Information
Landmark: Meadowbrook ParkCity: Champaign Urbana
Country: USA Illinois
Continent: North America
Meadowbrook Park, Champaign Urbana, USA Illinois, North America
Overview
In Urbana, Illinois, Meadowbrook Park stretches across 130 acres, offering restored prairies, playgrounds, winding trails, and sculptures tucked among the trees.Since opening in 1967, it’s grown into a favorite spot where hikers trace winding trails, families picnic under shady oaks, and neighbors gather for music, art, and fresh air.One of Meadowbrook Park’s biggest draws is its sweeping ecological restoration, especially the tallgrass prairie where golden stalks sway in the wind.Since 1977, the Urbana Park District, working with groups such as the Champaign County Audubon Society, has brought roughly 80 acres of the park back to native prairie, where tall grasses sway in the wind.The restored area bursts with native Illinois prairie life-wild hyacinths, spiderworts, gentians, milkweeds, even purple coneflowers swaying in the breeze.Besides its open prairie, the park also protects other wild spaces, including Spomer Prairie-a carefully restored patch where tall grasses sway in the wind.Walker Grove Savanna is a stretch of open grassland dotted with native trees and shrubs, where tall oaks cast dappled shade on the ground.McCullough and Douglas Creek Corridors are natural streamways alive with birdsong, sheltering wildlife and sustaining rich biodiversity.Freyfogle Overlook offers sweeping views of the prairie, with benches where you can rest and signs that share its story.These features give visitors a rare chance to step into native ecosystems right in the city-hear the rustle of grasses, watch dragonflies skim the water, and learn how it all thrives here.Meadowbrook Park features more than five miles of trails for walking, running, and biking, winding through a mix of open fields and shaded woods.About three miles are paved, ten feet wide, and perfect for jogging, skating, or a smooth bike ride.About two miles of dirt trails wind through prairie grass, past quiet creeks, and into shaded woods, giving visitors a closer look at the landscape.Winding trails weave through the park, offering routes for every pace and passion, from a quick shaded stroll to a challenging climb, and each path invites you to breathe in the scent of pine and feel at home in the wild.Opened in 1998, the Wandell Sculpture Garden weaves towering outdoor sculptures through 60 acres of restored prairie, where tall grasses sway in the wind.The garden showcases ten striking sculptures, blending art with the rustle of leaves and the scent of fresh grass to enrich every visit with beauty and culture.Meadowbrook Park’s PrairiePlay is the biggest playground in the Urbana Park District, with bright slides that catch the sunlight.PrairiePlay, first opened in 1995 and rebuilt in 2024, sprawls across 13,000 square feet, offering swings, ramps, and play areas where kids of every ability can join in.It’s packed with climbing walls, zip lines, swings, and even a music station where kids can bang on drums, creating a lively space for families to play and explore.The park features inviting gardens and welcoming community spots, including a small herb garden where rosemary and mint grow side by side.Sensory Garden: A place where blooming lavender, trickling water, and textured leaves invite visitors to explore with all their senses.Organic Community Gardens offers plots for rent to local residents who want to dig in the soil and grow their own vegetables.Timpone Family Tree Grove, a quiet stand of young oaks, was planted to honor the Timpone family.These spaces foster learning, host leisure activities, and bring neighbors together over shared moments, like a weekend craft fair.Meadowbrook Park offers seasonal restrooms and cool drinking fountains-open from mid-April to mid-October-so visitors can enjoy comfort and convenience while they explore.Grills sizzle near picnic tables scattered through the park, perfect for a laid‑back lunch in the sun.You can rent pavilions for private gatherings or community events, whether it’s a family barbecue or a neighborhood picnic under the oaks.You’ll find accessible parking off Windsor Avenue by the playground, and another lot off Race Street beside the community gardens, where the air smells faintly of fresh soil.The park was built to be accessible, with smooth paved paths and benches placed where shade falls in the afternoon, making it easy for visitors with disabilities to enjoy.You’ll find Meadowbrook Park at 2808 S Race St., Urbana, IL 61801, open every day from dawn to dusk, with parking scattered in several spots around the grounds.It’s a lively community space where restored prairie meets winding trails and public art.You’ll find quiet prairie grasses swaying by the restored creek, and just a short walk away, trails and playgrounds buzzing with activity.Public art from the Wandell Sculpture Garden catches the eye, while nearby community gardens invite you to linger and explore-together, they make the visit even more rewarding.It’s a living example of urban green space, where people can breathe fresh air, learn under shady trees, and feel part of a connected community.
