Long post. I have not posted in a long time. Things have been very busy with nonstop PT appointments, homework assignments, Sandia work, scheduling travel, a government shutdown, and back PAIN! Hopefully my zero readers haven't stopped reading my posts.
I am definitely behind on my park visiting schedule now, so I stacked 3 different visits into one. My Porter Fam Park post is the longest and is accompanied by the Champaign Bark District and Mullikin Park (visited in that order). On Thurs and Fri, I will probably visit a few more parks. On Saturday, I am visiting the "village" (population 200) of Vermillion, IL to explore an abandoned radio observatory.
I visited the Porter Family Park on what is best described as a perfect Fall evening, with nice weather and a nice setting sun. The 20 minute drive with the roof off was delectable and that edge of Champaign is very peaceful, with its infinite farmland.
I was very, very pleased with the Porter Family Park. The combination of the perfect day and the amenities at the park have made it my favorite park in Champaign. I originally went with hopes to work, but ended up just exploring the park (all 38.2 acres).
Starting the walk through the wonderful prairie.
The walking path through the prairie was wonderful. There were plenty of well placed benches, a viewing/observation area, and many pretty flowers.
View of the prairie.
It seemed as if the walkway was also connected with the nearby neighborhood which must be a major perk for those homes.
View of the water
Now, the water feature @ Porter Family Park very much surprised me. I wasn't expecting this here. It looked really nice. Similar to the prairie, there were many well placed benches along the walking path, with multiple little "docks" by the water for observation.
View from one of the "docks", looking at some... water-lily pads?
This was a really nice view. I did a lap around the whole park. People were sitting all over the park, some reading a book, some playing at the playground, and a family gathering at the picnic tables.
What I'm calling the "butterfly bridge"
There was also enough (not lots, but enough) green space for activities with friends and plenty of parking. My only complaint would be that there are not enough picnic tables, with maybe one more separate spot needed.
Overall, this park was fantastic and is a 9.5/10. I'll give it a 10/10 if they give me a few more picnic tables. It is certainly my new favorite park in CU for Fall 2025.