Montgomery County: Lakes, Trails and History

Montgomery County combines lakes and trails through forest landscapes with historic sites in Hillsboro and Litchfield. When planning your overnight stay, you can start by considering whether water activities, walks and bike rides, or history will be the focus of your trip. The region’s varied destinations offer concrete ideas to help you decide.

Lakes, water sports and fishing

Lake Lou Yaeger near Litchfield covers 1,357 acres and stretches for 5.5 miles. Activities on the water include kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, water skiing and sightseeing cruises. The lake is also an option for fishing: public fishing is available year-round. You’ll need a valid Illinois state fishing license. Fish caught there include crappie, catfish, sunfish and bass. Check the current licensing and fishing regulations before your trip.

Other bodies of water offer a different experience. Glenn Shoals Lake was created in 1976 by damming the Middle Fork of Shoal Creek. It was built for recreation, sport fishing and water supply. Hillsboro Lake is a 110-acre reservoir with a speed limit of 10 miles per hour. Its fish include largemouth bass, redear sunfish, bluegill and channel catfish.

Milnot Beach offers sand volleyball, swimming, bathing and floating in the water, as well as relaxation along the shore. The season begins each year on Memorial Day weekend; when the weather is suitable, the beach is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Since the season and opening hours depend on the weather and annual operations, check conditions before your visit.

Trails through forest and countryside

For hiking and mountain biking, the Route 66 Hike & Bike Trail at Lake Lou Yaeger is a 6.6-mile round-trip route through wooded terrain. A different type of route is offered by the two marked loops in Shoal Creek Conservation Area: together they are about one mile long, and Loop B offers a view of Lake Lou Yaeger. The conservation area covers 266 acres of oak and hickory forest on the Till Plain of southern Illinois. The two trail options therefore differ clearly in their stated total length and route format.

In Hillsboro, the paved Lincoln Trail is a loop of about one-third of a mile that commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s speech on September 9, 1858, at the local fairgrounds. At Sherwood Forest Campground, the Oo-De-Lally mountain bike and multi-use trail winds through wooded terrain. Its described features include obstacles, bridges, lake views and varied elevations. If you’d prefer another activity, Hillsboro has an 18-hole disc golf course with open and wooded holes; holes 13 and 14 offer views along a creek.

H & B Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary offers a glimpse of the original prairie and expansive views of the surrounding rolling hills. Together with the oak and hickory forest in Shoal Creek Conservation Area, it showcases contrasting landscapes: open prairie and wooded areas.

History in Hillsboro and Litchfield

In Hillsboro, the historic Harkey House is the city’s oldest family residence. Solomon Harkey built it in 1834. The Montgomery County Historic Courthouse was built between 1868 and 1872 on the site of an earlier courthouse known to Abraham Lincoln. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The two buildings represent different chapters in local history: early home life and the development of the courthouse site.

The Montgomery County Museum preserves hand-hewn beams and the signatures of the original carpenters from a building that may have been Hillsboro’s first schoolhouse. The museum opened to the public in August 2023; its exhibits change every four months. In Litchfield, the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center explores the significance of Route 66, railroads, businesses, agriculture and the military in the city’s history.

The Litchfield Carnegie Library Building offers another architectural point of interest: industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded the building in 1904. Architect Paul Moratz designed it in the Classical Revival style; it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Sky View Drive-In in Litchfield is the last originally operated drive-in theater on historic Route 66 in Illinois. It has operated seasonally since opening in spring 1950. Check showtimes and seasonal hours before planning a visit.

A seasonal event in Litchfield

The Litchfield Pickers Market takes place in downtown Litchfield from May through October, on the second Sunday of each month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It features antiques, collectibles, and vintage, reused and restored items made before 1985. If the market is part of your travel plans, check the date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Litchfield, Will County, Johnson County, McDonough, Edgar, Clay County, Vermilion, Adams.

For the overview of the wider region: Illinois.