A Walk in the Park: Pecatonica's Four Lakes was made for fishing and enjoying nature

A Walk in the Park is an ongoing series from Rockford Register Star photographer Kara Hawley, who plans to explore the Rockford area — one park at a time — to capture all of the beauty and recreation Rockford area parks have to offer. If you have a suggestion of a park she should visit, email her at kghawley@gannett.com .

Four Lake Forest Preserve in rural Winnebago County is one of the region's most popular fishing spots, but it's also 186.1 acres of trees and plants and animals, making it perfect for those looking for a serene escape into nature.

The four lakes that the preserve gets its name from are home to bluegills, channel catfish, largemouth bass, brown bullheads, redear sunfish and northern pike. Geese populate the shorelines, as well, so be sure to be ready to encounter some territorial ones near the water's edge.

Founded: 1924

Address: 10207 Fish Hatchery Road, Pecatonica

Acres: 186.1

Key amenities: Four stocked lakes, a wood shelter house, restrooms and picnic tables. The Four Lakes entrance at 10180 Trask Bridge Road (Highway 70) has a sporting dog training area that is open year round. There are 25 acres of upland field training area and 1/2 acre pond for retriever training.

History: The Four Lakes ponds were originally constructed in 1924 as rearing ponds for the state fish hatchery system. In 1961 Winnebago County Forest Preserve District traded 193-acre Rock Cut Forest Preserve (one of Rock Cut State Park’s original tracts) to the Illinois Department of Conservation in exchange for the Four Lakes fish hatchery. An 18-acre addition to the preserve acquired in 2011 accessible by footbridge and offering three additional small ponds.

For more: Visit winnebagoforest.org/items/four-lakes or call 815-877-6100.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: A Walk in the Park: Pecatonica's Four Lakes was made for fishing and enjoying nature