Outdoor opportunities at Crab Orchard and Kincaid Lake
Audra Ord
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Editors Note: This is the second in a four-part series exploring recreational parks and preserves in the southern Illinois region.
Looking across the lake, it is difficult to distinguish the gray water from the overcast sky. The fisherman casts; his lure hits the water and disappears below the surface, sending rolling ripples across the otherwise placid lake.
A cool wind blows, threatening rain, and Brandon Mills reels in his line.
"I'm just trying to get started fishing before the weather turns nasty," said Mills, a senior from Flora studying administration of justice.
Mills said he frequents the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge to fish and hunt during deer season.
Both Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and Kincaid Lake offer numerous outdoor recreational activities for everybody, including fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, camping and wildlife observation.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a 44,000-acre area between Carbondale and Marion that is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals.
Refuge stickers must be on all vehicles while in the refuge area; day stickers as well as annual passes can be purchased at the refuge visitor center.
Because it is a wildlife refuge, the area is primarily managed for wildlife purposes and the recreational activities are dependent on the wildlife, said Karin Magera, a park ranger at Crab Orchard.
"We have so many people in the area and the lake that we manage the recreation for the people at the same time," Magera said. "We can do both without harming wildlife too much."
The refuge receives more than one million visitors annually, though the number of visitors depends on the season, Magera said. She said hunters come in the fall and locals make day trips to the refuge on weekends when the weather is nice.
Magera said Crab Orchard is unique because of its location. She said it's in a rural location, but it is close enough to town that many people can enjoy it.
"Here we have this sort of rural community surrounding the refuge, so you don't have the urban problem that you have in bigger cities, but at the same time we have this huge population that can enjoy the refuge," Magera said.
Andrea Dryden of Energy said she goes to Crab Orchard a couple of times a week to walk the trails. She said she enjoys it because it's peaceful and there's usually nobody around.
"It's very nice to enjoy the nature walks, and it's healthy," Dryden said.
Kincaid Lake, located about three miles northwest of Murphysboro, offers several recreational activities primarily focused on water but also includes camping, hiking and equestrian trails.
There are approximately 30 miles of hiking trails in the Kincaid Lake area, including the 15-mile Kincaid Trail.
The Kincaid Trail goes into the remote fingers of the lake and ends up near the Crisenberry Dam, said Linda Hauser, administrative support clerk for the USDA Forest Service.
"Southern Illinois is a diverse area, and Kincaid Lake is one of those areas that highlights the diversity," Hauser said.
Hauser said the spillway located near the southern end of the lake is a well-known area that is often frequented by students.
Whether you want to hike, bike, fish, boat or just find a quiet place to study, Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge and Kincaid Lake offer several options.
"There are so many resources you can take advantage of for a minimum price," Mills said. "You might as well get yourself outdoors and get active."
Audra Ord can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or at amarie06@siu.edu.
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