Illinois River Road

Illinois River Road. National Scenic Byway. , Conserving Both Nature and Culture
Throughout the Illinois River valley, human history is entwined with a beautiful and abundant landscape. In Bureau County, we're committed to conserving our cultural and natural treasures. One cultural treasure stands before you – the Red Covered Bridge. Completed in 1864, the Red Covered Bridge was part of the Galena Trail. Laid out in 1833, the trail extended north from Peoria to Galena. The Red Covered Bridge is one of just five covered bridges in Illinois that are still open to vehicle traffic, and it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. , The Red Covered Bridge recalls a time when this landscape was frontier country – a time when settlers celebrated this new bridge, which spared them a wet crossing through Bureau Creek with horse and wagon. By conserving this historic landmark, we conserve our connection to this region's rich human history. , Restoring Old Indian Boundary Line Prairie , Though small in size, 7-acre Old Indian Boundary Line Prairie tells a big conservation story. Before white settlers came to Illinois, tallgrass prairie covered roughly two-thirds of the state. Today, less than 1/100th of one percent of that prairie habitat remains. At Old Indian Boundary Line Prairie, managers use prescribed fire to restore a key piece of this region's natural heritage. In the process, they conserve native species and provide habitat for prairie wildlife. , Warnecke Woods , Nearby, the Bureau County Soil and Water Conservation District manages a 33-acre natural area called Warnecke Woods. Here, land managers are restoring habitat by removing non-native trees, shrubs, and herbs from the forest. This allows native plants – which wildlife depend upon for food and shelter – to thrive.