to the station, and you get off the train. By the way, your train ticket allows you to ride the train all day long.
Some of you are saying, “Well, that is it. No more trains at the wildlife park.”
Ladies and gentlemen, you are wrong. While at the main train station, you can visit the railroad museum. Yes, there is a railroad museum here. The museum has a collection of toy trains. How often do you get to visit a wildlife park that is about wildlife that has a railroad museum?
Some of you are saying, “Well, you have a point. I do not know of any wildlife park or zoo that has a railroad museum. Anyway, I guess that is all of the railroads that we will see at this park.”
Not exactly.
As mentioned. You can spend a night, or many nights, at this park. Yes. There are other wildlife parks that allow you to spend a night there, but how many wildlife parks let you spend a night… in a caboose. Yes. You have the option to spend a night in a Santa Fe Railroad Caboose.
If you think that you do not have a reason to visit Wildlife Prairie Park, you now have many. Along with the train, the railroad museum, and the cabooses, you have a variety of wildlife you see. There is also laser tag, hiking and biking trails, fishing, disc golf, kayaking, and events throughout the year.
Wildlife Prairie Park is located at 3826 N. Taylor Road in Hanna City, Illinois south of Illinois Route 8, Interstate 74, and U.S. Route 150. Although the park is open year-round (open 361 days and closed only four days of the year) from 9:00am to 4:30pm (9:00am to 6:30pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day), the Prairie Zephyr runs only at certain times of the year. Although much of the park is wheelchair accessible to include the Prairie Zephyr, there are some steep paths. You can information about admission, lodging, activities, the history of the park, to look at the map of the park, and read more into their conservation efforts at https://wildlifeprairiepark.org/.
Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna City, Illinois is a great place to visit. When you visit, you will see why. You will see why they call this place a jewel.
A special thanks to Cody Miyler, Lelonie Luft, and Calli Dicks of Wildlife Prairie Park for the pictures of the recently painted cabooses.
John Cowgill: Stories of the Railroad 