Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Penfield, Illinois

On a clear night in east-central Illinois, the sky above Middle Fork River Forest Preserve positively overflows with stars. In 2018, this Champaign County preserve became Illinois’ first International Dark Sky Park, designated by DarkSky International for its commitment to protecting natural darkness. That means strict outdoor lighting policies, shielded fixtures, and a community-wide effort to keep the glow of development at bay. The result is a rare pocket of true night and a twinkling dark ocean of stars. By day, Middle Fork is a classic prairie and river landscape. The Middle Fork of th...