Bureau County, Illinois tourism

Warnecke Woods

Warnecke Woods is a 33.5 -acre botanical gem that was donated to the Bureau County Natural Resources Conservation Service District in 1984 by Marie Warnecke. Ecologically, the site is a mix of rare black oak/black maple Savannah, swampy floodplain forest dominated by swamp white oak, and abandoned agricultural land which is gradually succeeding back to woodland through careful management. Interesting Savannah plants include Ohio buckeye, wild lek, gray dogwood, Virginia bluebells, gooseberry, and downy yellow violet. Down in the lowlands, the early spring woodland wildflower show features ephemeral species such as jack-in-the-pulpit, spring beauty, trout lily, American pennyroyal, mayapple, bloodroot, skunk cabbage and red trillium.

Site Access - Free
GPS - n 41.41130; w 89.48076
Site Contact - 815-875-8732

Directions:
From the intersection of SR (State Route) 26 and 180 in Princeton, go north on SR 26 for approximately 0.6 miles to the "Covered Bridge Road" (look for the "Covered Bridge" sign on the left). Turn northwest (left) on the "Covered Bridge Road" for 0.1 miles, then west (left) on the first gravel road for 0.6 miles to Warnecke Woods. Please pay attention to the "No Trespassing" signs posted for the private properties surrounding the woodland.