Jubilee College State Park Horse Trails

Jubilee College State Park is a 3,200 acre outdoor playground in central Illinois just six miles from Peoria.  The park is an escape from the flat agricultural fields for miles that are the primary landscape of central Illinois.  Enter the cool shaded woods of Jubillee college, meander along the twists and turns of Jubilee Creek, or challenge your horse on the rolling hillsides. Boot hill, West side hill, and Haunted house hill trails provide good opportunities to engage your horse's hindend and add some excitement to the ride. Escape the summer heat or work on obstacle training your horse through the multiple creek crossings.  Creek crossings range in width up to 40 feet but are frequently only up to 4 inches deep. Enjoy three seasons of wildflowers in 100 Mile Meadow, Mitchell's Meadow, or Bird House Meadow.  Stop by Wolf Pond to see if you can spot any wildlife.  Thanks to several picnic areas and campgrounds throughout the park, there are multiple opportunities for restrooms and water breaks throughout your ride.

Some trails are multi-use.  Mountain bikers typically stay toward the South side of the park but be aware that trails are shared.

In addition to being a valued natural area, Jubilee College is also an important part of Illinois history.  It is a designated historic site because it was one of the first educational institutions in the state of Illinois.  This frontier college was established in 1840 and operated for 22 years. The school included a theological seminary, a college, a classical preparatory school for boys, and a “seminary” for girls, as well as small farming operations.  The college is only available on a limited guided tour access.