Watch now: Homer Lake a peaceful place to explore wildlife, recreation | Travel
HOMER — Homer Lake is the centerpiece of Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County, but there’s a lot more than the lake to explore.
The 764-acre park, part of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, includes about 10 miles of hiking trails that go through woodlands, restored prairies and along the Salt Fork River; picnic areas and shelters; playgrounds and a nature center.
The nature center should be your first stop, especially if you have children with you.
There are informative displays; live turtles and snakes; interactive exhibits; a “touch me” area where you can handle and examine shells, animal bones and other nature items; a library; and a bird feeder viewing area.
The nature center is also the place where you can check out activity backpacks to aid in your exploration.
Jeremy Cagle grew up near Homer Lake. Now he is an office specialist at the nature center.
“My brother and I used to bike here,” he said. “It’s a real fun place to just explore and be with nature. Very relaxing. Very peaceful here.”
A damselfly looks bug-eyed at a hiker along West Lake Trail at Homer Lake Forest Preserve.
After visiting the nature center, I crossed the road and took the Sand Beach Cove Trail. Birds were singing and it was easy to imagine what it must be like when spring wildflowers are blooming.
The trail leads to the natural playscape, a nature playground where children can crawl around on logs, climb a rope net that resembles a spider web or take off their shoes and wade in a water feature.
The playscape is designed for children ages 5 to 12 but all ages are welcome — even the young at heart wishing to cool off on a hot day.
From there, I drove to the end of the road to reach the trailhead for the 4.5-mile West Lake Trail. Part of this trail goes along the west side of Homer Lake and the return loop takes you through restored prairie.
A family from Ogden hikes on the South Beach Cove Trail at Homer Lake Forest Preserve near Homer in Champaign County.
Purple coneflowers, wild white indigo and beardstongue pentstemon were among the plants blooming in the prairie. Blue flag iris bloomed near the water.
House wrens, indigo buntings, dickcissels and field sparrows sang in the woods and prairies as dragonflies and damselflies flitted around me. White-tailed deer bounded away as I approached, one brave one stopping to glance back.
Watch now: Prairie Quest aims to spread love for Illinois’ native landscape
On my next trip, I’d like to explore the Flicker Woods and Oak Ridge Trails, which follow the Salt Fork River.
After a picnic lunch under a shady tree, watching people fish and boat and children play, I launched my kayak on Homer Lake.
There are several boat launches at the lake. Only paddlecraft and boats with electric motors may be operated on the lake, making it a peaceful place to paddle and/or fish.
Clouds form interesting reflections as a kayaker floats along Homer Lake. The lake has several boat launches and only allows paddlecraft and boats with electric motors.
Kayak rentals are available through Lunatic Kayak Rentals but must be reserved and paid for in advance online. See lunatickayakrental.com for more information.
I chose the boat launch on the southeast corner of the lake, near the natural playscape, because it had a nice gravel launch area next to the parking area, meaning I didn’t have to carry my kayak far or get muddy while launching.
It’s fun to explore the shoreline, trying to spot the croaking bullfrogs before they hop away or hoping a dragonfly or damselfly will pause long enough for a photo. Great blue herons were also a treat to see, flying overhead or fishing along the shore. You might even see an eagle or osprey.
A great blue heron looks for a fish along the shore at Homer Lake.
The park is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is at 2573 S. Homer Lake Road, Homer.
The nature center is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June through August and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April through October. Weekday hours from September through May are 1 to 5 p.m.
See the district’s website, ccfpd.org, for more details and a schedule of programs and events.
How to afford summer road trips amid high gas prices
CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR DESTINATION
If you’re open-minded about your vacation destination, consider driving through a region with below-average gas prices. On June 1, 10 states had average gas prices below $4.30 per gallon for regular grade gasoline, according to AAA data.
Those states, ranked from cheapest to most expensive, were:
1. Georgia.
2. Arkansas.
3. Kansas.
4. Mississippi.
5. Oklahoma.
6. Missouri.
7. Louisiana.
8. Nebraska.
9. South Carolina.
10. Texas.
Given how many of those states border each other, it’d be fairly easy to plan a road trip through the South or Midwest. You could start in St. Louis, and make the roughly four-hour drive on Interstate 70 across the state to Kansas City, Missouri. Make time for a pit stop in Columbia, which is a quintessential college town with the University of Missouri. Boonville is another great stop, where you can tour Warm Springs Ranch, home of the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales. (Walking tours start at $15 .) From Kansas City, it’s about three hours on to Omaha, Nebraska, where you can try the allegedly original Reuben sandwich.
BE STRATEGIC ABOUT RENTAL CARS
If you’re renting a car, understand that rental car prices can vary dramatically depending on the rental company, whether you’re renting from an airport location versus downtown, and how far in advance you book.
Speaking of renting a car, this might be the year you rent an electric vehicle. The EV may have a more expensive rental price, but it could be cheaper than renting a gas-powered car and filling its tank. AAA has a helpful gas calculator tool that factors in the type of car and where you’re driving to help you see the trade-offs.
Hotel and vacation rental companies also are making it easier to search for accommodations that offer electric vehicle charging. More hotels are promoting electric vehicle charging as a hotel perk, right alongside traditional amenities like pools and breakfast buffets. Many hotels even allow you to charge your car at no cost.
If rental car prices are brutally high, consider booking with alternative rental car companies like Turo or Getaround, which can be cheaper than a major car rental company. Many of these companies are relatively new and allow you to book cars directly from the owners, functioning as an “Airbnb for cars.”
For example, the cost of a weeklong car rental from San Francisco International Airport during the first week of July for a standard, gas-powered car like a Volkswagen Jetta would average about $640 . Head to peer-to-peer car-sharing site Turo, and there are more than a dozen Teslas available to book in San Francisco on the same dates for less than $800.
If you filled the Jetta’s roughly 13-gallon gas tank twice at $6 a gallon (which isn’t unheard of in some states like California), you’d pay more than $150 in gas. That cost plus the rental would have you paying roughly the same amount as booking the Tesla.
With so many variables, it pays to shop around before you make reservations.
KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE CHEAPEST GAS
If driving a gas-powered car is non-negotiable, master the art of saving money on gas. Download apps like GasBuddy, which track local gas prices and can help guide you to the cheapest station near you. It also helps to drive more efficiently. Adjusting how you speed up, brake or use cruise control can have an impact on your gas usage.
And if all else fails and you’re stuck with a gargantuan gas bill, at least earn rewards for your spending through a rewards credit card. The best gas credit cards can typically net at least 3% back in rewards for your gas station spending.
