News is in Illinois that Wolf Creek state park is closing along with several other sites....I guess my feeling is that Blago is nuts!

The park used to be overflowing on holiday weekends, and then they cut funding....and now closed???

We've been going there for long boating weekends for 20 years, over three boats .....I hope its a bluff!

I guess IL needs to raise taxes or park admission fees but the people don't want to pay for the services they want to have?

Inflation effects the government too, but park admission fees remain the same as they were several years ago in CA because no one wants to see them raised.

Total shut down? or will you still be able to use ramps and other day use areas?

Nah, deepv, the Govenor needs to abandon his socialized medicine plan and the state would have plenty of money.

I doubt it's a bluff, Neuman.

I sent the FYI to Minion. I'm sure he'll chime in ...

Do some research on politics in IL before making assumptions like that, Deepv.

And it ain't just the Governor, Bill. It's all of them.

Wow that is hard to believe. We camped there for many years. It is a great state park. Used to leave a travel trailer at the leprechcan landing and bring it in & out of the wolf creek for several years.

They're closing some other state parks in other areas of the state too. Kickapoo comes to mind and a lot of people are upset.

There are a few other state parks/public ramps for lake access. Surprising to see Wolf Creek on the shutdown list as Lake Shelbyville is very popular. We were down there all of Labor Day weekend and the whole area was hopping. The lake was the busiest I've seen it all year. Lake level coming down probably had a lot to do it.

As for Illinois politics, oh boy, they are a bunch of crooks.

I'd probably support higher use fees, but I wouldn't support higher taxes. If cuts must be made, so be it.

Amen RX....

For a good facility I'd pay more....problem is Illinois has some of the highest taxes, yet worst services. Like Alaska, our prisons have seen a few Governors, aldermen and legislators.

I reallt think the Wolf Creek situation is a bluff, as the area brings in revenue for surrounding towns. The land is far too valuable to let go to fallow...and private ownwership on the lake is limited to a few Marinas.

I camp/boat in Shelby weekly March through December.
(Private campground)
It is no bluff.
Wolf Creek needs the most rehab of any of them (most used over the years).
Water and electric services need a total rehab.
Septic systems no longer meet code.
No money in the Corp's budget.
These are the same people who put the high water ramps in place in 1992 and the next year cut funding to keep them cleared out.
This spring after the lake went up 12 feet in one weekend they opened the high water ramps which had 1-2 inch diamater trees growing in/on them.
We layed off boating for 3 weeks and let "Others" clear the ramp brush with there props.
Now we are back to the normal ramps.
They are still looking for volinteers to power wash the regular ramps since there is no Corp monies to pay staffers to do it.
So the closing of Wolf is no suprise to me.
No doubt that ramp will close also.



Thanks for the heads up Bones on this thread !

There are 382 camp spots in wolf creek - alot of the time it is pretty full. Can't imagine how difficult it will be to get into the remaining camgroungs.

Guess its a good thing Bo Wood's which is a federal campground just under went a major renovation and supposedly they are getting ready to double the size. Doens't make alot of cents but thats government. Expand one & close another ????

I agree Capt....going to be tough to find a camp site on Memorial day!

Tim/Barb - thanks for the article!

I got a note from the DNR confirming the closing also

From: Glazebrook, Richard [mailto:Richard.Glazebrook@illinois.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 9:20 AM
Subject: RE: Question about Wolf Creek



Yes it is true. The park will close effective November 1. This is not a seasonal closing. Wolf Creek is one of 11 State Parks being closed for budget considerations.

Kind of surprises me that IL is closing so many state parks...You guys have a lot more of a tax base than where I live...(ID),

I have on ocassion launched without a formal boat ramp before the seasonal ramps open up on the local resevoirs...just find a spot on the bank where everyone else is launching. Nice to have 4 wheel drive when doing this though...and I always get wet when doing it. Of course, in someplaces, this practice may be illegal. We don't seem to have the weeds that many of the natural lakes in the midwest do as well.

Yes, but we also have a much larger draw on those taxes than you do. Plus an accepted corrupt political system.

We also don't have many natural lakes, so manmade ones like Shelbyville don't always have gentle sloping banks to allow a launch from anywhere but a ramp.