Safety

Enjoy a Safe Visit!

Here are some tips for a safe and enjoyable visit.

• Stay on designated paths and walkways.
• Paths throughout the park have irregular surfaces and may become icy during winter. Wear sturdy, closed toe shoes.
• There are no indoor facilities, including a visitor center or gift shop. Pay attention to the weather. Shelter in your vehicle in case of lightning, hail, or high winds.
• Dress appropriately for the weather. Summers in western Illinois are hot and humid. Drink plenty of fluids during hot summer weather. Winters can be cold and windy. Find a weather forecast on the current conditions page.
• Always lock your vehicle and stow any valuables out of sight.
• Do not climb on trees, fences, or stone features.
• Do not enter any buildings.
• This is a native habitat for bees, wasps, gnats, mosquitos, ticks, and poison ivy.
• Call 911 in an emergency.

Tick and Chigger Safety

Ticks and chiggers are present on the site. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and tall socks. Avoid walking through tall grass, shrubs, and wet areas. Check your clothing and skin frequently for ticks, especially your armpits, groin, and under your hairline. Shower soon after being outdoors to wash off any unattached ticks or chiggers.

A tick bit me! What do I do?
Don’t panic! Typically, ticks must be attached for more than 24 hours to transmit diseases. Remove the tick with fine-tipped tweezers. Call your doctor if you develop a fever or rash within several days to weeks after being bitten.

Learn more about tick safety from the Centers for Disease Control.

Chiggers bit me! What do I do?
Contrary to popular belief, chiggers do not burrow into your skin. They brush off easily. However, their bite releases saliva that causes intense irritation. You might notice many small, itchy red dots on your skin around your ankles, legs, and possibly waistline. Those are bites.

Use topical anti-itch creams to lessen the itchiness. The itching will be at its worst for the first 48 hours, then slowly subside. Call your doctor if the rash spreads or you develop a fever.

Poison Ivy Safety

Poison Ivy is a native part of the plant community at New Philadelphia. Berries from the plant are a highly nutritious food for birds and animals. The vine provides cover and protects the soil from erosion.

It can cause intense irritation in humans, however. Follow these tips to keep safe!

• Poison ivy is present in fields and shrubby areas. It is especially thick near the cabins.
• Stay on paths and trails to avoid contact.
• Stay out of the tall grass. Poison Ivy is difficult to see under the grass.
• Learn to identify the plant and do not touch – leaves of three, let it be!
• All parts of the plant can produce a skin irritation in all seasons.

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control’s poisonous plants safety tips.