Recreation

OTHER SITES WITHIN THE KASKASKIA RIVER FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA

Baldwin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, just four miles south of New Athens, is located within the KRFWA. The area consists of a 2,018 acre lake used for cooling a electric power generating station. Baldwin Lake and the adjoining lands are designated as a waterfowl and wildlife refuge. Activities in the Baldwin Lake area include fishing, boating, waterfowl viewing, and picnicking.

For more information, see the Baldwin Lake Web Site, (you must use your BACK button to return to this page)

The Peabody River King Fish and Wildlife Area, located just outside the corporate limits offer some of the best fishing and hunting opportunities in the state. Access is available via Old Rt. 13 and the Darmstadt Road. Peabody Coal mined the area from the late 1950s through the late 1980s, operating its surface mines under a series of mine reclamation measures. As a result, the area contains a varied topography, including more than 20 lakes and ponds totaling 534 acres. There is an abundant population of largemouth bas, bluegill, crappie and catfish.

In addition to the fishing in the area, upland game hunting, archery deer hunting and limited furbearer hunting are allowed at the site. Dove hunting is also a popular hunting activity at the site.

Recreation
Village and Park District Activities

Okaw Valley Park
Okaw Valley Park is located on the western edge of town adjacent to the levee. Access is from St. Clair Street via Van Buren Street. Facilities include restrooms, baseball and softball diamonds, batting cage, basketball court, pavilions, roller hockey rink and a walking trail. Okaw Valley Park is the home to the New Athens Little League summer baseball and softball program. This program provides services for over 400 youth of our area.
Hanft Park
Hanft Park is located approximately one mile south of town on Keim Road. Hanft Park is operated by the New Athens Park District and not the Village of New Athens. Facilities include restrooms, tennis courts, sand volleyball court, playground equipment, fishing lake, and large pavilions. Due to the large pavilions, Hanft Park is an ideal place to hold a family reunion. Reservations are not accepted.
Other Area Recreation
The Village of New Athens is located within one of the largest state owned and managed sites in the State of Illinois. The Kaskaskia River Fish and Wildlife Area (KRFWA) comprises more than 20,000 acres and completely surrounds the Village. The Kaskaskia River consist of over 40 miles of channelized waterway for power boating and countless streams and oxbows of “no wake” for the fisherman. Access to the Mississippi River may be gained by locking through the lock and dam 28 miles downstream. Boating access to the Kaskaskia River is available at the New Athens Boat Launch. The Boat Launch is located just north of the Illinois Rt. 13 river bridge. Access to the Boat Launch is via Illinois Rt. 13 to Van Buren Street to Harbor Point Drive. Amenities include a three lane launch ramp, restrooms, camping, a full service marina and boat docking facilities. There are 400 parking spaces for car/trailer combinations. The channelized portion of the river provides the ideal water for power boating and water skiing. All of the oxbows and backwater areas of the river are designated “no wake” and are ideal settings for the fisherman. Species include channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, carp, and freshwater drum. All exist in good numbers and provide excellent fishing throughout the year. The KRFWA includes over 16,000 acres of bottomland forest, providing forest game species such as squirrel and white-tail deer and ideal habitat. The extensive wetland areas associated with the river provide ample opportunities for waterfowl hunting.