The winter weather is no reason to stay inside when there’s an abundance of activities at Weldon Springs State Park and Clinton Lake State Recreation Area. From cross country skiing to ice fishing, hiking and ice skating, these sites offer fun activities for all.

Located southeast of Clinton in DeWitt County, Weldon Springs State Park and Clinton Lake State Recreation Area are a 15 minute drive from each other. 

Weldon Springs State Park boasts a one-eighth mile hill prime for sledding and tobogganing in the winter. The Whitetail Ski Trail offers three miles of pristine skiing often with sightings of wild turkeys, herons, hawks and several other types of birds.

Weldon Springs State Park also has a 29-acre lake with depths up to 28 feet. There are multiple fishing platforms and boat launches. The lake has a fish population including largemouth bass, catfish, bullhead, crappie, bluegill and sunfish.

There is a 2-mile trail that winds around the lake, as well as four trails through the woods, near the salt creek and around the prairie restoration project.

The camping at Weldon Springs State Park has been recognized by Family Circle magazine as one of the top 20 campgrounds in America. There are 75 Class A campsites with electricity, grills, picnic tables, playground equipment and water hydrants. For those looking to rough it, there are primitive backpack campsites along Salt Creek. The shower buildings are closed during the winter, but reopen on May 1.

On top of a wealth of outdoor activities, Weldon Springs State Park has an interesting history. The site was initially purchased before the Civil War by Judge Lawrence Weldon, a close friend of Abraham Lincoln. The park was used for the annual chautauquas, an assembly of educational, religious and entertaining events hosted in the summer from 1901-1921.

During the winter, Clinton Lake State Recreation Area’s hiking and equestrian trails double as 26 miles of cross country skiing, one of the longest runs in the state. Once the ice on the lake is thick enough, ice fishing, ice skating and snowmobiling are permitted and the North Fork and the coves on Salt Creek are great places to do so.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area has three hiking trails ranging from 5 to over 9 miles along the shoreline and through the wooded areas. These trails offer beautiful views of the lake and a chance to see wildlife.
During the warmer months, Clinton Lake State Recreation Area has a 1,000-foot white sand beach for swimming and boating.