In the Land of Lincoln, the arteries of commerce and recreation generally flow to the bottom bound south. The State of ills and noise has many government problems, but so would you if 12.5 million omnivores invested your body. Doing the best they can with a history of corruption, Illinois offers many oasis of recreation that recharge the soul and then send the workforce off for round 2. A few refuges are located along the banks of the Kaskaskia River, with 2 of them being reservoirs behind dams. Located in a shallow finger of the Wiscosin Glacier, the Carlyle (26,000 acres) and Shelbyville (11,000 acres) Dams offer camping, boating, hiking, and biking for burned out citizens wishing to unwind. With mostly pristine shorelines coated in trees and greenery for 7 months and an intentional lack of permanent human infestation, these Gardens of Eden offer a welcome break from the city life/strife. Meandering through agricultural lands in a prarie setting, the dams were constructed for flood control, drinking/ irrigation water, and sanity for wild and not-so-wildlife. An occasional road will terminate at a boat launch or bridge the lake, but do not expect a Chicago-style Lake Shore Drive to follow the shoreline. Those avenues are restricted to the zoos of the human habitation. Park Parking is fee free at most locations.
Torked Truth 