We all need a little therapy don't you think? Now I’m not talking about spilling your innermost thoughts to some stranger you just met. I’m talking about doing yourself some real justice and finding therapy in the spirit of adventure. With everyday life getting just a little bit more ridiculous, there has to be time to feed your curiosity of the outdoors. Bradley students in particular always seem to ask where a nice place is to spend the day and fulfill that sense of adventure after a long week of drowning in their studies. Well I’m here to act as your “therapist” by providing some killer locations located around Peoria that you might not have known existed.
Rocky Glen
Rocky Glen Park is a personal favorite of mine, purely due to the location and how well preserved it is. The clear trails and vegetation surrounding the park set the scene for an adventure waiting to happen. The paths all lead you atop a huge rock formation suspended about 100 feet off the ground. Down below the cliff is a cavern spanning around and underneath the formation, just waiting to be explored. There is a small amount of climbing to get to the bottom but nothing dangerous or drastic. The best part about all of this is the location. Rocky Glen is located just off of Farmington Road, so if you are itching for an adventure but also balling on a budget, this place is perfect.
Forest Park Nature Center
The Forest Park Nature Center is another great adventuring spot located in Peoria Heights. The park provides many alternative trails to explore, but you can always veer off path and take your own way. This park was built around hills, so some of the hiking may be tiring. Forest Park provides benches and signs all around to help guide you through different parts swell as opening more doors to adventures. This park is more publicly known and is also a great spot to do some outdoor running.
Detweiller Park
One of the oldest and most well known of the three parks is Detweiller. Detweiller is located on the north end of Peoria along the Illinois River running through the hills. The park covers a huge amount of land, both dense forest and open fields. To get the full experience of adventuring this park, I would start at one of the trails located at the bottom and just start climbing up. I would even go as far as to suggest getting lost and finding your way back; it would definitely add to the adventure!
These park locations are just some of my personal favorites, where I go to relieve my stress and experience something different each time. The therapeutic vibe adventuring gives is unmatched, and I strongly recommend checking out at least one of these great places here in Peoria, IL.
