Dixon Location and Visiting

Experience Illinois’ backwater heritage

The Dixon Waterfowl Refuge is open to the public every day from dawn to dusk for canoeing, kayaking, walking, and nature viewing. The refuge entrance, located two miles south of the Village of Hennepin, is off of Route 26 via Hennepin Farms Road.

Visitors may climb the 30-foot Arthur A. Nolan Jr. Observation Tower for a sweeping vista of the lakes and their environs. This is an ideal location for viewing the fall and spring waterfowl migrations.

A ramp and dock at the south end of the lakes is available for boaters, canoeists, and kayakers. No boat rentals are available.

NEW! A half-mile trail now brings visitors through high-quality prairie and wetlands. Enter into the heart of these rich Illinois habitats by walking the gravel trail and wooden boardwalk, which begins near the Tower parking lot and concludes at the dock parking lot. (One section of boardwalk will be completed in spring 2012.)

A second trail meanders along the wooded bluff, bringing hikers through the largest seep community in the Illinois River Valley. The mile-long chipped trail begins at the south end of the dock parking lot, beyond the grassy field. Visitors will see the Dore Seep, a protected Illinois Nature Preserve in recognition of its rare and important habitat.

Since 2004, fishing has been open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays and to fishing club members every day during the season. In 2009, fishing access closed until further notice, while the lakes underwent rehabilitation. Click here for the latest updates on public fishing.

Free parking is available at two small lots, one near the observation tower and the other adjacent to the boat ramp. There are port-a-potties near the boat ramp lot.

Directions and more information

Map and driving directions to the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge (PDF)

Driving Directions on Google Maps. Enter a starting address in "A" to get directions; switch to "Satellite" view to see the lakes from Google's aerial view.

The Dixon Waterfowl Refuge is a waypoint on the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway, which travels from Havanna to Ottawa.  

Watch this video celebrating major conservation sites on the Byway, including the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge.