Wildlife Prairie Park & Hanna City: Find Vacation Rentals

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Editor's Choice

Pure Luxury

“Call me spoiled - but I love to be treated like a queen when traveling. Only the best is good enough for me. Hotels that make my vacation a dream of luxury and seduction are my choices. Pay attention to the (violet Medal) for luxury accommodation.”

Tatjana Herzegova, Kiew, Ukraine

Editor's Choice

Sustainable Travel

“There is only one earth and we should go out and see it. I like hotels, which look for sustainability. It is not only protecting the ecology, but also taking care for the local business and culture. I recommend the medal for eco accomodation. Let’s protect our earth. Sustainable travel is travelling with responsibility.”

Markus Lenk, Düsseldorf, Germany

Wildlife Prairie Park brings together wildlife and outdoor activities in a variety of forms: naturalistic habitats, hiking and mountain biking trails, lakes, and a train ride with possible stops along the way. For your trip to Hanna City, it helps to sort these offerings by what you’re most interested in: wildlife, land-based activities, time on the water, or a tour on the Prairie Zephyr Train. This gives you a range of distinctly different experiences to choose from.

Wildlife and Nature in the Park

Wildlife Prairie Park is a 1,800-acre zoological park. More than 60 animal species native to Illinois live in naturalistic habitats. The acreage and species count describe different aspects: one indicates the size of the park, while the other reflects the range of native wildlife. Alongside activities on the trails and lakes, the park offers a distinct focus on nature.

The park also has a historical connection: it features a schoolhouse dating from the 1800s. The schoolhouse adds another perspective to the wildlife and nature themes without requiring you to shift your focus away from recreational activities.

Hiking Trails, Biking, and Disc Golf

The trail network includes a total of 24 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. This length covers both types of trails combined, providing a point of reference for getting around on foot or by mountain bike.

Admission includes access to the Westside area of Wildlife Prairie Park, where you’ll find the disc golf course, pump track, and bike trails. The disc golf course is on the west side of Taylor Road, across from the Main Gate. It has 18 holes, with elevation changes at nearly every hole. This makes a round of disc golf a distinct activity from exploring the trail network or riding the pump track.

Kayaking on the Lakes

Kayaking is available on seven fishing lakes: Deep Lake, Beaver Lake, East Horseshoe Lake, West Horseshoe Lake, North Lake, Caboose Lake, and Taylor Lake. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented at Deep Lake and North Lake, where rentals are available for one hour or longer.

When planning, keep the choice of lakes and the rental locations in mind as two separate things: kayaking is available on seven lakes, while rentals are specifically offered at Deep Lake and North Lake. This lets you distinguish the full range of lakes available for kayaking from the two named rental locations.

Prairie Zephyr Train and Other Tours

The Prairie Zephyr Train is equipped with an ADA-accessible car. The ticket includes both round trips and allows stops at Pioneer Pavilion and Gollywhopper Pavilion. The ride therefore includes two round trips with specific possible stops, rather than being limited to a single circuit.

Wildlife Prairie Park also offers the behind-the-scenes “Adventure Trek” bus tour. It complements the train ride and trail activities with another way to experience the park. Together with the historic schoolhouse, it offers a range of experiences beyond wildlife and outdoor activities.

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