Illinois has a single designated Wild and Scenic River: a 13.9-mile Scenic segment of the Middle Fork Vermilion Wild and Scenic River in Vermilion County in the east-central part of the state. It is the only federally designated Wild and Scenic river in Illinois, administered by the National Park Service. The Middle Fork Vermilion is a nationally recognized paddling and canoeing stream that flows through a rare stretch of Illinois tallgrass prairie and forest before joining the main Vermilion River. Click the segment on the map for details on classification and managing agency.
Wild and Scenic Rivers in Illinois at a Glance
The Middle Fork Vermilion is one of only a small number of federally designated WSR rivers in the entire Midwest corn belt, making it an ecologically significant outlier in a heavily agricultural landscape. The river’s 13.9 Scenic miles flow through Vermilion County, passing through forest and restored prairie remnants before joining the main stem Vermilion near Danville. Its designation reflects the river’s exceptional water quality, active paddling use, and the relative rarity of undisturbed stream corridors in the Illinois interior. The Middle Fork Vermilion had been designated as a National Natural Landmark well before receiving Wild and Scenic status. It is administered by the NPS in coordination with Illinois DNR and the Vermilion County Conservation District, which manages much of the adjacent land.
Classification Breakdown
The single segment carries a Scenic classification — it has road access in several places and adjacent state and county conservation areas, but the shoreline remains largely undeveloped and the water quality is exceptional for the region.
| Classification | Segments | Protected Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Scenic | 1 | 13.9 |
Managing Agencies
| Agency | Segments | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 1 | 13.9 |
The Middle Fork Vermilion Wild and Scenic River
| River | Miles | Segments | Classification | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Fork Vermillion Wild and Scenic River | 13.9 | 1 | Scenic | NPS |
The Middle Fork Vermilion flows through a narrow, wooded valley that is strikingly different from the flat agricultural plain surrounding it. The river has a rocky, gravel-bedded channel — unusual for Illinois — and is known for swift, maneuverable Class I-II paddling conditions in spring and early summer. The Vermilion County Conservation District’s Forest Glen Preserve borders the designated reach and provides the primary public access and camping facilities. The river is recognized nationally as one of Illinois’ finest remaining examples of an undisturbed Interior stream corridor.
Visiting the Designated Reach
The Middle Fork Vermilion is primarily a canoe and kayak river, best paddled in spring when flows are adequate. Put-in and take-out points are available through Vermilion County Conservation District lands, with Forest Glen Preserve serving as the primary access hub. The river holds a native small-mouth bass and rock bass fishery, and its gravel riffles support a diverse macroinvertebrate community that makes it a popular destination for environmental educators. Wildflower blooms along the wooded bluffs are a spring attraction, and the adjacent forest contains some of the best birding habitat in east-central Illinois. Illinois DNR and the Vermilion County Conservation District post water-level information for planning paddling trips.
Maps for Neighboring States
Illinois borders several states with their own WSR designations. Wisconsin to the north has the St. Croix and Wolf rivers. Missouri to the south has the Eleven Point River. Kentucky to the southeast has the Red River. Indiana has no federally designated Wild and Scenic rivers. For the complete national picture, see the US Wild and Scenic Rivers map.
Data Sources
River segment geometry, classification, mileage, and managing-agency attributes come from the US Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse, specifically the National Wild and Scenic River Segments dataset jointly maintained by the USFS, NPS, BLM, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Source service: USFS EDW Wild Scenic River Segments. Authoritative national index: rivers.gov. State recreation and land management context: Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Vermilion County Conservation District.
