Western Illinois Youth Camp plans free Trail Fun Run near Lake Jacksonville

Families looking for an easy, no-cost outdoor outing will have a new option in Jacksonville when Western Illinois Youth Camp opens its trails for its first-ever free Trail Fun Run on May 9.

The WIYC Spring Trail Run is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and will wind across part of the camp’s 70 acres at 2244 4-H Club Lane. The camp is billing the event as a fundraiser, but the free entry is the detail that broadens the appeal, making it an accessible morning for families, runners, walkers and anyone who wants to spend time on a local trail system while supporting youth programming.

The setting is part of the draw. The run will take place near Lake Jacksonville, which the city describes as its "premier recreation location." The 500-acre man-made lake sits about 4 miles southeast of Jacksonville and has roughly 21 miles of shoreline. City information also highlights camping, boating, water skiing, fishing and trails for walking and biking, with south-side trails and picnic areas giving the area a recognizable outdoor identity that many Morgan County residents already know well.

That backdrop matters for Western Illinois Youth Camp, which has used its property for more than just camp sessions. The organization says it has offered day camps, overnight camps and rentals for weddings and meetings, making the trail run as much a showcase for the site as a fundraiser for the camp’s programs. The property’s long history gives the event added weight. Western Illinois Youth Camp began as Western Illinois 4-H Camp on July 16, 1948, and a 2023 anniversary feature said the camp marked 75 years that year. Board president Ed Anderson joined the board in 2010.

The camp’s survival has not always been simple. About ten years ago, the 4-H federation severed its ties with the grounds and the operation transitioned to Western Illinois Youth Camp. Kiwanis Club members helped stabilize and renovate the property after financial and physical problems. That history makes the spring trail run more than a one-off outing. It is another sign that the camp is still working to stay visible, useful and open to the community in west-central Illinois.