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Kidd Lake Marsh
Monroe County | 445 Acres
Owned by: State of Illinois – Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Hours: Open Sunrise to Sunset
Location and Directions: Kidd Lake Marsh Natural Area is located along Bluff Road in Monroe County, at the base of the Mississippi River bluffs, near the community of Fults. From IL-3 in Waterloo take IL-156 (Park Street) west to Valmeyer. In Valmeyer take Bluff Street south to S. Michael Street. Take S. Michael Street, which turns into Bluff Road, south approximately 8.2 miles to the Kidd Lake State Natural Area. There is no parking lot, but visitors can park in a grassy area at the south end of the area. Kidd Lake State Natural Area can also be accessed taking Bluff Road in Prairie du Rocher (near the grain elevator) and travelling north approximately 8.2 miles 5.3 miles to Kidd Lake.
Bluff Road, Prairie du Rocher, IL 62277
Facilities: No facilities on site. Hiking and wildlife viewing are available at Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve next to this site.
Regulations: Open sunrise to sunset 7 days a week, for foot traffic only. Bow hunting is allowed via State permitting. For further regulations on the site, visit: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/factsheets/pages/kiddlakestatenaturalarea.aspx
Overview
The site is included on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, (Fults Hill Prairie – Kidd Lake Marsh), and is contiguous to the Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources owns and manages both sites. In 2011 HeartLands Conservancy acquired an additional 94.5 acres at this site. Kidd Lake Marsh is one of the most important wetlands within the State of Illinois for breeding species. This property has been deeded to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for long-term ownership and management.
The original Kidd Lake was a shallow body of water which was then partly drained and is now being farmed. The remnants of the lake contain a thick stand of bulrush, cattail, and smartweed. Willows are found in the drier portions of the marsh and a few small ponds of open water occur in the area.
In the spring visitors will be able to listen to a number of different frogs looking for mates in early spring make a lot of noise on warm humid nights. In the winter dome-shaped mounds can be seen throughout the marsh are muskrat houses. Kidd Lake State Natural Area is a primitive area primarily devoted as a home to wildlife. There are no man-made improvements to provide visitors easy access to the area such as trails, parking lots, etc.