McDonald Family Trails (East Loop)

2.4 miles | 53 minutes | Starts from: Lost Garden Parking Lot

The Ward & Diana McDonald Family Trail runs through some of the highest quality oak-hickory upland forest in central Illinois and has unique high vantage point views of the Sangamon and its surrounding bottomland forest. As you follow the main trail toward the Sangamon River, take notice of the oak/hickory forest surrounding the trail and keep an eye out for forest flowers.

As you reach the river and hike along, watch out for wildlife, including great-blue herons and beavers. From the bluffs, migrating species of birds can be seen flying in the tree tops during spring. As the river meanders out of view, the trail continues along the bluff and overlooks bottomland forest until the trail eventually shares its path with the Red Trail. After separating from the Red Trail, continue back toward the Lost Garden Parking lot. On the way, keep an eye out for barred owls and white-tailed deer.

Look for: Virginia bluebells, mayapple, and migrating warblers (spring); nesting woodpeckers (summer); white-tailed deer (fall); white-breasted nuthatches (winter)

There are two sections of this trail that share the path with other trails, the Red and Green Trails.