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Kilgour Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 292 Google reviews · Running trail in Sterling, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 5 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Kilgour Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Big park featuring basketball and tennis courts as well as a wooden playground, plus a dog run.
What runners say about Kilgour Park
“Nice, flat, well maintained city park with courts, play station, benches and plenty of room to walk and enjoy the day.”
Always enjoy time playing with the kids in this special wooden fort/playground. Nice place to turn the kids loose & not worry about them running off. Splinters can be a problem but the wood structures are reasonably well maintained.
Old timey park with wooden structure and metal slides. Pretty well kept but tire obstacles need replaced. Very imaginative with good physical obstacles. Also had basket ball courts and a .5 mile walking perimeter trail.
One of the best family parks I have been too. I love to be able to walk and feel safe with nature around me 😊 You may play tennis or basketball there. There is an open field to play catch, or picnicking. Also children may play on the wooden playground that's called the Imagination Station.
This park has a very nice playground for kids. There are 2 tennis courts, basketball hoops, and 2 large grass sections for dogs. It's open to the public from dusk till dawn. The parameter is 1/2 mile around with a nice sidewalk and benches, as well as a walkway through the middle. I walk my dog here almost every day.
Trail conditions & character
“There are only porta potties for bathrooms and a few tables, this is my biggest qualm.”
“There are 2 tennis courts, basketball hoops, and 2 large grass sections for dogs.”
“There are portable toilets one is ADA and a drinking fountain.”
Plan your run at Kilgour Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Distance5 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadrestrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitesterlingparks.org
- Phone+1 815-622-6200
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–8 pm |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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