Other rivers, streams, and lakes have public access points. Notable is Argyle Lake, nestled in a series of low, wooded hills, and found just west of Macomb in a state park named after the lake. Recreation Areas Click on red bullets on actual map for more information about specific sites or click here for a chart listing a brief description of each area. Like much of Illinois, this area was covered by a vast prairie, broken by wooded areas near rivers, streams, and more hilly regions. Most of the prairie has been converted to farm land, although a few isolated patches remain.
Wooded areas are primarily deciduous hardwoods.
Few pines grow native in this region. Predominant crops are corn and soybeans planted in vast plots. Other crops include hay, alfalfa, wheat, and fruit groves. Most wildlife is concentrated along river and streambeds where much of remaining Illinois timber still stands. Besides squirrels and skunks, foxes and coyotes roam the rural areas.